Santa Cruz 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 unincorporated Santa Cruz County only 96% · adopting ordinance
• What does this authority permit itself, and what does it delegate? Both - building AND electrical are held by CDI's Unified Permit Center; fire district review is separate and does not reach rooftop PV 90% · adopting ordinance
• Is a permit required for a residential rooftop PV system? Yes 96% · department page
• Is there a separate electrical permit, or is it combined? Either - a retrofit rooftop PV system is issued as one 'Photovoltaic Systems' permit covering the electrical work, but a PV removal-and-reinstall for a reroof needs a SEPARATE EZ electrical permit alongside the reroof permit 85% · department page
• Is a HOA or architectural approval required first? No 88% · department page
• Is there a historic-district review? Yes, but only where the property is itself a designated historic resource. SCCC 16.42.040 requires a historic resource preservation plan approved by the Historic Resources Commission before any 'material change to the exterior' of a historical structure or object, of any structure on a historical property, or of any structure in a historical district. 'Material change' is defined at SCCC 16.42.030 as any exterior alteration or surface modification changing the exterior appearance, expressly including changes to roofs and 'other exterior fixtures appurtenant to such improvements' - rooftop PV falls inside that wording. Only resources rated NR-1 to NR-5 and adopted by Board resolution are subject. The review fee is waived by the Unified Fee Schedule. 80% · ordinance
• Is a wind or windstorm certification required? No 92% · department page
• Is a Specific Use Permit or Council approval ever required? Two triggers, both authority-specific. (1) Administrative Use Permit: SCCC 12.10.321(H) - if the Building Official makes a finding based on substantial evidence that the solar energy system could have a specific, adverse impact on public health and safety, the County may require an administrative use permit. (2) Coastal Development Permit: rooftop PV in the Coastal Zone loses its exemption by location - see Q47 and the coastal note below. No Board of Supervisors or Planning Commission approval is required for residential rooftop PV. 88% · ordinance
• Is there a system-size cap on residential generation? No county cap on system size for permitting generally. Two published limits bound particular routes: SolarAPP+ is limited to new rooftop PV on detached one- and two-family dwellings, townhomes and related accessory structures at 38.4 kW or smaller including related ESS and service panel upgrades; and the statutory streamlined-checklist definition in SCCC 12.10.321(A)(1) covers systems no larger than 10 kW AC nameplate (30 kW thermal for solar water heating) on a single-family or duplex dwelling, with the array not exceeding the maximum height for the zone district. 88% · 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 CSLB A, B, C-10 or C-46 licensed contractor, or the property owner as owner-builder installing their own system 92% · department page
• Must the contractor be registered with this authority before applying? No - there is no county contractor registration, but a contractor must hold a County EZ Permit/ePermit online account before applying, and SolarAPP+ certification is needed for the expedited route 88% · department page
• Is a homeowner permitted to self-install and self-permit? Yes 90% · published checklist

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? Site map/parcel plan showing the array and all back-fed structures; plan view of roof or ground array showing fire setbacks, second-storey bedroom emergency egress windows, all equipment locations, the point of utility interconnection and rapid-shutdown equipment; racking attachment-point plan view with attachment and flashing details plus required roof fire rating combined with module fire class; roof framing layout detail (existing framing size, spacing, slope); module plus racking weight per square foot; electrical single-line diagram with conductor types and sizes, raceway heights under 7/8 inch above roof, all disconnecting means, overcurrent devices, interconnection points and rapid-shutdown equipment; Voc and dc/ac ampacity calculations; manufacturer specification sheets for all electrical equipment; wind design category and uplift mph on the cover sheet; current code cycle and scope of work matching PLG-200 on the cover sheet; contractor licence number, address and phone on every sheet; dc and ac labelling per CEC 690/705/706. Ground mount adds foundation, racking and trenching details plus a vegetation/drainage maintenance note where combined area exceeds 500 sq ft. Forms: PLG-230 ePlan Submittal Checklist, PLG-200 Building Permit Application, PLG-210 Owner-Agent Authorization, PLG-220 Owner-Builder Acknowledgment where applicable, PLG-235 Supplemental Documents Index. 92% · published checklist
