City of Pensacola

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 — the City of Pensacola Development Services Department (Building Inspections Division) is the AHJ for residential solar within Pensacola city limits 95% · authority's own jurisdiction-confirmation instructions / adopting regulation
• What does this authority permit itself, and what does it delegate? Both — the City permits and inspects Building and Electrical itself for residential PV. Two permits, both applied for and reviewed by the City: a Solar (Building) Permit and a separate Electrical Add-to-Existing Permit. Planning & Zoning (also a City division) intervenes only for historic-district/Governmental-Center-District properties via the Architectural Review Board. Fire plan review for Florida Fire Prevention Code compliance sits with the City's OWN Pensacola Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau, not Escambia County. 90% · authority's own solar & building-inspections pages / department page
• Is a permit required for a residential rooftop PV system? Yes — a permit is required for residential rooftop PV 95% · authority's own solar permitting page / department page
• Is there a separate electrical permit, or is it combined? Separate — a Solar (Building) Permit Application and a separate Electrical Add-to-Existing Permit Application are both required, submitted through the same MGO portal 95% · authority's own solar permitting page / department page
• Is a HOA or architectural approval required first? Not required by the City — no HOA or architectural-association approval is referenced anywhere in the City's Solar Information, Owner-Builder, or Architectural Review Board pages as a precondition for a City permit. Separately, Florida law now works in the other direction: FS 720.3035(1)(c), added by HB 803 (2026, eff. 1 Jul 2026), bars an HOA/architectural committee from requiring that a building permit be issued as a precondition for the ASSOCIATION's own review — the opposite of an AHJ-imposed HOA-approval requirement. 55% · authority's own solar/permitting pages (silence) + HB 803 (2026) enrolled text / ordinance / statute
• Is there a historic-district review? Yes — a historic-district / Architectural Review Board (ARB) review is required for properties within the Pensacola Historic District, North Hill Preservation District, Old East Hill Preservation District, or the Governmental Center District, BEFORE the permit is issued 90% · authority's own Solar Information page + Architectural Review Board page / ordinance / department page
• Is a wind or windstorm certification required? Yes, in substance — the City requires the engineer-stamped structural plans to state a 150 MPH design wind speed, plus exposure category, risk category and minimum design loads, rather than a separate stand-alone 'wind certificate' document 78% · authority's own Solar Project Structural Plan Checklist / published checklist
• Is a Specific Use Permit or Council approval ever required? No Specific Use Permit or City Council approval is referenced for residential rooftop PV. The only elevated review named is the Architectural Review Board (a City board, not Council) for historic-district/protected properties, and that review can be a staff-level 'Abbreviated Review' rather than a full hearing. 60% · authority's own solar/permitting pages (silence) / 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 licensed Electrical Contractor (EC/ER) or Solar Contractor (CWC/CVC) for the electrical/solar work, or the homeowner as owner-builder under FS 489.103 for the permit itself; but an Electrical Contractor must always pull the Electrical Add-to-Existing permit for load-side wiring even if a Solar Contractor holds the Solar Permit 80% · authority's own solar page + Owner-Builder Permitting page / department page
• Must the contractor be registered with this authority before applying? Yes — contractors must be registered with the City (via the MGO portal) before they can be listed on a permit application 80% · authority's own Building Inspections page / department page
• Is a homeowner permitted to self-install and self-permit? Yes — a homeowner may self-permit as an owner-builder under Florida Statute 489.103, provided the property is a one- or two-family residence they intend to occupy for at least one year after completion and they are not building/altering for sale or lease 88% · authority's own Owner-Builder Permitting page / 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? Structural Plan Checklist (one PDF set, digitally signed/sealed by a FL-licensed engineer, showing code edition/section, 150 MPH wind speed, exposure/risk category/design loads, roof height/slope/covering, roof plan with module locations, support-rail/module dimensions & attachment, fastener spec, flashing/waterproofing) PLUS Electrical Plan Checklist (one PDF set: FSEC PV System Certification, system description incl. battery/generator, site plan, riser diagram, electrical schematic showing array config/wire sizes/junction boxes/disconnects/OCP/grounding/required signs/AC connection, full electrical calculations, spec/installation sheets for all major components). A Notice of Commencement is also required before the first inspection if job value exceeds $2,500 (per the Solar Information page) — note the City's separate Owner-Builder page states a different NOC threshold ($5,000, or $15,000 for HVAC changeouts), a discrepancy between the City's own pages that I could not resolve. 85% · authority's own Solar Project Checklists PDF (structural + electrical) / published checklist
