City of Monterey

A city address is usually permitted by the city, not the county — but not always, and some authorities keep building and hand electrical to someone else. Getting this wrong costs the whole submittal, because every requirement below belongs to whoever actually holds jurisdiction. Check the overlays in the same pass: an HOA, a historic district, a windstorm certification or a system-size cap can reshape the design, and all of them are cheaper to find now than after the array is laid out.

• Is this authority the AHJ for residential solar at this address? Yes 95% · municipal code
• What does this authority permit itself, and what does it delegate? Both 90% · department page
• Is a permit required for a residential rooftop PV system? Yes 98% · municipal code
• Is there a separate electrical permit, or is it combined? Combined 85% · permit application form
• Is a HOA or architectural approval required first? No HOA approval may be required as a condition of permit approval (City is affirmatively barred from conditioning on it); no architectural review is required for a standard rooftop PV retrofit on an existing single-family home outside a D-1/D-2 design-overlay district, since Sec.38-188's applicability list (new construction, 2-story additions, C/CO/CR/I-R/O/P districts, D-overlay districts) does not reach it. 85% · municipal code
• Is there a historic-district review? Conditionally yes for properties on the City's historic-resource lists. MCC Sec.9-88(c): 'A use permit and/or architectural review may be required for properties on the City's list of historic resources as deemed necessary by the Chief of Planning, Engineering, and Environmental Compliance.' Separately, MCC Sec.38-74b(D) routes any alteration on a surveyed/listed property that does NOT conform to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards to Historic Preservation Commission review; alterations that DO conform follow the regular permit process. Monterey's historic reach is unusually broad: it extends beyond formally H-1/H-2/H-D-zoned landmarks to any property on the City's Reconnaissance Survey List or Adopted Survey List (Sec.38-74a), which the City intends to eventually cover citywide. 90% · municipal code
• Is a wind or windstorm certification required? No separate wind/windstorm certification is required; wind (and seismic) loading is addressed through the standard CBC structural-analysis path -- e.g., ballasted systems require full engineering analysis under CBC Sec.1613.3 -- rather than a distinct certification document. 68% · published checklist
• Is a Specific Use Permit or Council approval ever required? Yes, possible in two situations: (1) the Chief Building Official may require a Use Permit if the official finds, based on substantial evidence, that the solar system 'could have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health and safety' (appealable to the Planning Commission); (2) a Use Permit and/or architectural review may be required for historic-listed properties at the Chief of Planning's discretion. 90% · municipal code
• Is there a system-size cap on residential generation? 10 kW AC nameplate / 30 kW thermal, for a system to qualify as a 'small residential rooftop solar energy system' eligible for the expedited/administrative permit path; also must be on a single- or duplex-family dwelling and not exceed the City's maximum legal building height. NOTE a live tension: MCC Sec.38-106(a) separately EXEMPTS 'existing structures for solar collection devices... on existing buildings' from height limits altogether, and Sec.38-106(b) allows up to 20 feet above the district height limit with a Use Permit -- both of which sit alongside, and are more generous than, the height cap baked into the Sec.9-86 solar-ordinance definition. Both are reported; neither is resolved. 88% · municipal code

Several authorities require the electrical permit to be pulled by a licensed electrician, or require the contractor to be registered with them BEFORE applying. Registration is not same-day. This is second on the list rather than fourth because it is the step most likely to stop the job before the drawings matter.

• Who is allowed to pull the electrical permit? Either 88% · department FAQ page
• Must the contractor be registered with this authority before applying? No 62% · permit application form
• Is a homeowner permitted to self-install and self-permit? Yes 88% · department FAQ page

Almost everywhere wants a site plan, a one-line or three-line electrical diagram, equipment cut sheets with listings, and a structural attachment detail. Build it against the published checklist rather than the last jurisdiction you worked in — the checklist is what the reviewer marks against.

