Monterey 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 the unincorporated area only 95% · department page
• What does this authority permit itself, and what does it delegate? Both - HCD Building Services issues and inspects building AND electrical permits; fire-code review and the final fire inspection are delegated to the local fire protection district / CAL FIRE; planning, coastal and design review sit with HCD Planning Services 92% · fee schedule / ordinance
• Is a permit required for a residential rooftop PV system? Yes 97% · ordinance
• Is there a separate electrical permit, or is it combined? Combined - solar is permitted as a single construction permit priced from the Solar/Photovoltaic fee line; the Construction Permit Application has Building/Electrical/Plumbing/Mechanical/Grading tick-boxes on one form 85% · fee schedule
• Is a HOA or architectural approval required first? No - not by the County. County approval is not conditioned on HOA sign-off (Gov. Code 65850.5 forbids it, and Civil Code 714 limits what an HOA may impose). But a County architectural approval of its own IS commonly required: a Design Approval under MCC 20.44 (coastal) or 21.44 (inland) must be obtained before a building permit issues for property in a Design Control 'D', Site Plan Review 'S' or Visual Sensitivity 'VS' overlay - and MCC 20.44.020.C applies the D district to ALL parcels in the Big Sur Coast, Carmel and Del Monte Forest Land Use Plan areas. 88% · ordinance
• Is there a historic-district review? Yes, but only on designated parcels. MCC 21.54 (inland) / 20.54 (coastal) apply the Historic Resources 'HR' district to sites listed on the National Register, the State Historical Landmark Register or the County Register of Historic Sites, plus sites under a mutual preservation agreement. In an HR district an 'alteration' - defined to include any exterior change or modification of a structure, its exterior architectural features, surface textures and materials, and the placement of exterior objects - requires review. Separately, the Construction Permit Application Questionnaire routes any work on a 'Historical structure or a structure older than 50 years' to the Planning Department for an extra plan set. 87% · ordinance
• Is a wind or windstorm certification required? No 80% · published criteria
• Is a Specific Use Permit or Council approval ever required? Not for ordinary rooftop PV in the inland area. Discretionary approvals that can attach: (a) in the Coastal Zone, a Coastal Development Permit where MCC 20.70.120 exemptions do not apply - notably improvements to a single-family structure 'in an area designated as highly scenic in a certified land use plan', within 50 ft of a coastal bluff edge, in an ESHA, or on a beach/wetland/seaward of the mean high tide line; (b) in Big Sur, the Coastal Implementation Plan section 20.145.030 prohibits development visible within the 'Critical Viewshed' outright and requires flagged-pole staking, photographic simulation and an on-site planner investigation; (c) a Design Approval in any D/S/VS overlay and everywhere in the Big Sur Coast, Carmel and Del Monte Forest LUP areas; (d) inland Use Permits for development on slopes over 30% or ridgeline development. In the Coastal Zone the Coastal Development Permit is the equivalent of a Use Permit. 85% · certified LCP implementation plan
• Is there a system-size cap on residential generation? No zoning cap on residential generation. The only size lines are process thresholds: the county's expedited solar process covers systems of 10 kW AC or less on single-family or duplex rooftops (AB 2188); the fee schedule bands residential at 15 kW with a per-kW step above; PG&E's Standard NEM interconnection path is for systems 30 kW or less. 85% · ordinance / department page

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 - a California-licensed B, C-46 or C-10 contractor, or the property owner as owner-builder 90% · published checklist
• Must the contractor be registered with this authority before applying? No 75% · application form
