Los Angeles County

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 — for an address in unincorporated LA County, LA County Public Works Building & Safety is the building and electrical AHJ, with LACoFD as the fire AHJ alongside it. 92% · adopted code (Title 27), 2026 edition
• What does this authority permit itself, and what does it delegate? Both. It issues one combined solar energy permit including all building and electrical work. It delegates: ground-mount entitlement to Regional Planning; and it RECEIVES delegated fire review of conventional roof solar from LACoFD, which retains ESS, disconnect placarding, rapid-shutdown devices and some BIPV for its own separate inspection. 90% · adopted code (Title 26, Chapter 68) + LACoFD EG-10 guide
• Is a permit required for a residential rooftop PV system? Yes. 'All solar photovoltaic systems require plan check' (B&S solar page); LACBC Ch. 68 presumes a permit and Electrical Code Sec. 82-3 forbids installing electrical equipment without one. 95% · department web page + adopted code
• Is there a separate electrical permit, or is it combined? Combined. LACBC 6804: 'A combined solar energy permit may be issued for photovoltaic systems, which will include all building and electrical work, however a separate plumbing permit, if needed, will be required.' 95% · adopted code (Title 26 Ch. 68 §6804)
• Is a HOA or architectural approval required first? No — not by this authority. HOA/architectural approval is not among the eligibility criteria in the expedited checklist, is not a listed submittal item, and is not an 'agency' on the referral sheet regime. Private CC&R restrictions on solar are separately limited by California Civil Code 714 (Solar Rights Act). 55% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026) — absence of requirement
• Is a wind or windstorm certification required? No separate wind or windstorm certification. Wind is handled inside the structural design: the expedited Structural Criteria works off design wind speed (110 mph typical, with Special Wind Region handling for 115–130 mph) and anchor/fastener tables; ballasted and ground-mounted systems trigger a wind design per SEAOC PV2-2017 or an ASCE 7 Chapter 31 wind tunnel test report, and a wind tunnel-based design additionally needs a Research Request with a filing fee under LACBC 104.2.7. 78% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026), items 20-31 and 36-37
• Is a Specific Use Permit or Council approval ever required? Not for roof-mounted residential PV — 'Structure-mounted solar projects generally do not require review by Regional Planning.' For GROUND-mounted small-scale solar (energy used primarily on-site) a Site Plan Review is required if the property is not zoned O-S or W; a Minor CUP is required if a modification to development standards is sought OR the property is zoned O-S or W. Utility-scale ground-mounted facilities need a full CUP and are limited to listed zones, and are prohibited in Significant Ecological Areas and Economic Opportunity Areas. 78% · Regional Planning summary sheet (rev. 03/2019)
• Is there a system-size cap on residential generation? No cap on generation as such — a cap on eligibility for the fast route. LACBC §6801/§6802 limit the expedited process to a PV system 'no larger than 10 kilowatts alternating current' nameplate rating on a one- or two-family dwelling (or 30 kWth solar thermal), and the Eligibility Checklist repeats '10kW AC CEC rating or less'. The Standard Plan is likewise scoped to systems 'not exceeding a system AC inverter output rating of 10kW'. Larger residential systems are still permittable — they go through standard plan check instead. Separate eligibility limits on the expedited path: interconnection to a single-phase 120/240 Vac service panel with a busbar rating of 225 A or less, load-side connection, no more than two inverters, and no battery storage. 85% · adopted code (Ch. 68 §§6801-6802) + BCM 6807 Att. B and C

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. Electrical Code Sec. 82-4: 'The applicant for electrical permits for work exceeding two hundred dollars ($200) in value shall be a licensed contractor, registered maintenance electrician, homeowner, or authorized government representative.' A permit may also issue to a firm/partnership/corporation an officer or member of which is a licensed contractor, provided that person directly personally supervises the work. 95% · adopted code (Title 27, Sec. 82-4)
• Must the contractor be registered with this authority before applying? No. A CSLB-licensed contractor whose classification covers the work is entitled to perform it 'without personal local qualification or registration' (Sec. 82-4(a)). Note: a Certificate of Worker's Compensation Insurance must be presented to the local B&S office before a permit can be issued. Local registration exists only for the separate 'Registered Maintenance Electrician' category, which is not the contractor route. 93% · adopted code (Title 27, Sec. 82-4(a))
• Is a homeowner permitted to self-install and self-permit? Yes, with a hard condition. Sec. 82-4(c): a permit may issue to the owner of a single-family residence 'for his principal place of residence and appurtenances thereto, provided that work authorized under any such permit shall be done by the person to whom the permit is issued, or by a member of his immediate family.' Violation subjects the permit to immediate cancellation. The expedited path requires Form B — Affidavit for Owner-Builder. 93% · adopted code (Title 27, Sec. 82-4(c))