• How many copies, and in what format? Electronic PDF upload only, through ePlan Review (or a SolarAPP+ approval document uploaded to EZ Permit/ePermit). Minimum plan size for solar is 11 x 17 inch landscape - smaller than the 18 x 24 inch minimum for other residential plans. Files must be bookmarked, fit to page, no layers, with PLG-230 as the cover page of the APP file. 90% · department page
• Is a site plan required, and what must it show? Yes - a site map / parcel plan showing the location of the rooftop or ground-mount array and all back-fed structure(s) on the associated parcel map, plus a plan view showing fire setbacks where required, second-storey bedroom emergency egress windows, all equipment locations, the point of utility interconnection and the rapid-shutdown equipment. Ground-mount arrays with combined area over 500 sq ft must carry the note: 'The property owner is responsible to maintain vegetation and natural drainage patterns in the vicinity of the solar panels.' 92% · published checklist
• Is a one-line / three-line diagram required? Yes 95% · published checklist
• Are string and conductor calculations required? Yes - Voc with a minimum 1.14 correction factor using 22 degrees F as the lowest expected ambient (or the module's own temperature coefficient); dc source and output circuit ampacity per 690.8(B)(1) or (2) from module Isc and inverter ac values; ac conductor ampacity at 1.25 times continuous inverter output. The county publishes its own local design temperature: 'The Santa Cruz County dry bulb/high mean average temperature is 77 degrees F' for the 310.15(B) rooftop temperature adder. 93% · published checklist
• Is a structural PE stamp required, and at what threshold? No published PE-stamp threshold for residential rooftop PV. SCCC 12.10.325 simply refers to Section 107.3.4 of the 2025 California Building Code for architect/engineer of record. What the county requires instead is structural substantiation on the plans: module plus racking weight per square foot for roof loading evaluation, a roof framing layout detail giving existing framing size, spacing and slope, racking attachment and flashing details, and the design wind category and wind uplift mph stated on the plan-set cover page. County design criteria: 90 mph 3-second gust for Risk Category II, exposure B/C/D site-specific, Seismic Design Category D or E, Climate Zone 3. 78% · department page
• Is an electrical PE stamp required, and at what threshold? No published electrical PE-stamp threshold. Two related requirements do exist: CEC 705.12(B)(3)(5) connections in configurations other than (1)-(4) must be designed under engineering supervision including available fault current and busbar load calculations; and where existing service equipment is modified for a supply-side connection, a field re-certification report from a recognised NRTL such as UL must be provided at inspection in lieu of a panel listing. 75% · 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? Three county systems, depending on route. (1) SolarAPP+ for eligible new rooftop PV, then the County EZ Permit / ePermit online service for instant issuance. (2) SCC ePlan Review (scceplanreview.santacruzcounty.us) for all other solar, all standalone battery, off-grid and ground-mount work. (3) A separate online Inspection Scheduling System for inspections, plus a separate Application Status website for corrections and reviewer names. Camino is used as a pre-application requirements guide for residential projects. 90% · portal landing page
• Can the whole application be completed online? Yes for both solar routes. SolarAPP+ approvals are submitted, paid for and the permit downloaded entirely online; ePlan Review takes the whole submittal, fee payment, correction cycle and resubmittal electronically. Two exceptions: parcels with code cases, service requests, voided permits or in a flood zone must use the in-person EZ Permit route, and a PV removal-and-reinstall electrical permit for a reroof must be obtained at an in-person Building Counter appointment. 88% · portal
• What does a residential solar permit cost? $467.00 minimum fee for residential roof-mount PV (Unified Fee Schedule, Special Building Services). Ground mount $693.00; Energy Storage Systems $506.00; commercial PV $1,000.00 plus $7/kW for 51-250 kW and $5/kW for 251 kW and above. Surcharges apply on top: 7% General Plan (4% maintenance + 3% update) and 6% Technology & Facilities, plus a 0.5% training fee. The EZ Permits page prices the SolarAPP+ route as 'Expedited Photovoltaic Systems $489.64' all-in for single-family/duplex. Re-roof with solar adds $180.80 to the re-roof fee. 85% · fee schedule
• How is the fee calculated? Flat - a per-project minimum fee by project type (roof mount / ground mount / ESS / commercial), not valuation-based and not per-kW for residential. Commercial PV alone adds a per-kW step above 50 kW. 88% · fee schedule