• Is a homeowner permitted to self-install and self-permit? Yes 90% · department 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 Photovoltaic Submittal Checklist: cover sheet with owner name/address, scope of work and project data (APN, building use, number of PV arrays); four required plan notes (conformance with CEC Art. 690; fire district performs a final fire inspection; installation by a CA-licensed B/C-46/C-10 contractor; stand-alone placard OR service/PV disconnect directory plaque); site plan; electrical single-line diagram; roof plan and partial roof framing plan with attachment/flashing details; documented cost estimate to establish valuation; structural calculations by a registered California design professional where triggered; manufacturers' specifications and installation instructions for modules, mounting systems, combiner boxes, inverters and disconnects. Ground mounts add a foundation plan with details and a soils report or modification request. SolarAPP+ route instead: the SolarAPP+ approval document and inspection checklist, then initiate the permit and pay in Accela Citizen Access. 92% · published checklist
• How many copies, and in what format? Electronic PDF via Accela Citizen Access; from 1 September 2026 through the ePermitHub Digital Plan Room - PDF only, max 500 MB per file, no encrypted/password-protected files, plans separate from supporting documents, plans in landscape, consistent sheet numbering, top-left corner of each sheet left blank for the approval stamp. Legacy paper standard (Plan Check page): drawn at 1/4 in = 1 ft 0 in, reduced to 18 x 24 in, folded to 9 x 12 in. Number of sets is not fixed - the Questionnaire attached to the Construction Permit Application adds one extra set per outside reviewer triggered (Environmental Health, Environmental Services, Fire, Planning, MPWMD). 85% · department page
• Is a site plan required, and what must it show? Yes. PV checklist: site plan with property boundaries and north arrow, clearly identifying the location of the PV installation, and showing the electrical service, combiner box, inverter, AC and DC disconnects, junction boxes and battery banks. Ground-mounted systems must additionally show all structures on the property, site topography, driveway access from the street, easements, site utilities and the septic system with leach lines. The general Site Plan Requirements handout adds minimum scale 1 in = 40 ft, owner and preparer names, APN, 5 ft contour intervals, drainage direction, wells within 100 ft, setbacks, lot size, lot coverage and floor area ratio. 93% · published checklist
• Is a one-line / three-line diagram required? Yes 95% · published checklist
• Are string and conductor calculations required? Yes - conductor and conduit sizing must be shown; module Voc and Isc must be identified; total system kVA and the main breaker / PV breaker / bus rating at the point of interconnection must be given 88% · published checklist
• Is a structural PE stamp required, and at what threshold? Not required if the county's published Structural Criteria for Residential Flush-Mounted Solar Arrays are all met: single roof with no reroof overlay, modules parallel to the roof plane, 2-10 in gap under the modules, no overhang past ridges/hips/gable ends/eaves, array plus supports no more than 4 psf (5 psf for solar thermal), array covering no more than half the total roof area, anchor horizontal spacing within Table 1, and 5/16 in lag screws with 2.5 in embedment (or the manufacturer's fastener guidance). If ANY item is 'no', project-specific drawings and calculations stamped and signed by a California-licensed civil or structural engineer are required. The PV Submittal Checklist states the trigger differently: structural calculations by a registered California design professional if the total PV weight exceeds 5 psf OR the maximum height above the roof surface exceeds 18 in. 88% · published criteria
• Is an electrical PE stamp required, and at what threshold? No specific electrical PE threshold is published for residential PV. The Electrical Permit Submittal Requirements handout states generally that 'Plans that require calculations and or specifications are required to be wet stamped and signed by a licensed preparer', and that handout is scoped to 400 A service panels or larger. 70% · department handout

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? Accela Citizen Access (aca.accela.com/monterey) is the primary portal. SolarAPP+ is used for automated code-compliance review of eligible residential rooftop retrofit PV, with the permit then initiated and paid in Citizen Access. From 1 September 2026 plan review runs through the ePermitHub Digital Plan Room, integrated into Accela. QLess (kiosk.us1.qless.com/kiosk/app/home/20438) is used to join the counter queue. 95% · portal landing page
• Can the whole application be completed online? Yes 92% · portal landing page