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? EXPEDITED path (≤10 kW AC, BCM 6807 Att. A): (a) completed permit application form; (b) demonstrated compliance with the Eligibility Checklist (Att. B); (c) a completed Standard Electrical Plan (Att. C central/string, or Att. D microinverter/ACM); (d) a roof plan showing roof layout, PV panels, approximate roof access point, code-compliant access pathways, PV system fire classification and the locations of all required labels and markings; (e) completed expedited Structural Criteria (Att. E) with supporting documentation; (f) completed Form A (contractor), Form B (owner-builder) or Form C affidavit acknowledging that a rooftop solar system shall not be installed on any unpermitted structure. STANDARD path (2026 Solar PV System Plan Review List, 2/1/2026): roof plan projected on a site plan; array/equipment locations and dimensions with access and pathways; roof fire classification, roofing material, number of layers, slopes, parapet height; all manufacturer specification sheets, installation instructions, certificates of compliance and UL listings; structural plans and calculations (see q13); electrical drawings signed with license information; single-line diagram; inverter, module and array data; conductor/OCPD sizing; label and warning samples; grounding details; rapid shutdown; plus 'Best Management Practice for Construction Activity' (Attachment A) attached and signed. All agency approvals are required prior to permit issuance per the attached agency referral sheet. 88% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026) + Building Code Manual 6807 Art. 1 Att. A
• How many copies, and in what format? Electronic via EPIC-LA is the normal route for unincorporated areas. Where paper/hard copy is used: Electrical Code Sec. 82-5 — 'the applicant shall submit two sets of plans, specifications, calculations, and/or reports with the application.' On correction resubmittal the Plan Review List directs: 'Resubmit marked original plans and two corrected sets of plans, calculations and this plan review list.' Historic paper counter route: Electrical Section, 900 South Fremont Ave, Alhambra CA 91803, 3rd Floor. 85% · adopted code (Sec. 82-5) + plan review checklist
• Is a site plan required, and what must it show? Yes. 'Provide a roof plan projected on a site plan. Show street name(s) and north arrow.' It must also show: the address of the building and the name and address of the owner(s) and of the person(s) preparing the plans on the first sheet; locations and dimensions of all PV arrays and equipment, depicted with roof access and pathways per Section 3111.3.4 or R329.6; roof fire classification, roofing material, number of layers, roof slope(s) and parapet height; the location of the main electrical service, the AC/DC disconnects, all PV equipment and the arrays. Expedited path adds: approximate location of roof access point, code-compliant access pathways, and the locations of all required labels and markings. 92% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026)
• Is a one-line / three-line diagram required? Yes. Item 40: 'Single Line Diagram: Show array configuration, conduit and conductor sizes with derating calculations. (See Standard Electrical Diagram.)' A three-line diagram is not separately demanded. On the expedited path the county's own Standard Plan (BCM 6807 Att. C/D) contains pre-drawn single-line diagrams the applicant completes. 93% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026), item 40
• Are string and conductor calculations required? Yes. Item 49: 'System Calculations: Show (VOC) x (temperature correction factor based on the lowest recorded temperature). (ISC) calculated x 125% (NEC 690) x 125% (UL 1703), OR (ISC) after the application of adjustment and correction factors. Size the PV circuit conductors to carry not less than the larger of the two. Overcurrent devices shall be rated to carry not less than (ISC) x 125%.' Item 44 additionally requires conductor ampacities adjusted with all derating factors and the rating and location of all OCPDs. On the expedited path these calculations are performed on the county's Standard Plan worksheet. 93% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026), items 44 and 49
• Is a structural PE stamp required, and at what threshold? Yes, with a defined exemption. Item 10: 'Structural plans and calculations signed by a licensed architect or civil engineer shall be submitted for the solar PV system… For one- and two-family dwellings, structural plans and calculations shall be submitted as described above, unless ALL of the following conditions are met: (a) existing roofing is wood shingle, asphalt shingle, or rolled/torch-down with two layers maximum; (b) the PV system weighs not more than 4 psf; (c) maximum concentrated load imposed by a support onto the roof structure is 40 lbs; (d) no portion of the panels is more than 18 in. above the roof immediately below; (e) maximum support spacing on wood-framed construction is 48 in. o.c., anchored to roof rafters or solid blocking with a minimum of one 5/16 in. diameter lag screw embedded a minimum of 2 1/2 in., or as recommended by the manufacturer, whichever is more stringent.' On the expedited path, BCM 6807 Att. E works the same way: if every checklist item is YES, 'No additional calculations are required'; if any item is NO, 'Attach project-specific drawings and calculations stamped and signed by a California-licensed Civil or Structural Engineer.' Ballasted and ground-mounted systems have their own engineering triggers (SEAOC PV1/PV2-2017, ASCE 7 Ch. 31 wind tunnel, ASTM G115 friction testing). 92% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026), item 10 + BCM 6807 Att. E
• Is an electrical PE stamp required, and at what threshold? Not an absolute stamp for residential. Plan Review List item 38: electrical drawings 'shall bear the signature and license information of the person preparing the documents.' Electrical Code Sec. 82-5 is the governing rule: unless otherwise permitted by the Chief Electrical Inspector, plans, specifications and calculations 'shall be prepared and designed by a professional electrical engineer registered in the State of California… or by a person who is qualified to prepare electrical engineering documents and who is exempt from registration pursuant to the provisions of the Professional Engineer's Act,' and shall bear the preparer's signature and seal or stamp. In practice the licensed contractor route relies on that exemption, and the expedited Standard Plan is signed by 'Contractor/Engineer Name … License # and Class'. 78% · adopted code (Sec. 82-5) + plan review checklist item 38