• What documents make up a complete submittal? Per the 'Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems Expedited Submittal Checklist' (Rev 12/30/2024): completed permit application; plans (min 11x17) as one PDF; the signed checklist itself; manufacturer's equipment spec sheets incorporated into plans; front sheet with owner/designer info, scope of work, occupancy/construction type, code editions cited; sheet index; site plan (array/module layout, panel/subpanel size+location, existing structures, ridgeline setbacks per CFC1205, property-line setbacks, north arrow); fire-sprinkler status; module/string counts; single-line diagram; roof-structural adequacy statement (full engineering analysis required if ballasted, per CBC1613.3); anchorage details; elevation showing wall-mounted equipment; PV cut sheets (modules, racking, inverter, microinverter, optimizers); grounding, wiring, and CEC-citation notes. 96% · published checklist
• How many copies, and in what format? Electronic only -- one combined PDF file, submitted by email or via the new online portal; no paper accepted. 92% · published checklist
• Is a site plan required, and what must it show? Yes -- must show PV array/modules (each string identified), location/size/amperage of main and sub electrical panels, all existing structures, setbacks from adjacent roof ridgelines per CFC Sec.1205, property-line setbacks, and a north arrow. 95% · published checklist
• Is a one-line / three-line diagram required? Yes 95% · published checklist
• Are string and conductor calculations required? Conditionally -- checklist states 'electrical load calculations may be required' and requires wire/breaker sizes be identified on the single-line diagram, but does not mandate a separate string/conductor calculation package for every job. 78% · published checklist
• Is a structural PE stamp required, and at what threshold? A structural statement/engineering analysis is required for all systems; a FULL PE structural engineering analysis is specifically required for ballasted systems, per CBC Sec.1613.3. 85% · published checklist

Most authorities now take the whole application through a portal, and several states cap or constrain what a residential solar permit may cost. Check whether plan check is billed separately before you quote the job.

• Which permit portal does this authority use? My Monterey Portal (www.mymontereyportal.org), also accessible via the 'MY Monterey Gov' mobile app -- a general municipal online permitting portal (Liferay-based 'Monterey Online Service Center'), effective 1/7/2026. Not SolarAPP+ or Symbium branded. 88% · department page
• Can the whole application be completed online? Largely yes for building permits (including solar PV) as of 1/7/2026 -- 'Required plan reviews are automatically identified, applicable fees are automatically calculated'; project-specific checklists (e.g. the Solar Checklist) are uploaded as part of the same portal submittal. The City's page also still separately offers email submittal (gogreen@monterey.gov) as of the same page text, so a fully paperless email path also remains available in parallel. 80% · department page
• What does a residential solar permit cost? $450 flat, for systems <=10kW AC (FY27 Master Fee Schedule); larger residential systems fall to the City's valuation-based Building Permit Fee table (tiered, starting $116.50 for $0-$1,000 valuation) plus a separate Plan Check fee. 92% · fee schedule
• How is the fee calculated? Flat for <=10kW AC ($450, state-mandated cap); Valuation-based/tiered for systems over that threshold. 85% · fee schedule
• Is there a separate plan-check fee? For <=10kW, no -- the $450 is a single all-inclusive fee under the state fee cap. For larger systems requiring full plan check, yes, a separate Plan Check fee (hourly $185/hr, or the tiered Plan Check-Project Valuation table) applies. 72% · fee schedule

Interconnection is a separate process from the permit and usually the longer pole. Where the utility does not depend on the permit being issued, running both at once is the single biggest saving available on a residential job.

• What is the stated plan-review turnaround? 3 business days for a complete expedited small-residential-rooftop-solar application (CORE, codified). General (non-expedited) building-permit plan review is stated separately as ~15-20 business days depending on project size. 92% · municipal code
• How long is an issued permit valid before it expires? A submitted application expires after 180 days if no permit is issued. Once issued, a permit expires if the project has not passed one of its required inspections within one year of issuance (extendable in 90-day increments, up to 10 times, on written request). 88% · municipal code
• Which utility handles interconnection here? Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) 95% · city utilities page
• Where does the utility sit in the sequence? Parallel, with PG&E approval required in hand by the time of the Meter Release/final electrical inspection -- not a precondition to permit issuance itself. 68% · published checklist

The NEC edition a jurisdiction enforces is often a cycle behind the newest one published, and local amendments sit on top of it. Rapid shutdown, conductor sizing and labelling all change between editions, so the edition in force is the first thing to establish, not the last.

• Which NEC edition is in force? 2023 95% · municipal code
• Which building code edition is in force? 2025 California Building Code (+ Appendix J), 2025 California Historic Building Code, 2025 California Existing Building Code, 2025 California Residential Code. 95% · municipal code
• Which fire code edition is in force? 2025 California Fire Code 95% · municipal code
• Are there local amendments to any of the above? Yes -- extensive local amendments to the CBC (Sec.9-1), CRC (Sec.9-1.1), CPC (Sec.9-2) and, most substantively, the CFC (Sec.13-0.2, which adds the PV/ESS/fuel-cell placard specification and a hip-and-valley module-spacing rule). No separate local amendment article currently exists for the CEC itself -- the two slots that would have held Electrical/Mechanical amendments (Sec.9-3, Sec.9-4) are both marked 'Repealed.' 90% · municipal code
• What is the installation judged against? The 2025 CEC (Art. 690/705), 2025 CBC/CRC as locally amended, and the 2025 CFC as locally amended (esp. the Sec.1205/1206/1207 placarding and pathway amendments) -- per the Solar Checklist's own code references. 92% · published checklist

Ridge setbacks and roof access pathways are fire-service requirements and they constrain the array layout. They are the most common cause of a redesign after the fire department comments on a plan set.