• What does a residential solar permit cost? USD 428 base for a residential roof-mounted system up to 15 kW, plus USD 15 for each additional kW above 15 kW. SolarAPP+ route: USD 446 each. Ground-mounted residential: USD 995 up to 15 kW plus USD 15/kW above. Residential battery / energy storage system: USD 1,224 per battery. Add surcharges: General Plan Management Fee 15% of permit fee, Technology Fee 13% of permit fee, CBSC and Strong Motion Instrumentation state surcharges, and a 2.38% credit-card pass-through. 95% · fee schedule
• How is the fee calculated? Tiered - flat base to 15 kW then per kW above (roof-mount residential: flat 428 to 15 kW, then 15 per kW). Not valuation-based. 93% · fee schedule
• Is there a separate plan-check fee? No - not for solar. The Solar/Photovoltaic fee lines are single flat amounts; the 65%-of-inspection-fee Single Family Residential Plan Check line applies to the valuation-based construction table, not to the flat solar lines. Hourly re-review is USD 220/hr and plan review not otherwise specified is USD 215/hr if a job falls outside the schedule. 78% · 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? Expedited small residential rooftop PV: over the counter, or within 1 business day - submittals in by 12 pm are usually processed the same day, after 12 pm the next business day. Systems not qualifying for expedited review: 15 to 20 business days per the Permit Fees & Types page. The Building FAQ contradicts this and says plan check is currently 6 to 8 weeks. 85% · department page
• How long is an issued permit valid before it expires? 365 days. MCC 18.01.050.D replaces CBC 105.5: a permit becomes invalid if work is not commenced within one year of issuance, or if work is suspended or abandoned for one year - and work counts as suspended/abandoned if no required county inspection has been performed and recorded in that year. The Building Official may grant one or more written extensions of up to one year each, requested in writing before expiry with justifiable cause; a fee applies (Permit Extension USD 416). Separately, an APPLICATION expires 365 days after filing if no permit has issued (MCC 18.01.050.C). 93% · ordinance
• Which utility handles interconnection here? Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) - wires, metering and interconnection. Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) is the default community choice aggregator for generation only and plays no part in interconnection. 93% · CCA program page
• Where does the utility sit in the sequence? Parallel, with a hard dependency at the end. PG&E advises the contractor to file the Interconnection Application early so generation can start shortly after the local inspection passes. PG&E will not issue Permission to Operate until it receives the Interconnection Application, a single-line diagram and a copy of the signed-off final building permit. PTO then typically takes 5-10 business days, up to a maximum of 30. 92% · utility DG process page

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 - via the 2025 California Electrical Code (Title 24 Part 3), adopted by MCC 18.03.010 (Ord. No. 5442, 9 Dec 2025) 92% · adopting ordinance
• Which building code edition is in force? 2025 California Building Code and 2025 California Residential Code (Title 24 Parts 2 and 2.5, based on the 2024 IBC/IRC), adopted by MCC 18.02 and 18.02.5 per Ord. No. 5442, adopted 9 December 2025. CRC adopted excluding Chapter 1 and including Appendices H, Q and X. 95% · adopting ordinance
• Which fire code edition is in force? 2025 California Fire Code (Title 24 Part 9, based on the 2024 IFC), including Appendices B, BB, C, CC and H, adopted by MCC 18.09.010 (Ord. No. 5442, section 11, 9 Dec 2025); MCC 18.09.030.A further replaces CFC 101.2.1 so that ALL appendices to the 2025 CFC are adopted in their entirety. 95% · adopting ordinance
• Are there local amendments to any of the above? Yes - substantial, and several are solar-specific. MCC 18.09.030 amends CFC 1205 (solar signage and roof access), 1206 (fuel cells) and 1207 (energy storage); MCC 18.02.5.040 replaces CRC R902.1.3 to require a minimum Class B fire-retardant roof covering county-wide; MCC 18.01.050 rewrites CBC 105.2/105.3.2/105.5 (permit exemptions and expiry); MCC 18.02.5.060 amends CRC R403.1.3 footing reinforcement and R602.10 bracing in Seismic Design Categories D0-D2. 95% · ordinance