• How many copies, and in what format? Electronic only — one PDF set for structural plans and one PDF set for electrical plans, uploaded through the MGO portal. Paper plans have not been accepted since April 1, 2020; the only paper exception is the owner-builder affidavit, which must be signed/notarized in person 85% · authority's own checklist PDF + Building Inspections page / published checklist
• Is a site plan required, and what must it show? Yes — a site plan is required as part of the electrical submittal, and it must show 'locations of all new equipment and existing service equipment' 82% · authority's own Solar Project Electrical Plan Checklist / published checklist
• Is a one-line / three-line diagram required? Yes — a riser diagram showing how the new PV system ties into the existing electrical service, plus a full electrical schematic diagram (array configuration, wire sizes/types, junction boxes, disconnects, overcurrent protection, grounding, required signs, AC connection to the building) are both required 88% · authority's own Solar Project Electrical Plan Checklist / published checklist
• Are string and conductor calculations required? Yes — full electrical calculations are required: wire sizing/ampacity, temperature derating, conduit-fill derating, voltage drop for all DC and AC conductors, ambient-temperature effects on array output, disconnect/OCP sizing, and input/output current, voltage and power specs for all major equipment 90% · authority's own Solar Project Electrical Plan Checklist / published checklist
• Is a structural PE stamp required, and at what threshold? Yes, for every residential rooftop PV project, with no stated minimum-size threshold — the Structural Plan Checklist requires 'details digitally signed and sealed by a Florida Engineer showing how the panels are attached to the roof', and the plans must additionally state code edition, 150 MPH design wind speed, exposure/risk category and minimum design loads 85% · authority's own Solar Project Structural Plan Checklist / published checklist
• Is an electrical PE stamp required, and at what threshold? Not required as a flat rule — the City requires a Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) 'Photovoltaic System Approval Certificate' for the electrical design INSTEAD of an engineer stamp, 'unless otherwise certified by an engineer licensed pursuant to Chapter 471 using the standards contained in the most recent version of the Florida Building Code.' No kW threshold is stated — the engineer-stamp route is offered as an alternative to FSEC certification, not triggered by system size. 78% · authority's own Solar Information page / department page

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

• Which permit portal does this authority use? My Government Online (MGO) — accessed at mgoconnect.org (portal front-end) / mygovernmentonline.org (underlying platform) 92% · authority's own solar and building-inspections pages / portal landing page
• Can the whole application be completed online? Yes — 'All permit applications with plan review must be submitted electronically using My Government Online (MGO)'; paper plans have not been accepted since 1 Apr 2020; payments are made via the MGO payment tab; inspections are also booked in MGO. The only in-person/paper step remaining is the owner-builder affidavit, which must be signed and notarized at City Hall. 88% · authority's own Building Inspections page / department page
• What does a residential solar permit cost? No PV-specific fee line exists in the fee schedule. Building/Solar permit: $7.50 per $1,000 of total labor+materials cost (Sec. 7-14-2(a)(2), the generic 'remodeling/repairs/modifications... for which a specific fee is not indicated' rate, since PV has no measurable gross floor area) plus a $40 administrative application fee, minimum permit fee $35. Electrical Add-to-Existing permit: the $50 per-inspection minimum electrical fee (Sec. 7-14-2(b)(2)) applies unless the job includes a service change, in which case the amperage-based table applies (e.g. $90 for 0-100A, $95 for 101-200A, $125 for 201-400A) plus the $40 admin fee. A typical no-service-upgrade residential rooftop job therefore totals roughly $150-$300 depending on system cost, though the City publishes no single 'solar permit fee' figure to check this against. 70% · Code of Ordinances Ch. 7-14 Fees (current, last amended Ord. 26-19, 10/24/19) / fee schedule
• How is the fee calculated? Valuation — the Building/Solar permit fee is $7.50 per $1,000 of the total estimated cost of labor and materials (Sec. 7-14-2(a)(2)); the Electrical Add-to-Existing permit is a flat per-inspection minimum ($50) unless a service-size change is involved, in which case it is tiered by ampere rating 75% · Code of Ordinances Ch. 7-14 Fees / fee schedule
• Is there a separate plan-check fee? No separate electrical plan-check fee for single-family/duplex residential — Sec. 7-14-7(1) states outright 'there shall be no electrical, mechanical or plumbing plan review fee for single-family or duplex residential plans.' A structural (Building-side) plan review fee DOES apply, however, since the Solar Permit requires engineer-stamped structural plans: one-half of the permit fee for the initial review, $50 for a second review, and $50 per discipline for subsequent revised-plan reviews. 82% · Code of Ordinances Sec. 7-14-7 (Plan review fees for building code compliance) / 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.