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? EPIC-LA (Electronic Permitting and Inspections for the County of Los Angeles) — https://epicla.lacounty.gov/ — described by B&S as where applicants 'submit plans, specifications, and supporting documents for review and approval, pay permit fees, and apply for a permit.' The County publishes a solar-specific walkthrough, 'BSD Permit Road Map EPIC-LA Roof Mount Residential Solar'. Contract cities use a separate BSOP web application, not EPIC-LA. 95% · department web page + portal help documentation
• Can the whole application be completed online? Yes. The County's permits page states applicants can 'Apply online for all your permitting and inspection needs', 'Submit electronic copies of all your plans and supporting documentation' and 'Pay all permit and inspection fees electronically', and inspections are requested in EPIC-LA. Chapter 68 §6803 confirms an application 'may be submitted in person or electronically through the online submittal system maintained by the Building Official'. A paper counter route remains available at Alhambra. 88% · department permits portal page
• What does a residential solar permit cost? Capped, not flat. The version of LACBC §6805 published by the County states: 'The combined permit fee for small residential rooftop photovoltaic systems shall not exceed $500 unless modified by or in accordance with Government Code Section 66015 or other applicable law.' The later published edition of the same section replaces the dollar figure with 'shall not exceed the amount set forth in Government Code section 66015 or other applicable law.' The actual charge is computed from Building Code §107, Electrical Code §82-8 and Plumbing Code §§103.10/103.11, and Electrical Code fees are 'adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) pursuant to Section 107.17.' 65% · adopted code (Title 26 Ch. 68 §6805)
• How is the fee calculated? Tiered — valuation-based building fees (Building Code §107) plus an itemised per-unit electrical schedule (Electrical Code §82-8, charging separately for services, switchboards, panelboards, outlets, and generators/motors by HP/KW/KVA rating), CPI-adjusted annually, then subject to the statutory cap on the combined small-residential-rooftop-PV fee. It is not per kW and not per panel. 80% · adopted code (Sec. 82-8 fee schedule) + LACBC §6805
• Is there a separate plan-check fee? Yes. Electrical Code Sec. 82-5: 'When a plan checking fee or other fees are required by this or any related ordinance or statute, such fees shall be collected at the time plans are filed.' Plan Review List instructions: 'Per section 107.2 of the LAC Building Code, additional fees may be charged for plan checks required after the second plan check.' Expiry of an application also forces a new plan checking or review fee. Both plan check and permit fees roll into the capped combined figure for a small residential rooftop PV system. 88% · plan review checklist instructions + adopted code Sec. 82-5

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? 1–3 business days on the expedited path. LACBC §6803: 'Upon receipt of a complete small residential rooftop solar energy system application, plan check review will be completed within one to three business days.' Where the application is incomplete, 'a written correction notice detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information required to be eligible for expedited permit issuance will be issued.' No turnaround is published for the standard (non-expedited) plan check route. 85% · adopted code (Title 26 Ch. 68 §6803)
• How long is an issued permit valid before it expires? 365 days to start, then 180 days of inactivity kills it. Electrical Code Sec. 82-2: a permit 'shall expire by limitation and become null and void if the work authorized by such permit is not commenced within 12 months from the date such permit is issued, or the work authorized by such permit is suspended or abandoned for a period of 180 days, or the permittee fails to obtain inspection as required by the provisions of Section 82-14 of this Code for a period of 180 days.' The Building Official may grant renewal within 180 days of expiration on written request plus a fee not exceeding 25% of the permit fee. EPIC-LA guidance mirrors this: request the first inspection within 12 months and schedule follow-up inspections every 6 months to keep the permit active. 92% · adopted code (Title 27, Sec. 82-2)
• Which utility handles interconnection here? Southern California Edison (SCE) for the large majority of unincorporated LA County — interconnection under CPUC Electric Rule 21. SCE's territory covers Los Angeles County excluding the City of Los Angeles and certain other cities. LADWP serves the City of Los Angeles plus parts of a few adjacent areas, so a small number of unincorporated pockets may fall outside SCE. This must be confirmed per address. 65% · utility service territory map (secondary to the AHJ)
• Where does the utility sit in the sequence? Parallel, with Permission to Operate strictly after the AHJ final. The interconnection application is filed with the utility alongside permitting, but PTO follows the passed building inspection. LACoFD adds a second gate on the same principle: 'A Passed Inspection Serves as an Operational Permit at a R-3/R-4 Occupancy, on the condition that it passes other necessary requirements from other agencies having jurisdiction (e.g., B&S, Utility, etc.).' 60% · LACoFD inspection checklist (2023-09-01)

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 NEC, as the 2025 California Electrical Code, adopted locally as the 2026 County of Los Angeles Electrical Code (Title 27), effective January 1, 2026. The County's title page reads: 'Adopting by reference Portions of the 2025 Edition CALIFORNIA ELECTRICAL CODE… TITLE 27 Of the Los Angeles County Code. Effective January 1, 2026.' The submittal date, not the issuance date, determines which cycle applies. 95% · adopted code, cover and preamble
• Which building code edition is in force? 2026 County of Los Angeles Building Code (Title 26), adopting the 2025 California Building Code, effective January 1, 2026. The same cycle covers: Electrical Title 27, Plumbing Title 28, Mechanical Title 29, Residential Title 30, Green Building Standards Title 31, Existing Building Title 33. For one- and two-family dwellings the operative document is the 2026 County of Los Angeles Residential Code (Title 30). Enforcement runs from application date on or after 1 January 2026. 95% · department code page + adopting ordinance
• Are there local amendments to any of the above? Yes. 'Each Code incorporates local County of Los Angeles amendments and the respective State and model codes.' Fire Code amendments material to solar are the ones that bite: LACFC §509/§509.3 (grouped disconnect location), §509.1.1 and §1207.11.5.1 (disconnect placarding), §1207.11 and §1207.11.3.1 (residential ESS), and §603.4/§603.4.1 (working clearances treating PV and ESS each as electrical service equipment). Notably, I found NO local amendment to Electrical Code Articles 690, 705, 706 or 480 — Title 27 is the administrative title and adopts the 2025 CEC technical requirements unmodified. 85% · department code page + full-text search of adopted Title 27 + LACoFD guides
• What is the installation judged against? The 2026 County of Los Angeles Electrical Code (i.e. the 2025 California Electrical Code / 2023 NEC as locally adopted), plus the approved plans. Plan Review List item 38: 'Provide electrical drawings to show compliance with the applicable provisions of the 2026 Los Angeles County Electrical Code.' The BCM inspection guide repeatedly frames field checks as conformance 'according to the approved plan'. Chapter 68 §6807.4 adds that the PV system 'shall be identified and listed for the application as referenced in the Electrical Code'. 92% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026), item 38