• What is the installation judged against? The 2025 California Electrical Code (2023 NEC) Article 690 and Article 705, plus MCC Chapter 18.03 and the solar amendments to CFC Chapter 12 in MCC 18.09.030. The PV Submittal Checklist requires the plan note 'The installation of the PV system shall conform to the requirements of the California Electrical Code, Article 690 and any other applicable articles or standards.' 92% · ordinance / 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? 2025 CFC 1205.2.1 pathways and setbacks apply, WITH TWO LOCAL CHANGES: (i) MCC 18.09.030 deletes CFC 1205.2.1 Exceptions 1 and 2 in their entirety, so the state's escape hatches from the one- and two-family roof access requirements are not available in unincorporated Monterey County; (ii) MCC 18.09.030 adds CFC 1205.2.1.4 Hip and Valley Layout - modules shall be no closer than one and one-half feet (18 in) to a hip or valley where modules are placed on both sides of it; where modules are on only one side of a hip or valley of equal length, they may be placed directly adjacent to it. The county's (stale) PV Submittal Checklist additionally states 'PV panel array shall not be installed within 3 feet of all edges including the ridge line', and its Inspection Guide restates the old CFC 605.11.3 scheme: 3 ft eave-to-ridge pathway on each hip-roof slope, two 3 ft pathways per slope on single-ridge roofs, and modules no higher than 3 ft below the ridge for smoke ventilation. 92% · fire code local amendment

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 - NEC 690.12 rapid shutdown as published in the 2023 NEC / 2025 California Electrical Code, adopted with no California amendment and no Monterey County amendment. 88% · adopting ordinance

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? Local, in MCC 18.09.030 amending CFC 1205.1 to add 1205.1.1 Signing and Marking, 'in addition to signing and marking requirements of the California Building Code and the California Residential Code': (1) 1205.1.1.1 Main Panel Exterior Marking - a placard permanently affixed to the MAIN SERVICE DISCONNECT PANEL reading SOLAR DISCONNECT INSIDE PANEL. (2) 1205.1.1.2 Circuit Disconnecting Means Marking - a permanent label adjacent to the circuit breaker controlling the inverter or other PV system electrical controller, reading SOLAR DISCONNECT. (3) 1205.1.1.3 Secondary Power Sources - where PV is interconnected to battery systems, generator backup or other secondary power systems, additional signage acceptable to the fire code official indicating the location of the secondary power source shutoff switch. (4) 1205.1.1.4 Installer Information - signage acceptable to the fire code official giving the name and emergency telephone number of the installing contractor, adjacent to the main disconnect. For ESS, MCC 18.09.030 adds CFC 1207.4.8-6: BESS in block letters 6 in high with a 3/4 in stroke on a contrasting background, plus 1207.4.1.1 requiring ESS disconnects at or adjacent to the main electrical panel with placarding showing equipment location and all shutdowns. For fuel cells, CFC 1206.14: FUEL CELL in block letters 6 in high with a 3/4 in stroke on a contrasting background. All of this is on top of the standard CEC 690.13/690.53/690.54/705.10 and 690.31(E) WARNING: PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE labelling. 95% · fire code local amendment
• Does the authority specify placard wording of its own? Yes 97% · fire code local amendment
• Does it specify letter height, colour or material? Yes, in detail. Main panel placard (CFC 1205.1.1.1 as amended): RED, with WHITE CAPITAL letters at least 1/2 in high in a NON-SERIF font, constructed of weather-resistant durable plastic with ENGRAVED letters or other approved material. Inverter-breaker label (1205.1.1.2): CONTRASTING COLOUR capital letters at least 3/8 in high in a non-serif font, constructed of durable adhesive material or other approved material. BESS and FUEL CELL placards (1207.4.8-6 and 1206.14): block letters 6 in high with a 3/4 in stroke on a contrasting background. The county's PV Submittal Checklist separately calls for signage detail on the plans: 'green or red plastic engraved with 1/2 inch high white letters, permanently mounted on or immediately next to the panel door.' 95% · fire code local amendment