• How long is an issued permit valid before it expires? 180 days from issuance, extendable; each passed inspection resets/extends the permit another 180 days from the date of that inspection. NOTE — this conflicts with new state law: HB 803 (2026), effective 1 Jul 2026, amends FS 553.79(1)(c) to require that 'a building permit issued by a local government for a single-family dwelling expires 1 year after the issuance of the permit or on the effective date of the next edition of the Florida Building Code, whichever is later.' The City's own Code of Ordinances Sec. 7-14-3 (180 days) has not been updated to reflect this as of the date checked. 88% · Code of Ordinances Sec. 7-14-3 + DSD Building Inspections page + HB 803 (2026) enrolled text / ordinance + department page
• Which utility handles interconnection here? Florida Power & Light (FPL) — Northwest Florida Division. Escambia County / City of Pensacola sit in the LEGACY GULF POWER territory, which NextEra/FPL acquired in 2019 and fully rebranded to the FPL name in 2021, but which FPL still operates as a distinct 'FPL Northwest FL' web/service division (fpl.com/northwest) with its own account-service, rates and net-metering landing pages 95% · City utility-service page + FPL PSC-filed retail tariff Section 7 (Communities Served) / utility territory map + city source
• Where does the utility sit in the sequence? Parallel with a final gate at energization, not a strict before/after permit sequence: FPL requires the interconnection application to be reviewed and approved BEFORE installation/operation begins (all tiers), but grants final approval/PTO only after the customer supplies proof that the LOCAL building code official has inspected, certified and approved the permitted installation. Tariff Sheet, all three tiers, Sec. 3.4: 'The Customer agrees to provide Local Building Code Official inspection and certification of installation. The certification shall reflect that the local code official has inspected and certified that the installation was permitted, has been approved, and has met all electrical and mechanical qualifications.' Operation of the system prior to installation of FPL's bi-directional meter is 'strictly prohibited' except for testing/inspection. 85% · FPL retail tariff Section 9, Sec. 3.4 (all tiers), eff. 1 Jan 2026 / utility DG manual / tariff

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? 2020 National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), adopted effective 31 December 2023 — per the CURRENT DSD Building Inspections page. FLAG: the City's own Solar Information page (last modified 2023-04-06) still states '2017 National Electrical Code' — a stale figure that directly contradicts the more current, more general DSD page (last modified 2026-08-18). Treating the DSD page as authoritative per the instruction to read the masthead, not the URL, and to distrust a document simply because it is live. 82% · authority's own current DSD Building Inspections page + Electrical Information page / adopting ordinance / department page
• Which building code edition is in force? 2023 Florida Building Code, 8th Edition — covering Residential, Building, Existing Building, Energy Conservation, Accessibility, Fuel & Gas, Plumbing and Mechanical volumes — adopted effective 31 December 2023. A 9th Edition (2026 cycle) is stated (on the Floodplain Management page) to take effect 31 December 2026. 85% · authority's own current DSD Building Inspections page + Floodplain Management page / adopting ordinance / department page
• Which fire code edition is in force? Not named by edition on any City page found. The Pensacola Fire Department's own Fire Prevention Bureau states only that it performs 'plan review for compliance with the Florida Fire Prevention Code' — no edition number or year is given. 45% · authority's own Fire Prevention Bureau page / department page
• Are there local amendments to any of the above? Yes, at least one local design amendment is documented: the City's own Solar Project Structural Plan Checklist requires structural plans to state a 150 MPH design wind speed and imposes a City-specific 3-foot minimum setback from roof valleys, ridges and edges for panel installation — figures the City publishes itself rather than pointing only to the state-adopted FBC/NEC text. I could not obtain the City's full local-amendments ordinance text (Municode/American Legal-style code libraries are excluded from this run per policy) to confirm whether these are formal 'local amendments' under the FBC's local-amendment process or simply the state wind map value restated locally. 55% · authority's own Solar Project Structural Plan Checklist / published checklist