• Is there a separate plan-check fee? No separate plan-check line is published for residential PV - the schedule shows a single minimum fee covering the permit. For general building permits the plan check is a separate 105% of the building permit fee and permit processing a further 118%, but those percentages attach to the valuation table, not to the Special Building Services minimum fees. 62% · 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? 5 to 10 business days for the standard ePlan solar review; instant for the SolarAPP+ route. CZU fire-recovery projects get a published 10 working days for first review and 5 working days for subsequent reviews. 82% · department page
• How long is an issued permit valid before it expires? 365 days to commence, then 180 days between approved inspections. SCCC 12.10.335(A): a permit expires if work is not commenced within one year of issuance, or if a signed and dated inspection approval is not entered on the permittee's job copy for 180 days after work is commenced. An extension of up to six months may be granted if applied for before expiry and the fee is paid ($320.00 Building Permit Extension in the Unified Fee Schedule; waived for CZU projects). 92% · ordinance
• Which utility handles interconnection here? Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) 95% · utility page
• Where does the utility sit in the sequence? Parallel, with a hard dependency at the end. The PG&E interconnection application can run alongside the county permit, but PG&E's Distribution Interconnection Handbook section 2.10 requires proof the installation has passed a building and electrical inspection by the local authorities before PG&E will inspect, and states the generation system must not be operated in parallel until the customer has written approval from PG&E. The county's own approval expressly does not authorise grid connection: SCCC 12.10.321(F) says administrative approval 'does not authorize an applicant to connect the small residential rooftop energy system to the local utility provider's electricity grid.' 90% · utility DG manual

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 93% · adopting ordinance
• Which building code edition is in force? 2025 California Building Code and 2025 California Residential Code (2024 IBC/IRC base), adopted by SCCC 12.10.215 and 12.10.220 (Ord. 5502, 9 Dec 2025; further amended by Ord. 5513, 19 May 2026). Also adopted: 2025 California Existing Building Code (12.10.246), 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code (12.10.247), 2025 CALGreen (12.10.250), 2025 Energy Code (12.10.245), 2025 Historical Building Code (12.10.225), plus the 1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings and 1997 Uniform Housing Code. 94% · adopting ordinance
• Which fire code edition is in force? 2025 California Fire Code 93% · adopting ordinance
• Are there local amendments to any of the above? Yes - many, and two of them reach PV directly 93% · ordinance
• What is the installation judged against? The 2025 California Electrical Code (2023 NEC), with no solar-specific local amendment; plus 2025 CRC R329 (published by the county as R324) for roof access, pathways and setbacks, 2025 CFC as amended by SCCC 7.92, the county Class B minimum roof-covering amendment, and CWUIC Chapter 5 where the parcel is in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone. 88% · adopting ordinance

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? Two minimum 36-inch-wide pathways on separate roof planes from lowest roof edge to ridge on all buildings, at least one on the street or driveway side; on each roof plane carrying an array, a 36-inch pathway from lowest edge to ridge on that plane, an adjacent plane, or straddling both. Ridge setback: 18 inches clear on both sides of a horizontal ridge where the array occupies not more than 33% of plan-view total roof area, 36 inches where it occupies more. With an NFPA 13D sprinkler system in the dwelling those thresholds move to 66%. No panels below an emergency escape and rescue opening, and a 36-inch pathway to that opening. Exceptions: detached non-habitable structures (garages, shade structures, carports, solar trellises), roofs at 2:12 or flatter, listed BIPV per 690.12(B)(2), and where the fire code official determines rooftop operations will not be employed. 90% · published checklist