• What ridge setback and access pathways are required? Base (unamended) 2025 CFC Sec.1205.2 governs standard ridge setbacks/access pathways; the City's local amendment does not change the base ridge-setback figure but (a) deletes CFC Sec.1205.2.1 Exceptions 1 and 2, and (b) adds a hip-and-valley-specific spacing rule (Sec.1205.2.1.4, >=1.5 ft spacing where modules are on both sides of a hip/valley). 85% · municipal code

Which rapid-shutdown rule applies follows directly from the NEC edition in force, and the initiation device has to be at a location the fire service can reach and identify. This is inspected, and it is labelled.

• Is rapid shutdown required, and to which NEC edition? Yes, rapid shutdown applies under the 2025 CEC (2023 NEC Sec.690.12 basis), which the City has adopted without amendment. Notably, the City's OWN Solar Checklist never cites Sec.690.12 by number anywhere -- it cites 690.31, 690.43 and 705.12(B)(2) at length but not 690.12 -- consistent with the pattern seen in several other CA cities' handouts. 78% · published checklist

The NEC sets a baseline for permanent markings at the service equipment and the disconnecting means. On top of that, an authority may specify its own wording, and the utility may specify more again. Where any of them writes its own text, a generic off-the-shelf label set will not pass — this is the detail most often fixed on a return visit.

• Which placards does this authority require at the service equipment? Per the locally-amended CFC (new Sec.1205.1.1, 'Signing and Marking'): (1) a Main Panel Exterior placard reading 'SOLAR DISCONNECT INSIDE PANEL'; (2) a Circuit Disconnecting Means label reading 'SOLAR DISCONNECT'; (3) additional signage for secondary power sources (battery/generator/other) showing the shutoff location; (4) installer-information signage (name + emergency phone) at the main disconnect. Separately, ESS/BESS gets a 'BESS' placard and stationary fuel cells get a 'FUEL CELL' placard. 96% · municipal code
• Does the authority specify placard wording of its own? Yes 96% · municipal code
• Does it specify letter height, colour or material? Main Panel placard: red background, white capital letters >=1/2 inch, non-serif font, weather-resistant durable plastic with engraved letters. Circuit label: contrasting-color capital letters >=3/8 inch, non-serif font, durable adhesive material. BESS and FUEL CELL placards: 6-inch block letters with 3/4-inch stroke on a contrasting background. 96% · municipal code
• Is a site plan / facility map placard required, and what must it show? A detailed SITE PLAN (drawing, part of the plan set) is required per the Solar Checklist (array/module layout, panel locations, setbacks, north arrow). A separate physical facility-map PLACARD at the service equipment, beyond the base CEC Sec.705.10 labeling the Solar Checklist already references ('Include permanent labeling and safety signage as required by CEC, Sections 690 and 705'), was not found as a distinct local requirement. 72% · published checklist
• Where must the labels be placed? Main-panel placard: exterior of the main service disconnect panel. Circuit-disconnect label: adjacent to the circuit breaker controlling the inverter/PV controller. Secondary-power-source signage: at/showing the location of the secondary power source shutoff switch. Installer-info signage: adjacent to the main disconnect. BESS/ESS disconnect and placarding: located at or adjacent to the main electrical panel. 92% · municipal code

Where the AC disconnect must sit relative to the meter is usually the utility's rule, not the building department's. Battery storage frequently carries its own permit, its own inspection and its own fire conditions.