• What is the installation judged against? The 2023 Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (Building/Residential/Existing Building/Energy Conservation/Accessibility/Fuel & Gas/Plumbing/Mechanical volumes) and the 2020 NEC (NFPA 70), both effective 31 Dec 2023, as stated on the City's current Building Code Information page — with wind design specifically per FBC Ch. 3 (Residential) or Ch. 16 (Building) using the current ASCE 7-22 hazard tool, and, for solar specifically, the 150 MPH design wind speed the City's own checklist requires the engineer to certify on the structural plans. 85% · authority's own current DSD Building Inspections page / 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? 3-foot minimum setback from valleys, ridges AND roof edges — 'installation is not allowed closer than 3 feet to valleys, ridges, or roof edges.' The City's published checklist does not use the more granular hip/single-ridge/valley pathway scheme some other Florida jurisdictions publish (e.g. separate pathway widths by roof type) — it states one flat 3-foot clearance from all three roof features. 85% · authority's own Solar Project Structural Plan Checklist / 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, by operation of the NEC edition in force — NEC 2020 Art. 690.12 (Rapid Shutdown of PV Systems on Buildings) applies since the City adopts the 2020 NEC without a stated local amendment on this point. The City's own solar checklist does not use the phrase 'rapid shutdown' anywhere in its text; it requires only a general electrical schematic showing disconnects, overcurrent protection and 'required signs.' 60% · authority's own Solar Project Electrical Plan Checklist + adopted NEC 2020 / checklist + 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? The City's own checklist requires only that the electrical schematic show 'Required signs' without listing their wording — the actual placard content comes from the NEC 2020 (Art. 690/705 markings) and from FPL's Electric Service Standards (ESS) Section XIII, Distributed Generation, rev. 10-30-25: at the INTERCONNECTING METER CAN — 'WARNING / MULTI POWER SOURCES / ENTER SOURCES HERE / RATED AC OUTPUT CURRENT ** AMPS / NOMINAL OPERATING VOLTAGE ** VOLTS'; at the DER DISCONNECT SWITCH — 'GENERATION SYSTEM AC DISCONNECT / RATED AC OUTPUT CURRENT ** AMPS / NOMINAL OPERATING VOLTAGE ** VOLTS'; and for battery storage, a placard at the meter enclosure reading 'Battery storage utilized in this facility.' 85% · authority's checklist ('required signs') + FPL Electric Service Standards Sec. XIII (rev. 10-30-25) / checklist + utility DG manual
• Does the authority specify placard wording of its own? No — the City specifies no placard wording of its own; its only instruction is a generic 'Required signs' line item pointing to the NEC/utility requirements. All specific wording (MULTI POWER SOURCES, GENERATION SYSTEM AC DISCONNECT, battery placard) comes from FPL, not the City. 75% · authority's own checklist (silence on wording) + FPL ESS (has wording) / checklist
• Does it specify letter height, colour or material? No City-specific letter height/colour/material rule. FPL's ESS states only that 'All labels must be permanent and weatherproof/UV resistant placard with engraved letters' — no minimum letter height, colour, or exact material (e.g. phenolic) is specified in the Distributed Generation section, unlike some other utilities' Greenbook-style standards. 62% · FPL Electric Service Standards Sec. XIII.6 (Labeling), rev. 10-30-25 / utility DG manual
• Is a site plan / facility map placard required, and what must it show? Not specified by the City. FPL's tariff/ESS documents reviewed do not contain a PG&E-style 'plaque or directory' facility-map requirement (that language does not appear in FPL's Sec. 9 tariff or ESS Sec. XIII as extracted); the applicable general rule is NEC 705.10's plaque/directory requirement for the service disconnect and PV disconnect locations if not co-located, which the City adopts by reference via the 2020 NEC but does not restate. 55% · FPL Electric Service Standards Sec. XIII + retail tariff Sec. 9 (checked, absent) / utility DG manual