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 - to the 2023 NEC (2025 CEC) 690.12. PV system circuits on or in buildings must include a rapid-shutdown function per 690.12(A) through (D): controlled conductors outside the array boundary limited to 30 V within 30 seconds; inside the boundary either a listed PV hazard control system, or 80 V within 30 seconds, or no exposed wiring/conductive parts and installed more than 8 ft from exposed grounded conductive parts. Exception for ground-mounted circuits entering a building whose sole purpose is to house PV equipment. Rapid-shutdown equipment must be shown on both the plan view and the single-line diagram. 90% · 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? Six placards, from three different sources. From the county's own ordinance (SCCC 7.92.509.1.2 and 7.92.1201.4): a warning sign reading 'WARNING - This premise is provided with an Alternate Power Source. Disconnection of commercial power may not disable the electrical power source', permanently affixed on each electrical panel subject to back-feed, with all power-disabling switches clearly labelled. From the county's published fire handout (the CAL FIRE OSFM Solar Photovoltaic Installation Guideline the county links as 'Fire Code Requirements for Rooftop PV Systems'): 'CAUTION: SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM' at or within the main service disconnect, and 'CAUTION: SOLAR CIRCUIT' on all interior and exterior dc conduit, raceways, enclosures, cable assemblies and junction boxes. From the CEC as reproduced in the county submittal handout: the 705.10 'CAUTION MULTIPLE SOURCES OF POWER' plaque or directory at each service equipment location; the 705.12(B)(3)(2) 'WARNING: POWER SOURCE OUTPUT CONNECTION - DO NOT RELOCATE THIS OVERCURRENT DEVICE' label; the 705.12(B)(3)(3) 'WARNING: THIS EQUIPMENT FED BY MULTIPLE SOURCES...' busbar label; 690.13 'PV SYSTEM DISCONNECT' marking plus the line-and-load-energised warning; 690.31(D)(2) 'WARNING: PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE'; 690.53 maximum dc voltage label; and 690.56(C) rapid-shutdown building label and 'RAPID SHUTDOWN SWITCH FOR SOLAR PV SYSTEM'. From PG&E: permanent signage on the meter panel that an alternative source of generation is interconnected, an engraved placard on the metering equipment for any line/supply-side connection, and signage plus a map where the ac disconnect is more than 10 ft from the meter panel and out of line of sight. 92% · ordinance
• Does the authority specify placard wording of its own? Yes 95% · ordinance
• Does it specify letter height, colour or material? Yes. County ordinance (SCCC 7.92.509.1.2 / 7.92.1201.4): 'Sign shall be red in color with a minimum of 1/2 inch tall contrasting lettering and shall be permanently affixed on each electrical panel subject to back-feed from alternate power sources.' County-published fire handout (CAL FIRE OSFM guideline, sections 1.1.1 and 1.2.1): red background, white lettering, minimum 3/8 inch letter height, all capital letters, Arial or similar font non-bold, reflective weather-resistant material suitable for the environment; marking materials must be weather resistant, with UL 969 recommended as the weather-rating standard (UL listing of the markings themselves is not required). The CEC 690.56(C)(2) rapid-shutdown switch label is separately required to be reflective, all capitals, minimum 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) letter height, white on red. 92% · ordinance
• Is a site plan / facility map placard required, and what must it show? Yes, in three forms. (1) CEC 705.10: a permanent plaque or directory at each service equipment location, or an approved readily visible location, denoting the location of each power source disconnecting means and grouped with other plaques, marked 'CAUTION MULTIPLE SOURCES OF POWER'; posted diagrams must be correctly oriented with respect to the diagram's location. The county requires this plaque/directory to be included in the plan-set submittal. (2) CEC 690.56(C): a building label at each service equipment location with a simple diagram of a building with a roof, showing the location of rapid-shutdown initiation devices; where more than one rapid-shutdown type is present, or PV with no rapid shutdown, a detailed plan-view diagram of the roof with a dotted line around areas that remain energised. (3) PG&E: where the ac disconnect is more than 10 ft from the point of interconnection, a MAP at the meter panel showing a north direction arrow, a plan view of the site, and the generator's ac disconnect and PG&E electric meter locations. 90% · published checklist
• Does the UTILITY specify placards beyond the AHJ's? Yes - PG&E adds three of its own. (a) 'Customers who install distributed generation (e.g., solar, wind, battery storage) that is connected to the electric meter panel are required to install permanent signage affixed to the panel indicating an alternative source of generation is interconnected.' (b) For a line/supply-side connection ahead of the main breaker, a fusible ac disconnect is required and 'also required is an engraved placard (signage), indicating there is a line/supply side connection, installed on the metering equipment.' (c) 'Signage and maps also are required at the meter panel for the alternating current (ac) disconnect switch location when it is more than 10 feet away and out of the line of sight from the meter panel.' The disconnect device itself must carry PG&E-approved markings clearly indicating the open (off) and closed (on) positions. 92% · utility DG manual