• Must equipment be on a specific approved list? No City-specific approved-equipment list; equipment must instead meet CEC/IEEE/UL/CPUC safety and performance standards generally (MCC Sec.9-89(c)), and cut sheets are submitted for review rather than checked against a pre-approved list. 78% · municipal code
• Are batteries permitted, and under what conditions? Yes, with conditions -- the locally-amended CFC requires an ESS disconnect at/adjacent to the main panel with placarding, and a 'BESS' placard (6in block letters) where a battery energy storage system is installed inside a structure. The Solar Checklist itself directs ESS applicants to 'complete the ESS separate checklist' -- that specific document was not located by name on the City's Building Forms page and is flagged as unconfirmed (see not_found for q46 detail). 85% · municipal code
• Is there a separate ESS permit or inspection? Yes, effectively -- the Master Fee Schedule carries a distinct 'Fire Plan Review and Inspections, Battery Systems $354.00' line, separate from the building permit fee, and the Solar Checklist tells ESS applicants to use 'the ESS separate checklist' (a document referenced but not located by name on the current Building Forms page). 78% · fee schedule
• Is there a local rule on service upgrades or busbar sizing? No local minimum-busbar or service-upgrade sizing rule beyond the state CEC itself was found. The City's Over-the-Counter Electrical Panel Replacement checklist cites only standard CEC sections (110.3, 310.15, 230.24, 230.67(A), etc.) with no locally-set numeric minimum (e.g., no Palm-Springs-style 225A local minimum). 75% · published checklist
• Is a specific mounting system or attachment spacing required? Yes -- 'Provide details for waterproof secure anchorage to roof. Anchors to be staggered' (Solar Checklist). Separately, the locally-amended CFC adds a hip-and-valley module-spacing rule: modules must be >=1.5 ft from a hip or valley if placed on both sides of it; if placed on only one side of an equal-length hip/valley, modules may be directly adjacent. 90% · municipal code

Booking is a portal, a phone call or an email depending on the authority, and the notice required is rarely zero. Book before the work is finished rather than after — the lead time, not the work, is usually what sets the date.

• How is an inspection booked? Phone -- 'Call 831-646-3890 to schedule' (used for both the Meter Release and Final Electrical inspections in the OTC Electrical Checklist); no dedicated online inspection-scheduling feature was independently confirmed for the new My Monterey Portal. 80% · published checklist

Some authorities inspect their own solar work; some delegate it, and a few do not inspect the PV equipment itself at all. Who is coming determines what they will look at.

• Does this AHJ perform its own final solar inspection? Yes 95% · municipal code
• If delegated, to whom? Not delegated for the building/electrical final -- performed by the City's own Permits and Inspections Office. Fire may perform 'a separate fire inspection' per the same code section, and Monterey Fire's own Permits & Plan Review page discloses that PLAN REVIEW (not necessarily inspection) is sometimes routed to 'our third-party reviewer' during high-volume periods. 80% · department page

A rough-in or mid-roof inspection, where one is required, has to happen before the work it covers is closed up. Missing a stage means opening something back up, and it is the most expensive kind of correction.

• Which inspections are required, and in what order? For a qualifying expedited small-residential-rooftop system: a single consolidated final inspection by the Permits and Inspections Office, with a separate fire inspection possible. For adjacent electrical panel work (not solar-specific), the OTC checklist describes a two-stage Meter Release then Final Electrical sequence. 85% · municipal code
• Is a rough-in or mid-roof inspection required? No -- explicitly a single consolidated inspection for expedited-review solar systems, not a separate rough-in/mid-roof stage. 85% · municipal code

The approved plan set, the permit, and the equipment listings should be on site and reachable. Inspectors routinely verify that installed equipment matches what was approved, and that the labels are the ones the plan set promised.

• Is there a published inspection checklist? Yes for adjacent electrical panel work -- the OTC Electrical Checklist contains an explicit inspector-facing checklist ('Inspector to check the following...') for Meter Release and Final Electrical inspections. No equivalent stand-alone INSPECTION checklist (as distinct from the submittal Solar Checklist) was found specifically for solar PV. 70% · published checklist
• Does the inspector verify labels and listings? Yes, by inference -- the Solar Checklist requires manufacturer cut sheets/equipment specs and CEC/UL-listing compliance (Sec.9-89(c)) be part of the submittal, and the locally-amended CFC placards are a final-inspection item by nature; no single City document states outright 'the inspector verifies labels and listings.' 62% · published checklist

Passing gives you a final or an equivalent sign-off. That is not the same as permission to operate: PTO comes from the utility, and who tells the utility the inspection passed varies. A system left switched off for weeks is usually waiting on this handover.

• What is issued on pass? Final (a passed final/consolidated inspection closing out the permit) -- inferred; the City's documents never use CO/'green tag'/'letter' terminology for solar specifically. 58% · municipal code
• Is there a re-inspection fee? $242.00 (general 'Missed inspections or work not complete' fee) -- no solar-specific re-inspection fee line was found separate from this general one. 78% · fee schedule
• How are corrections issued and cleared? For an incomplete APPLICATION: a written correction notice detailing all deficiencies is sent to the applicant for resubmission (Sec.9-91(g)). For a FAILED INSPECTION: a subsequent inspection is authorized and need not conform to the expedited-review requirements of the article (Sec.9-91(j)). 85% · municipal code