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? Required, and judged against named code sections. Plan Review List item 6: 'Show the locations and dimensions of all solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays and equipment. Depict the array(s) with roof access and pathways per Section 3111.3.4 or R329.6' — i.e. LA County Building Code §3111.3.4 (2025 CBC) for non-R3, and Residential Code §R329.6 for one- and two-family dwellings. Item 17 adds: 'Do not cover mechanical and plumbing vents at roof with solar PV panels.' The expedited roof plan must show 'approximate location of roof access point, location of code-compliant access pathways, PV system fire classification', with the State Fire Marshal Solar PV Installation Guide cited for pathway examples. Fire-side, LACoFD flags Ridge-Vent Openings (in the Wildland-Urban Interface) and Escape and Rescue Opening Pathways as matters requiring its regional office for BIPV designs. 82% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026), items 6 and 17

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 — 2023 NEC as the 2025 CEC. Plan Review List item 52: 'Rapid Shutdown: Provide a rapid shutdown function that controls specific conductors in accordance with 2025 CEC Article 690.12(A) through (D).' Item 48 separately requires arc-fault protection per 2025 CEC Article 690.11 for systems operating at 80 V DC or greater between any two conductors. Additionally, LACoFD requires the rapid-shutdown initiation device to be one of the placarded, exterior-accessible disconnects and to be counted in the placard numbering: 'placards shall be included in the total number of placards ("Y") as necessary to ensure inclusion of any/all switches necessary to initiate each PV "Rapid Shutdown" or similar function for each PV system having one, new or existing.' 92% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026), item 52 + LACoFD Guide Appendix B