• Is a site plan / facility map placard required, and what must it show? Yes in two places. (a) AHJ: the PV Submittal Checklist requires a plan note that 'Buildings with utility services and a PV system shall have a plaque or directory indicating the location of the service disconnecting means and the PV system disconnecting means' (stand-alone systems instead get a placard stating it is a stand-alone system and showing the disconnect location) - this is CEC 690.56(B)/705.10, posted at the electrical service and at the PV inverter if not co-located. (b) UTILITY: PG&E requires a SITE MAP PLACARD wherever an AC disconnect is installed more than 10 ft from the PG&E electric meter, and where more than one AC disconnect is installed each must be labelled '1 of x, 2 of x'. 90% · utility DG manual / checklist
• Does the UTILITY specify placards beyond the AHJ's? Yes. PG&E AC Disconnect & Variance Requirements: an AC disconnect and signage are required on ALL non-inverter-based generators; and for inverter-based systems an AC disconnect is triggered by a line-side (above main breaker) connection, three-phase at the service point, a transformer-rated meter panel, a meter panel rated over 320 A, or meter types CL020/CL400/CL480 and all K-based meters. Where triggered: install a FUSIBLE AC disconnect within 10 ft of the PG&E electric meter; where more than one AC disconnect is installed, label them '1 of x, 2 of x'; where any AC disconnect is more than 10 ft from the PG&E meter, install a SITE MAP PLACARD and a variance is required. 90% · utility DG manual
• Where must the labels be placed? County: the SOLAR DISCONNECT INSIDE PANEL placard permanently affixed to the main service disconnect panel (exterior); the SOLAR DISCONNECT label adjacent to the circuit breaker controlling the inverter; installing-contractor name and emergency number adjacent to the main disconnect; secondary-power shutoff location signage where batteries/generators are present; ESS disconnects at or adjacent to the main electrical panel with placarding; BESS/FUEL CELL placards where those systems are inside a structure. CEC-driven: WARNING: PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE markings on DC conduit, raceways, cable assemblies, enclosures, junction and combiner boxes and disconnects - every 10 ft, within 1 ft of turns and bends, and within 1 ft above and below roof/ceiling, wall and barrier penetrations - and a marking adjacent to the main service disconnect clearly visible from where the disconnect is operated. Utility: fusible AC disconnect within 10 ft of the PG&E meter where required; site map placard where it is not. 92% · fire code local amendment / inspection guide

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? Where PG&E requires one, a FUSIBLE AC disconnect within 10 ft of the PG&E electric meter. If the AC disconnect is more than 10 ft from the PG&E meter, a site map placard must be installed AND a variance is required from PG&E. Where more than one AC disconnect is installed, each must be labelled '1 of x, 2 of x'. An AC disconnect and signage are required on all non-inverter-based generators; for inverter-based systems the triggers are a line-side connection above the main breaker, three-phase at the service point, a transformer-rated meter panel, a meter panel rated over 320 A, or meter types CL020/CL400/CL480 and all K-based meters. Otherwise no separate utility AC disconnect is required and no variance is needed. The county adds nothing of its own on disconnect location beyond CEC 690.13/690.15 and the requirement that the plans identify the service disconnecting means and PV disconnect locations and that inverter disconnects be a separate serviceable component. 90% · utility DG manual
• Must equipment be on a specific approved list? Yes in substance. Equipment must be listed and labelled for the application - DC modules to UL 1703, AC modules to UL 1703 and UL 1741, combiner boxes to UL 1741, grid-tied inverters marked 'utility interactive', DC overcurrent devices listed for DC operation - and installed per the listed manufacturer's instructions. The county requires manufacturers' specifications and installation instructions for all modules, mounting systems, combiner boxes, inverters and disconnects with the submittal. Systems routed through SolarAPP+ must use equipment present in the SolarAPP+ equipment database; PG&E's online interconnection tool offers an 'approved equipment listing from drop-down menus' and inverters must meet Rule 21 smart-inverter requirements. There is no separate Monterey County approved-products list. 85% · inspection guide / checklist