• Where must the labels be placed? County ordinance sign: permanently affixed on EACH electrical panel subject to back-feed from alternate power sources, and all power-disabling switches clearly labelled. County fire handout: for residential, the CAUTION: SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM marking may be placed within the main service disconnect, but if the main service disconnect is operable with the service panel closed the marking goes on the outside cover; for commercial, adjacent to the main service disconnect and clearly visible from where the lever is operated. CAUTION: SOLAR CIRCUIT markings go on all interior and exterior dc conduit, raceways, enclosures and cable assemblies every 10 feet, at turns, above and/or below penetrations, and on all dc combiner and junction boxes. No marking is required on the inverter. CEC: 705.10 plaque at each service equipment location or an approved readily visible location; 690.53 dc voltage label at the dc disconnect, the power conversion equipment, or the associated distribution equipment; 690.56(C) label at each service equipment location the PV is connected to, and the rapid-shutdown switch label on or within 3 ft (1 m) of the switch. PG&E: on the meter panel, and on the metering equipment for supply-side connections. 90% · fire code guideline

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? There is no fixed distance from the meter in any binding Santa Cruz document, and for the commonest residential case PG&E does not require an ac disconnect at all. PG&E Greenbook Table 6-3: for inverter-based generators on a self-contained, socket-based meter panel of 320 amps or less, single phase, an ac disconnect is NOT required; it IS required for all other self-contained or transformer-rated meter panels, for all K-base meter panels of any ampacity, and for all non-inverter-based generators. If one is installed voluntarily it must be PG&E approved. A fusible ac disconnect is required for a supply-side (line/supply) connection ahead of the main breaker and after the meter, with an engraved placard on the metering equipment. Where a disconnect is required, PG&E's Distribution Interconnection Handbook says it should be 'located 10 feet or less from PG&E's electric meter at the point of interconnection (POI) and is seen easily from the panel' - but the very next requirement in the same list gives the alternative: 'includes signage and a map showing the location of the ac disconnect switch if more than 10 feet away from the point of interconnection', the map to show a north arrow, a plan view of the site, and the disconnect and meter locations. The 2026 Greenbook states only the signage-and-map version. Electric Rule 21 sets no distance at all: where required by operating practice, a ganged manually-operated isolating switch 'near the Point of Interconnection', allowing visible verification of separation, with markings indicating open and closed positions, reachable 24 hours a day by PG&E without keys, special permission or security clearance, and capable of being locked in the open position. The county says nothing about disconnect placement. 90% · utility DG manual
• Must equipment be on a specific approved list? No approved-products list for PV as such, but four listing requirements bite. Equipment 'shall be identified and listed for the application' and manufacturer specification sheets for all electrical equipment must be submitted. Listed or labelled equipment must be installed per its listing instructions (CEC 110.3(B)), and a supply-side service modification that would void a panel listing needs an NRTL field re-certification report. PV panels, modules and systems must be marked with their fire classification (Class A, B or C) and, because the county requires at least a Class B roof covering countywide and Class A in Fire Hazard Severity Zones, the module plus rack assembly must match. Where the parcel is in a WUI area, exterior materials must be OSFM-listed from the 2025 OSFM WUI Listed Products Handbook. 85% · fire code guideline
• Are batteries permitted, and under what conditions? Yes. Batteries may be included in a SolarAPP+ application together with new rooftop PV (system 38.4 kW or smaller, including related energy storage and service panel upgrades). Standalone battery projects must go through ePlan Review - SolarAPP+ will not take them. Conditions: 2025 CFC Chapter 12 as amended by SCCC 7.92.1201.4, which requires the county alternate-power-source warning sign on every back-fed panel and approval by the building code official; 2025 CRC R330 / CEC Article 706 and 690.71; and the CSLB licence limits the county reproduces - only A and C-10 may install a standalone ESS of any size, add ESS of any size to an existing PV system, or repair an ESS; C-46 and B may only do ESS concurrently with PV and only under 80 kWh. Off-grid systems are treated as the primary power source and may not be a deferred submittal; they need a load calculation, shading report and battery specification sheets including discharge capacity. 90% · department page