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? Two stacked sets. (A) NEC/CEC-derived labels, which the County's expedited Standard Plan lays out explicitly as 'CEC Articles 690 and 705 and CRC Section R331 require the following labels or markings be installed at these components': WARNING / INVERTER OUTPUT CONNECTION; DO NOT RELOCATE THIS OVERCURRENT DEVICE (CEC 705.12(D)(7), not required if the panelboard is rated not less than the sum of the ampere ratings of all overcurrent devices supplying it); WARNING / DUAL POWER SOURCES / SECOND SOURCE IS PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM / RATED AC OUTPUT CURRENT — ___ AMPS AC / NORMAL OPERATING VOLTAGE ___ VOLTS (CEC 690.54 & 705.12(D)(4)); PV SYSTEM AC DISCONNECT / RATED AC OUTPUT CURRENT — ___ AMPS / AC NORMAL OPERATING VOLTAGE ___ VOLTS (CEC 690.54); PV SYSTEM DC DISCONNECT / RATED MAX POWER-POINT CURRENT — ___ ADC / RATED MAX POWER-POINT VOLTAGE — ___ VDC / SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT — ___ ADC / MAXIMUM SYSTEM VOLTAGE — ___ VDC (CEC 690.53); WARNING / ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD. THE DC CONDUCTORS OF THIS PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM ARE UNGROUNDED AND MAY BE ENERGIZED (CEC 690.35(F), ungrounded systems only); WARNING / ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD / IF A GROUND FAULT IS INDICATED, NORMALLY GROUNDED CONDUCTORS MAY BE UNGROUNDED AND ENERGIZED (CEC 690.5(C)); WARNING / ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD / DO NOT TOUCH TERMINALS / TERMINALS ON BOTH LINE AND LOAD SIDES MAY BE ENERGIZED IN THE OPEN POSITION (CEC 690.17); WARNING: PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE (CRC R331.2 and CFC 605.11.1) marked on junction/combiner boxes and on conduit every 10 ft; and a permanent plaque or directory denoting all electric power sources on or in the premises (CEC 705.12). (B) The LACoFD Electrical Power Source Disconnect Placarding System — a County-specific exterior placard reading 'F.D. – ELECTRICAL BLDG DISCONNECT # X of Y', plus panel-interior placards reading '#X' to identify specific switches/breakers within a panel. Current plan review list item 45 requires 'System Labels and Warnings: Show required signage on the plans per 2025 CEC Article 690.13. Show directory placard denoting all power sources and disconnects on the site.' 85% · BCM 6807 Att. C Markings page + LACoFD Guide Appendix B + plan review checklist item 45
• Does the authority specify placard wording of its own? Yes — emphatically, and this is the distinctive local requirement. LACoFD specifies its own placard verbiage, not found in the NEC: exterior placards read 'F.D. – ELECTRICAL BLDG DISCONNECT # X of Y'; panel-interior placards read '#X'. 'Verbiage and word arrangement shall be as pictured above, wherein "X" and "Y" are replaced with the appropriate numbers based upon the determination of a C-10 electrician (or other classification when a C-10 is not required for the scope of work being performed), with approval of the fire code official. All "X"s shall account for the total number "Y" of essential switches and/or panels to be operated in order to completely disconnect the structure from all power sources (and activate rapid shutdown, when applicable).' The system must account for every power source capable of supplying the structure — utility, generator, PV, ESS, wind, fuel-cell, vehicle-to-grid — and 'A pre-wired optional auxiliary power source input shall also constitute a wired capability to be served by more than one power source, and therefore shall require a placarded disconnect'. 90% · LACoFD Guide for ESS, PV and Disconnects, Appendix B (2023-09-01)
• Does it specify letter height, colour or material? Yes — unusually precise. LACoFD Appendix B: SIZE AND MATERIAL — 'Exterior Placards (FIGURE 1) shall be a minimum 2 inches tall by 3.5 inches wide weather resistant plastic, with verbiage engraved'; 'Panel-Interior Placards (FIGURE 2) shall be a minimum 7/16 inches tall by ¾ inches wide weather resistant plastic, with verbiage engraved'. COLOUR — 'Color shall be red letters engraved into a yellow "background" with the verbiage as displayed.' CHARACTER TYPE — Exterior: 'Solid, all-capitals, in Arial font, minimum font size 24. "F.D." and "# X of Y" shall be in bold type and minimum font size 28'; Panel-Interior: 'Solid, all-capitals, in Arial font, bold, minimum font size 24.' ATTACHMENT — 'Attachment shall be by means of permanent epoxy that is material, weather, and surface compatible.' Separately, for the NEC-derived labels, BCM 6807 gives an advisory rather than a mandate: 'ANSI Z535.4 provides guidelines… A phenolic plaque with contrasting colors between the text and background would meet the intent of the code for permanency. No type size is specified, but 20 point (3/8") should be considered the minimum.' 90% · LACoFD Guide Appendix B, §B.1-B.4 (2023-09-01)
• Is a site plan / facility map placard required, and what must it show? A directory placard, yes; a facility site map, only for ESS plan submittals. Plan Review List item 45 requires: 'Show directory placard denoting all power sources and disconnects on the site' — this is the CEC 705.12 'permanent plaque or directory, denoting all electric power sources on or in the premises', and the BCM inspection guide lists it among the signs checked in the field. There is no separate firefighter site-map placard specified for a residential rooftop PV system. The equivalent function is served by the LACoFD 'X of Y' numbering, which tells a firefighter at the panel how many disconnects exist and that they have found one of them. For ESS projects going to Fire plan review, a scaled site plan is a submittal requirement (showing unit locations, spacing, setbacks, impact protection) — but that is a drawing, not a placard. 80% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026), item 45 + BCM 6807 Att. A + LACoFD Guide
• Where must the labels be placed? LACoFD placards: 'Each placarded disconnect initiation device shall be accessible from the exterior of the structure(s).' 'Exterior Placards shall be placed onto the exterior of, or immediately adjacent to, each panel/enclosure or standalone disconnect switch that is necessary to be operated. Additional Exterior Placards may be required by the fire code official, such as when an enclosure houses multiple panels, or when more than the "Main" within a placarded panel is necessary to be operated.' 'Panel-Interior Placards are required to be placed inside a panel to identify specific switches/breakers when multiple switches within a single panel/enclosure are required to be operated.' Placement locations are 'determined by a C-10 electrician… and are subject to approval by the fire code official', and where the need for additional 'X of Y' placards is unclear the fire code official decides. NEC-derived labels go at their code-specified components: at the DC disconnect, at the AC point of connection, at the switch for the alternative power system, on junction/combiner boxes, on raceways carrying PV circuits every 10 ft, and the directory at the service equipment. 90% · LACoFD Guide Appendix B §B.7 + BCM 6807 Att. A

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.