• Are batteries permitted, and under what conditions? Yes. Batteries are permitted under 2025 CFC Chapter 12 as adopted, with Monterey County additions: MCC 18.09.030 adds CFC 1207.4.1.1 requiring ESS disconnects to be located at or adjacent to the main electrical panel with appropriate placarding showing the location of equipment and all shutdowns; and CFC 1207.4.8-6 requiring, where a battery energy storage system is installed INSIDE any structure, signage acceptable to the fire code official indicating its location plus a placard reading BESS in 6 in block letters with a 3/4 in stroke on a contrasting background. Where PV is interconnected to a battery system, CFC 1205.1.1.3 additionally requires signage showing the secondary power source shutoff location. Fee: USD 1,224 per battery. On a commercial property, ground or roof mount solar using batteries also routes to the Environmental Health Bureau for review. 92% · fire code local amendment / fee schedule
• Is there a separate ESS permit or inspection? Yes in effect - a separate priced permit line. The 2026 fee schedule charges 'Residential Battery / Energy Storage System' at USD 1,224 PER BATTERY under Electrical Fees, entirely separate from the Solar/Photovoltaic lines, so adding storage to a PV job adds its own fee and its own scope. It is normally taken on the same construction permit rather than a wholly separate application, and the fire code official's acceptance of the ESS signage is a distinct sign-off. 80% · fee schedule
• Is a ground mount treated as a structure? Yes 90% · published checklist / fee schedule
• Is there a local rule on service upgrades or busbar sizing? No local amendment to service or busbar sizing. Judged against CEC 705.12(B)(3). The county's PV checklist requires the point of interconnection, main breaker, PV breaker and bus rating to be shown on the plans, and its Inspection Guide checks that the inverter output breaker sits at the opposite end of the bus from the utility supply unless the sum of the inverter and utility breakers is within the panelboard bus rating. Related fee lines: panel replacement/service under 400 A USD 441, 400 A or larger USD 1,409. 83% · ordinance / checklist
• Is a specific mounting system or attachment spacing required? Yes - the county publishes prescriptive mounting criteria for residential flush-mounted arrays: modules parallel to the roof plane, a 2 in to 10 in gap between the underside of the module and the roof surface, no overhang past any roof edge (ridge, hip, gable end, eave), array plus supports no heavier than 4 psf (5 psf solar thermal), array covering no more than half of the total roof area, anchor horizontal spacing within Table 1, staggered anchors permitted at up to twice the Table 1 spacing but never more than 6 ft 0 in, manufactured plated wood trusses at flat to 6:12 limited to 4 ft 0 in horizontal anchor spacing with staggered adjacent rows, and 5/16 in lag screws with 2.5 in embedment into the rafter (or the manufacturer's fastener guidance). Roof sheathing at least 7/16 in OSB or plywood; 1x skip sheathing acceptable. Mean roof height not greater than 40 ft. 90% · published criteria

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 or Phone - Accela Citizen Access (aca.accela.com/monterey) online, or telephone (831) 755-5025 92% · department page
• How much notice is required? 1 business day. For inland South County and the Big Sur coastal area the Building Inspections page is explicit: call HCD at (831) 755-5025 before 3:30 pm on the day PRIOR to the requested inspection. 82% · department page
• Are same-day or AM/PM windows offered? No. The FAQ states plainly that specific requests for morning or afternoon inspections cannot be taken and that inspection times are not set until the morning of the inspection date. You may call between 8:00 am and 8:15 am on the day of inspection for an estimated time of arrival; inspectors are generally reachable by phone 8:00-8:15 am and 3:30-4:00 pm daily. South County inland and Big Sur coastal areas are served on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only. 90% · department page

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 - HCD Building Services inspectors perform the building/electrical final. The FIRE final is delegated to the local fire protection district or CAL FIRE unit and must be completed FIRST. 90% · inspection guide
• If delegated, to whom? The local fire protection district or CAL FIRE unit for the parcel, for the fire final only. Districts named by the county: Aromas Tri-County, Cachagua, CAL FIRE Coastal, CAL FIRE South County, CAL FIRE Central Valley, Carmel Valley FPD, Carmel Highlands & Cypress FPD, Gonzales Rural, Greenfield FPD, Mission Soledad Rural, Monterey County Regional Fire District, North County FPD, Pebble Beach CSD. Look the district up in Citizen Access under 'Lookup Property Information' or call (831) 755-5027. 88% · inspection guide