• Is there a separate ESS permit or inspection? Yes for a standalone battery - it is a separate ePlan permit with its own fee line ('Energy Storage Systems (ESS) $506.00 Minimum Fee'). No when the battery is installed concurrently with new rooftop PV through SolarAPP+, where it rides on the same approval and the same permit. 88% · fee schedule
• Is a ground mount treated as a structure? Yes - and it is priced and reviewed as a separate, heavier thing. Ground-mount residential PV has its own fee line at $693.00 minimum against $467.00 for roof mount, needs foundation and racking details plus trenching details, and the county tells applicants to 'check with Zoning, Environmental Planning, and if the parcel is served by an OWTS (septic system), Environmental Health staff to confirm your project's feasibility, development standards, and any additional considerations.' The CRC setback exemption for free-standing arrays does not clear zoning: the county's own handout says 'Setbacks may apply: consult Zoning relative to height of array above grade relative to property lines.' A clear brush-free area of 10 feet is required around ground-mounted arrays, and arrays with combined area over 500 sq ft need a vegetation and natural-drainage maintenance note on the site plan. 90% · department page
• Is there a local rule on service upgrades or busbar sizing? Yes - one genuinely local rule. Where existing service equipment is modified for a supply-side (line-side) connection, the modification must use an approved and listed method and must not void the manufacturer's listing; and 'in lieu of a panel listing when modifying the supply side of existing service equipment, a field re-certification report for the existing service panel modifications shall be provided from a recognized NRTL such as UL, at the time of inspection.' Busbar sizing itself is judged against CEC 705.12(B)(1)-(3) as written, which the handout reproduces in full including both 120% and sum-of-devices methods. A separate local CEC amendment requires a concrete-encased grounding electrode on all new construction, and the handout also calls out the CEC 250.53(A)(2) supplemental electrode. 88% · published checklist
• Is a specific mounting system or attachment spacing required? No proprietary mounting system or attachment spacing is mandated. What is required on the plans: a plan view of the array rack mounting attachment points; racking attachment and flashing details; the roof fire rating in combination with the proposed module fire class per CAL FIRE; module (array) weight including racking per square foot; a roof framing layout detail giving existing framing size, spacing and slope; and the design wind category and wind uplift mph on the cover page. Ground mount adds foundation, racking and trenching details. County design criteria: 90 mph 3-second gust Risk Category II, exposure B/C/D site-specific, SDC D or E, and the CBC/CRC amendment prohibiting wood support posts in structural retaining walls if any are involved. 88% · published checklist

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 92% · department page
• How much notice is required? 1 business day - requests must be in by 3:00 pm at least one County business day before the requested date (holidays and weekends excluded). Requests received after 3:00 pm, or on a holiday or weekend, are scheduled a minimum of two County business days later. 92% · department page
• Are same-day or AM/PM windows offered? No AM/PM choice and no same-day booking. The county states 'we do not accept time preferences for inspections.' The inspector calls the contact numbers on the permit between 8:00 and 9:00 am on the day of the requested inspection and gives a two-to-three hour window; applicants are told not to call before 9:00 am. Inspections are scheduled Monday to Thursday; Friday morning inspections are available but exclude final inspections, SB 13 special inspections and complex inspections (projects over 500 sq ft, foundations, retaining walls, roof or wall shear, full rough frames with subtrades). Cancellations must reach the Supervising Building Inspector before 9:00 am or a reinspection fee may apply. 92% · 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 92% · department page
• If delegated, to whom? Not delegated - N/A 90% · ordinance