• Where must the AC disconnect be, relative to the meter? Two rules stack, and the fire rule is the binding one locally. ELECTRICAL (plan review item 47): 'Disconnects: Show AC/DC disconnects at inverter that are grouped together and identified. AC disconnects required to be within sight of the inverter and readily accessible.' FIRE (LACFC §509.3, as enforced by LACoFD): electrical disconnection means and rapid shutdown activation devices for all power sources serving a structure 'shall be located: on the exterior, within 6 feet (1829 mm) of the main service panel, on the same wall plane, and maintained not separated from one another by walls, gates, fences, vegetation, or architectural features of the building.' Where remote means are necessary, 'physical disconnection shall be achieved at the source of the hazard itself, such as by use of relay(s)'. The fire code official may grant case-by-case exceptions where site constraints make this impractical, but 'clear, permanent signage shall be provided in all cases', with colour, content, number and medium as determined by the fire code official. Working clearance in front of the equipment: not less than 30 in. wide (or the equipment width if wider), 36 in. deep, 78 in. high, kept clear of stored materials — and both an ESS and a PV system each count as electrical service equipment for this purpose. 88% · LACoFD Expedited-Permitting Checklist §IV.1 and §IV.3 + plan review checklist item 47
• Must equipment be on a specific approved list? Yes in effect. Listing is mandatory: Chapter 68 §6807.4 — the PV system 'shall be identified and listed for the application as referenced in the Electrical Code'; plan review item 8 requires all manufacturer specification sheets, installation instructions, certificates of compliance and UL listings attached to the plans. ESS item 53: 'All energy storage system equipment shall be listed by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory either individually or as a complete, self-contained system… UL 1973, UL 1989, and UL 9540. Section R328.2. Residential ESS shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL9540.' BESS inverters must be tested to UL 1741 and Supplement SA or SB, and a BESS spec sheet must go to the California Energy Commission for JA12 certification. A County-maintained list does exist for racking: item 46 permits satisfying grounding/bonding by using 'a Los Angeles County-recognized UL 2703 racking system', and the expedited fastener check accepts an anchor that is 'LA County approved for such application'. 82% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026), items 8, 46, 53, 63-64 + LACBC §6807.4
• Are batteries permitted, and under what conditions? Yes, but NOT on the expedited rooftop path, and under substantial fire conditions. Chapter 68's Eligibility Checklist requires 'Solar system is utility interactive and without battery storage', and the Standard Plan says it 'is not intended for… systems that utilize storage batteries'. Batteries therefore go through standard plan check. Conditions then: equipment listed by an NRTL, residential ESS listed and labelled to UL 9540 (R328.2); location restricted — 'Section R328.4 only permits non-habitable locations within a residence for ESS (such as a garage or utility room for example)'; a disconnecting means for all ungrounded conductors per 2025 CEC 706.15(A)-(D), readily accessible, within sight of the ESS, lockable in the open position, and 'For one-family and two-family dwellings, a disconnecting means shall be located at a readily accessible location outside the building'; overcurrent protection at the energy-storage-component end where circuits pass through a wall, floor or ceiling (706.31(F)); impact protection where subject to physical damage, not required where no portion of the unit is less than 36 inches above the finished floor. LACoFD fire limits: individual ESS units capped at 20 kWh; aggregate per site 80 kWh maximum, with 80 kWh sub-limits by location (inside attached garages, inside detached garages, outdoors on the outer side of exterior walls, outdoors on the ground); units separated from each other by at least 3 feet, and maintained a minimum of 3 feet from specified features including a 3-foot separation from dwelling gas-meter equipment; pre-existing ESS counts toward the aggregate. ESS inside attached garages cannot use the Fire Fast-Track process and requires plan submittal to Fire. 85% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026), items 53-58 + LACoFD Expedited-Permitting Checklist §II + BCM 6807 Att. B
• Is there a separate ESS permit or inspection? Not a separate B&S permit, but yes a separate FIRE inspection. On the B&S side ESS work is added to the building/electrical permit and reviewed under the standard path. On the fire side, LACoFD requires its own inspection for 'ESS installations with a capacity of more than 3 kWh (2023 LACFC Section 1207.11)' — capacity meaning 'the total energy capable of being stored (nameplate rating), not the usable energy rating'. That inspection is separately requested, separately invoiced, and must be passed before use. 88% · LACoFD Expedited-Permitting Checklist §I.2.b (2023-09-01)
• Is a ground mount treated as a structure? Yes — and on two tracks. Structurally: 'Structural plans and calculations shall be submitted for ground mounted solar PV system including materials specifications, supporting member sizes, foundation dimensions, and the loads imposed on the foundation. Exception: For one- and two-family dwellings, a site review and electrical plan check are required when no portion of the system is greater than 72 inches above grade not to exceed 3:1 slope.' Structures adjacent to ascending or descending slopes must maintain setbacks per §1808.7, with structural plans and calculations required for foundations on slopes steeper than 1:3 (33.3%). Also required: a raceway/enclosure for PV source conductors OR a fence detail guarding the array perimeter (with extra bonding if the fence is metallic). Zoning-wise it is also a land-use matter: ground-mounted small-scale solar needs Regional Planning Site Plan Review (or a Minor CUP), max height 15 feet, and counts toward a maximum lot coverage of '25% of lot or 2.5 acres, whichever is lesser (including all accessory structures)'. Roof-mounted PV, by contrast, 'generally do[es] not require review by Regional Planning'. 85% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026), items 32-35 + Regional Planning ground-mounted solar summary
• Is there a local rule on service upgrades or busbar sizing? Yes, several. (1) Item 50: 'Clearly identify the point of interconnection with the utility supplied wiring system and provide details on main breaker, PV breaker and rating of bussing. Service and distribution panels shall comply with the interconnection requirements of 2025 CEC Article Sect. 705.12(B)(3)(1) through (6). Show compliance with one of these methods on the plans.' (2) Item 51: identify whether main service equipment is new or existing and give the ratings of the main service panel and service disconnecting means. (3) BCM inspection check: 'Sum of the main OCPD and the inverter OCPD is rated for not more than 120% of the bus bar rating', and 'Inverter output circuit breaker is located at opposite end of bus from utility supply… (not required if the sum of the inverter and utility supply circuit breakers is less than or equal to the panelboard bus rating).' (4) Expedited eligibility caps the busbar at 225 A on a 120/240 V single-phase service. (5) Items 59-60 govern Power Control Systems under 705.13, requiring listed PCS equipment and the PCS setting shown on the plans. 88% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026), items 50-51, 59-60 + BCM 6807 Att. A/B/F
• Is a specific mounting system or attachment spacing required? No specific product is mandated, but attachment spacing is prescribed. Standard path exemption criteria (item 10e): maximum support spacing on wood-framed construction 48 in. o.c., anchored to roof rafters or solid blocking with a minimum of one 5/16 in. diameter lag screw embedded a minimum of 2 1/2 in., or per manufacturer, whichever is more stringent. Expedited path Structural Criteria Table 1 (Maximum Horizontal Anchor Spacing, PV arrays at 4 psf max) is tighter and slope-dependent: flat to 6:12 (0-26°) — 5'-4" at 16" o.c. rafters, 6'-0" at 24", 5'-4" at 32"; 7:12 to 12:12 (27-45°) and 13:12 to 24:12 (46-63°) — 1'-4" at 16", 2'-0" at 24", 2'-8" at 32". The expedited fastener check asks whether '5/16" diameter lag screws with 2.5" embedment into the rafter' are used, OR the anchor is 'LA County approved for such application'. Racking: grounding may be satisfied by using 'a Los Angeles County-recognized UL 2703 racking system'. Ballasted arrays need a minimum 4 ft setback from the roof edge per SEAOC PV2-2017. 85% · plan review checklist (2/1/2026), items 10, 28b, 46 + BCM 6807 Att. E Table 1