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 rooftop retrofit: local fire district final fire inspection, then the HCD Building Services building/electrical final. Planning/coastal condition compliance (where a Design Approval or Coastal permit applied) and Environmental Health (where the parcel has a septic system) must also sign off before Building Services will 'final' the permit. For a ground mount, add a foundation inspection before concrete placement, and potentially grading/erosion-control inspections. 85% · department page
• Is a rough-in or mid-roof inspection required? No for a rooftop retrofit - a single final is the norm, consistent with Gov. Code 65850.5 which allows only one inspection for eligible small residential rooftop PV, and with the SolarAPP+ flow which goes straight from permit issuance to 'Schedule Inspection'. Yes for a ground mount, which needs a foundation inspection before concrete is poured. 78% · department page / statute

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 - 'Inspection Guide for PV Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings (For Rooftop Photovoltaic Systems meeting the Standard Plan)', a 19-item single-page field checklist plus a comprehensive reference of roughly 70 items with a signage requirements table. SolarAPP+ projects additionally download a SolarAPP+ inspection checklist with the approval document. 85% · inspection guide
• What must be on site at inspection? The JOB CARD and the APPROVED PLANS, in a dry, accessible place at the job site. If either is missing when the inspector arrives the inspection is rescheduled. For SolarAPP+ jobs, the SolarAPP+ approval document and inspection checklist downloaded at approval. Any deviation from the approved plans may require an approved plan revision before the next inspection. 92% · department page
• Does the inspector verify labels and listings? Yes 92% · inspection guide

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 - the inspector signs off the job card and Building Services 'finals' the permit, once Fire, Health and Planning have given their approvals. No certificate of occupancy is issued for a PV retrofit. The signed final permit / permit cover is the document PG&E needs. 90% · department page
• Who notifies the utility for PTO? Installer - the contractor submits the final building permit, the Interconnection Application and a single-line diagram to PG&E, through the YourProjects portal for Standard NEM (under 30 kW solar and under 10 kW storage) or to NEMFollowups@pge.com if the portal cannot be used; complex systems go to the PG&E Electric Grid Interconnection representative or Rule21Gen@pge.com. PG&E then upgrades the meter and issues written Permission to Operate, typically 5-10 business days and up to 30. The County does not notify PG&E. 93% · utility DG process page
• Is there a re-inspection fee? USD 217 per hour, charged in 0.25 hour increments. Triggered where the work is not complete, the plans or job card are not at the site, the inspector's corrections have not been done, or there is no access to the inspection area. No further inspections are made until the re-inspection fee is paid and the issues resolved. Inspection outside normal business hours USD 258/hr; on a holiday USD 296/hr. Work done without a permit is charged at DOUBLE the permit fee. 93% · fee schedule
• How are corrections issued and cleared? The inspector signs the inspection record (job card) for each item inspected and approved; where an item fails, the inspector leaves a written correction notice on site. Corrections must be completed before calling for re-inspection, and a re-inspection fee may apply. If the failure involves a deviation from the approved plans, a plan revision must be submitted and approved before the next inspection - a Revision Construction Permit Application webform exists for this, charged at USD 238/hr plan check and USD 218/hr inspection. Future inspections may be denied where there are outstanding fees, unapproved plan changes, or missing special-inspection or structural-observation reports. From 1 September 2026, plan-review corrections are issued and cleared through the ePermitHub Digital Plan Room, which consolidates all comments in one place with a 'Responding to Issues' workflow. 88% · department page