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 retrofit rooftop PV permit: a single final inspection. SCCC 12.10.321(G) provides only one inspection for an eligible small residential rooftop solar energy system, with a subsequent inspection authorised (and additional fees required) if it fails. For a PV removal-and-reinstall during a reroof, the sequence is: reroof permit and a separate EZ electrical permit for the PV; the reroof permit's final inspection cannot be completed until the electrical permit for PV removal and reinstallation has been issued; and the final electrical inspection needs the original approved PV plans on site. Where PV is part of a new dwelling it is processed as a deferred submittal and falls into the standard new-construction inspection sequence (foundation, slab/underfloor, underfloor insulation, roof shear, exterior shear and hold-down, rough frame with rough electrical, insulation, drywall, lath, final). 88% · ordinance
• Is a rough-in or mid-roof inspection required? No 88% · department page

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? No solar-specific inspection checklist is published. Two general documents exist: the 'Typical Inspections' web page setting out the inspection sequence and what each covers, and the 'Building Permit Inspection Information' handout (Rev. 8/19) covering scheduling, cancellation, reinspection triggers and inspector-by-district contacts. 82% · department page
• What must be on site at inspection? The building permit itself, visible at the site for all inspectors, with the inspection record card posted or otherwise available; the approved red-stamped job copy of the plans and all approved supplemental documents, kept on site at all times and available for review; any deferred-submittal approvals (for example stamped truss calculations) as part of the job copy; and any special-inspection reports. For a PV reinstallation, the original approved PV system plans - and if they cannot be found, either a copy from the Records Room or new plans matching the installation as originally approved. Failure to have the permit or the approved plans on site is a published reinspection-fee trigger. 90% · department page
• Does the inspector verify labels and listings? Yes 85% · department page

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 final approval signed and dated on the inspection permit card. No certificate of occupancy is issued for a residential PV permit: SCCC 12.10.370(A) exempts Group R Division 3 and Group U occupancies from the certificate-of-occupancy requirement and provides that 'The final approvals noted on the inspection permit card for a residential project shall act as the certificate of occupancy provided all department holds are released.' Certificates of occupancy are produced and mailed only for new commercial projects. 88% · ordinance
• Who notifies the utility for PTO? Installer (or customer) - not the AHJ. PG&E's Distribution Interconnection Handbook section 4.12 states 'It is the customer's responsibility to ensure that any inspections required by local governmental and regulatory agencies are complete and any applicable permits are obtained before the scheduled date of PPI', and section 2.10 requires proof the installation has passed a building and electrical inspection by the local authorities before PG&E inspects. PG&E then issues the written approval to operate in parallel. The county's building inspection staff do contact PG&E, but the published statement of that practice is about meter releases for gas and electric connections on construction projects, not about solar permission to operate. 85% · utility DG manual
• Is there a re-inspection fee? A two-hour charge at the adopted hourly rate - roughly $320. SCCC 12.10.355(B): 'To obtain a reinspection, the applicant shall first file an application in writing and pay a two-hour fee at the hourly rate adopted in the fee schedule', and no further inspection is performed until it is paid. The Unified Fee Schedule does not publish a named reinspection line for building; the nearest published rate is 'Minor Plan Check / Inspections as determined by the Chief Building Official per quarter hour - $40.00', i.e. $160 per hour, which gives about $320 for two hours. 65% · ordinance
• How are corrections issued and cleared? Plan-check corrections are issued and cleared electronically. Owners and applicants access building plan-review corrections and application status on the Application Status website, which now displays reviewer names and comment due dates (status shows 'Pending' until a reviewer is assigned). Resubmittals go back through ePlan with the Building Resubmittal Response Form PLG-204. For SolarAPP+ projects, change orders must be resubmitted to SolarAPP+ for a new Approval ID and then resubmitted through ePermit; SolarAPP+ allows three changes free but County permit fees still apply. Change orders are strictly limited to work within the original scope - anything beyond it must be applied for as a new permit. Field corrections are issued by the inspector at the inspection and cleared at reinspection, which may carry a fee. 88% · portal