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? Portal, for the B&S inspection — EPIC-LA. 'Use EPIC-LA to request inspections': log in, click Request Inspection from the home page or top menu bar, select the permit case(s), pick a requested date and window, and receive an email confirmation once staff schedule it. Multiple permits can be selected at once. If a permit is not listed, the request can be made through the permit record itself, or by calling the office that issued the permit (the number is on the top and bottom of page 1 of the permit). Note the previously scheduled inspection must be updated by the inspector before the next one can be requested. The separate LACoFD PV/ESS inspection is NOT booked in EPIC-LA — it is booked by phone plus email to the regional Fire Prevention office, with the email subject 'PV/ESS Inspection Request: [Insert Project Address]', and the LACoFD invoice must be paid before the inspection or it is cancelled. 88% · EPIC-LA help document + LACoFD checklist §I.1
• How much notice is required? Effectively about one business day, but not guaranteed. BCM 6807 Att. A: 'Inspection requests received within business hours are typically scheduled for the next business day. If next business day is not available, inspection should happen within a five-day window.' EPIC-LA is blunter: 'Please note, date and timeframe selected are not guaranteed… Staff will review the request and schedule the inspection in the next available slot.' 70% · BCM 6807 Att. A §5 (04-04-16) + EPIC-LA help document
• Are same-day or AM/PM windows offered? AM/PM windows are offered but not guaranteed. In EPIC-LA: 'Select Requested Date and AM or PM. Please note, date and timeframe selected are not guaranteed.' Where multiple permits are requested together, a 'Use same date for all' checkbox applies one requested date across them. No same-day option is described. 88% · EPIC-LA help document

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 — but it is not the only final. LA County B&S performs its own combination inspection (structural, electrical and plumbing components in one visit) under LACBC 6806.2. Separately, LACoFD performs its own inspection of the electrical disconnects, placarding and rapid-shutdown devices (and ESS over 3 kWh) and states: 'The applicant for this construction permit shall contact the County of Los Angeles Fire Department (LACoFD) Fire Prevention Division and schedule and pass an inspection prior to use of the PV or ESS installation(s).' So a residential PV job in unincorporated LA County has two separate passing inspections by two agencies. 90% · LACoFD expedited PV/ESS page + LACBC §6806.2
• If delegated, to whom? Delegation runs both directions. LACoFD → B&S: fire-official authority for plan review and inspection of conventional residential solar-on-roof at R-3/R-4 dwellings is delegated to the jurisdictional building and safety department, but 'This agreement, however, does not extend to' ESS, electrical disconnects and placarding, rapid-shutdown devices, and qualifying BIPV — and 'the ultimate responsibility to uphold and enforce the LA County Fire Code rests with the LACoFD, as the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).' B&S itself does not delegate its combination inspection; it is performed by County inspectors, and the Building and Safety Division 'has utilized the combination inspection system; that is, one inspector performs all code inspections, i.e. building, grading, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical, within a given geographical area.' 88% · LACoFD EG-10 ESS & PV Requirement Guide §II.A + adopted Title 27 preamble

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 small residential rooftop system: ONE B&S combination inspection, then one LACoFD inspection before use. LACBC 6806.2: 'A combination inspection shall be conducted to inspect the structural, electrical, and plumbing components of the installation of small residential rooftop solar energy systems. One inspection shall be required for the system.' It is conditional on evidence: satisfactory evidence per BCM 6807 Art. 1 must be provided at the inspection to verify installation and labelling; otherwise the Building Official may require exposure of (1) fastening of the roof mounting system to structural framing members, (2) grounding and bonding of panels, (3) nameplates of modules and inverters. Then LACoFD: 'schedule and pass an inspection prior to use of the PV or ESS installation(s)', for which digital proof of the construction permit and the placarding already in place are prerequisites. Sequence: B&S permit → install → B&S combination inspection → LACoFD PV/ESS inspection → utility PTO. 88% · adopted code (Ch. 68 §6806) + LACoFD checklist §V
• Is a rough-in or mid-roof inspection required? No — one inspection is sufficient, provided concealed work is documented. 'One inspection shall be sufficient for the system when satisfactory evidence is submitted to verify that the installation and labeling of components meet requirements of the Building, Electrical, and Plumbing Codes. However, if any of the critical components of the system are concealed during installation, the installer shall provide photographs or video evidence at the time of inspection showing all items that have been concealed, including, but not limited to the following: 1. Fastening of roof mounting systems to structural framing members. 2. Grounding and bonding of panels. 3. Nameplates of modules and inverters. 4. Clearance from bottom of roof in attic for conduits installed in this area (18 inch minimum required).' Photos of attachment must 'display 10% but no fewer than two of the total attachment points.' 90% · BCM 6807 Art. 1 'Inspection' + LACBC §6806.2

