Permits for solar

General information

All solar projects require a local building permit. Solar systems for commercial and municipal buildings must meet additional design review and engineering requirements. For residential projects, local jurisdictions want to ensure that solar installations meet local building codes as well as engineering and safety standards. The requirements and procedures associated with meeting these standards differ widely.

When residential and commercial property owners purchase a solar system through CCEnergy, the solar installer pulls the permit. The CCEnergy field representative, our design engineer, and the installer work together to satisfy all the permit requirements. CCEnergy indicates the permit cost as a separate line item in the initial price quote. After system installation is complete, CCEnergy arranges a final inspection with the local building department as part of the Co-op's project management services.

Solar permit costs in California

Local building departments charge a permit fee to cover solar system plan review and inspection services. Depending upon where the property is located, permit fees also differ dramatically. Local building departments usually have information available about their solar permit fees. A licensed solar contractor is required to obtain the permit, but the solar system purchaser (the property owner) is responsible for covering the permit cost. Because of the wide variation, permit costs are quoted separately in CCEnergy solar proposals.

Federal and state solar incentives and net metering laws are contributing to making solar energy more affordable to middle-income homeowners in California, but unfortunately permit fees are still the wildcard in final system cost. More local renewable energy or green building programs are including reduced permit fees and/or expedited solar permit processing as an incentive.

A 2006 study of permit fees in the San Francisco Bay Area found dramatic cost variation ranging from $35 to $1,500. The study also noted that cities with inspectors who are knowledgeable about solar PV systems tend to have lower fees, usually $300 or less for average residential systems. Cities with building department officials who are not familiar with PV charge far higher fees for solar project permit. View the solar permit fee cost ranking as of July 2006 » (pdf)

The permit fee study's authors launched a public campaign to contact 14 San Francisco Bay Area cities with the highest solar permit fees (higher than $700) and ask those cities' officials to reduce solar permit fees to $300 or below. More about the 2006 permit fee study and campaign »

"Solar Electric Permit Fees in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area" » (pdf)
A 2006 study conducted by Sierra Club Loma Preita Chapter members Carl Mills, Kurt Newick, Tom Roberts, and Richard Hughes lead to a media campaign to get permit feeds reduced.

More history and info on solar permit fees in California »

More solar permit information and resources coming soon ...