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 — three published, all downloadable. (1) BCM 6807 Article 1, Attachment F — 'Inspection Guide for PV Systems for One- and Two-Family Dwellings', a numbered 20-item field checklist (grounding/bonding per listed instructions; 18" minimum attic conduit clearance; neat and workmanlike per CEC 110.12; module model/quantity/location per approved plan; firefighter access per approved plan; roof penetrations flashed/sealed with plumbing vents checked; conductor securing and routing; conduit per CRC R331.3 and CEC 690.4(F); listing and labelling; CEC 690.35 for ungrounded inverters; 'utility interactive' inverter label; disconnect locations; OCPD type and size; inverter breaker at the opposite end of the bus; markings and signs; grounding electrode connection; and CEC 110.26 access and working space). (2) BCM 6807 Att. A §5, a shorter common-points list including the required signs. (3) LACoFD 'Expedited PV/ESS Permitting Process — Inspection Checklist for Group R-3/-4 ESS, PV, and Electrical-Disconnect Placarding', a 5-page Y/N/NA form. Appendices A-E of BCM 6807 provide example photographs (project location, structural connections and flashing, PV panel label, grounding/bonding, attic conduit clearance). 92% · BCM 6807 Att. A and F + LACoFD Expedited-Permitting Checklist
• What must be on site at inspection? For the B&S inspection: the approved plans (the inspector 'will verify that the installation is in conformance with applicable code requirements and with the approved plans'); the permit; and photographic or video evidence of everything concealed during installation — fastening of roof mounting systems to structural framing, grounding and bonding of panels, nameplates of modules and inverters, and attic conduit clearance — with attachment photos showing '10% but no fewer than two of the total attachment points'. Attic access must be provided where conduit runs there. 'Permit holders must be prepared to show conformance with all technical requirements in the field at the time of inspection.' For the LACoFD inspection, three things are required prior: 'Digital Proof of Construction Permit obtained via Expedited-Permitting Process employed by the jurisdictional Building and Safety Department… including any inspection checklist provided to the applicant with the permit'; 'Disconnect Placarding in Place: Per the LACoFD Electrical Power Source Disconnect Placarding System'; and 'Fee(s) Paid: LACoFD Fire Prevention fee(s) paid.' 90% · BCM 6807 Att. A §5 + LACBC §6806.2 + LACoFD checklist §V.1
• Does the inspector verify labels and listings? Yes, both, and explicitly. LACBC 6806.2 conditions the single inspection on evidence 'to verify that the installation and labeling of components meet all applicable requirements'. BCM 6807 Att. F item 12: 'Equipment installed, listed and labeled according to the approved plan (e.g., PV modules, DC/DC converters (power optimizer), combiners, inverters, disconnects, load centers and electrical service equipment)'; item 14: 'For grid-connected systems, inverter is labeled as "utility interactive"'; item 18: 'PV system markings, labels and signs according to the approved plan.' Att. A adds that the inspector checks 'Appropriate signs are property [sic] constructed, installed and displayed' and that equipment ratings are consistent with the installed signs — e.g. the inverter rated at least as high as the max voltage on the PV power source sign, DC OCPDs DC-rated at least as high, and the AC OCPD rated at least 125% of maximum current on the sign and no larger than the maximum OCPD on the inverter listing label. LACoFD separately inspects placard size, material, colour, character type, verbiage, attachment means and placement as discrete pass/fail line items. 92% · BCM 6807 Att. A and Att. F + LACoFD checklist §IV.2

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? A final inspection approval on the combined solar energy permit — not a Certificate of Occupancy. LACBC 6806.1 frames it as work remaining 'accessible and exposed for inspection purposes until approved by the Building Official as specified in Section 108', and BCM 6807 Att. A: the system 'must be inspected before final approval is granted for the solar system'. On the fire side the pass has an explicit status: 'A Passed Inspection Serves as an Operational Permit at a R-3/R-4 Occupancy, on the condition that it passes other necessary requirements from other agencies having jurisdiction (e.g., B&S, Utility, etc.).' 80% · LACoFD checklist §V + LACBC §6806.1 + BCM 6807 Att. A §5
• Who notifies the utility for PTO? Installer — by inference, not by rule. No LA County Public Works or LACoFD document assigns responsibility for notifying the utility. LACoFD's checklist treats the utility as a wholly separate downstream authority ('on the condition that it passes other necessary requirements from other agencies having jurisdiction (e.g., B&S, Utility, etc.)'), which places the burden on the applicant/installer to carry the signed-off permit to SCE under Rule 21 rather than on the AHJ to push it. 50% · inference from LACoFD checklist §V note + absence across five AHJ documents
• How are corrections issued and cleared? Via a written correction notice, then a marked resubmittal. At application stage, Chapter 68 §6805: 'When an incomplete application is submitted, a written correction notice detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information required to be eligible for expedited permit issuance will be issued.' At plan check, the Solar Energy System Plan Review List is itself the correction vehicle — 'Corrections with circled item numbers apply to this plan check'; 'In the left-hand margin of the circled corrections, please indicate the sheet number and detail or note number on the plans where the corrections are made. Resubmit marked original plans and two corrected sets of plans, calculations and this plan review list'; 'Incomplete, unclear, or faded drawings or calculations will not be accepted.' The plan check engineer is available for conference and telephone calls in stated hours, appointments recommended. Additional fees may be charged for plan checks after the second plan check (LACBC 107.2). A failed application expires on a stated date and must be re-filed with new plans and a new plan check fee. 90% · plan review checklist instructions (2/1/2026) + LACBC §6805