• Does the UTILITY specify placards beyond the AHJ's? Yes — FPL requires two placards beyond anything the City asks for: at the INTERCONNECTING METER CAN ('WARNING / MULTI POWER SOURCES / ENTER SOURCES HERE / RATED AC OUTPUT CURRENT ** AMPS / NOMINAL OPERATING VOLTAGE ** VOLTS') and at the DER DISCONNECT SWITCH ('GENERATION SYSTEM AC DISCONNECT / RATED AC OUTPUT CURRENT ** AMPS / NOMINAL OPERATING VOLTAGE ** VOLTS'), plus, for battery storage, a permanent placard at the meter enclosure reading 'Battery storage utilized in this facility' (battery must also be UL 1741-certified or DC-coupled behind a UL-1741-listed device). 88% · FPL Electric Service Standards Sec. XIII, rev. 10-30-25 / utility DG manual
• Where must the labels be placed? At the interconnecting meter can and at the DER disconnect switch (both FPL-required placards); the battery placard is affixed permanently to the meter enclosure. The DER disconnect switch itself must be installed separate from, but adjacent to (within 10 feet of), the FPL meter socket, with no locked gates/doors/fences in between. The City's own checklist adds only a generic 'required signs' line on the electrical schematic with no placement detail of its own. 85% · FPL Electric Service Standards Sec. XIII, rev. 10-30-25 / utility DG manual

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? For the systems that require it at all (see Q23/Q45 re: Tier 1 UL-1741-listed systems being EXEMPT from needing any FPL-required disconnect switch): the DER (AC) disconnect switch must be a visible-open, lockable switch mounted separate from, but adjacent to and within 10 feet of, the FPL meter socket, with no locked gates, doors or fences between the switch and the meter socket, rated for a 3/8-inch FPL padlock shank, and never modified to accommodate an FPL lock. The switch must remain permanently unobstructed and accessible to FPL personnel. 88% · FPL Electric Service Standards Sec. XIII (DER Disconnect Switch Utility Requirements), rev. 10-30-25 / utility DG manual
• Must equipment be on a specific approved list? In effect, yes — the City requires the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) 'Photovoltaic System Approval Certificate' for the electrical design (or an engineer's Chapter-471 certification as an alternative), which functions as an approved/listed-equipment gate even though the City does not itself publish a standalone equipment list. Separately, NEC 110.3 (adopted via the 2020 NEC) requires all equipment to be listed/labeled and installed per its listing. 72% · authority's own Solar Information page / department page
• Are batteries permitted, and under what conditions? The City has no solar-specific battery/ESS guidance of its own (checked the Solar Information page, both Solar Project Checklists, the Electrical Information page and Ch. 7-14 Fees — none mentions batteries or energy storage; controls run: 'electrical' returns hits in every one of these documents, confirming the search works, while a fabricated term returns none). The governing conditions instead come from FPL: battery storage for personal use must be NRTL-certified to UL 1741 (or DC-coupled behind a UL-1741-listed device), and a permanent 'Battery storage utilized in this facility' placard is required at the meter enclosure. A battery integrated with customer-owned renewable generation may not export power to the grid; Tier 3 battery systems are reviewed in FPL's fast-track study. 65% · FPL Electric Service Standards Sec. XIII.C (Battery Storage) — City has no equivalent (proved by controls) / utility DG manual
• Is there a separate ESS permit or inspection? Not addressed as a distinct permit or inspection type in the City's own published materials — no battery/ESS line exists anywhere in the current fee schedule (Ch. 7-14) and no ESS-specific language appears on the Solar Information or Electrical Information pages. Controls run in the same documents: 'electrical' returns 8 hits in the fee schedule and 2 in the Solar page (positive control passes); the fabricated term 'zzqqx' returns 0 in both; 'battery'/'energy storage'/'ESS' return 0 in both. In practice, a battery retrofit would most likely be folded into the same Electrical Add-to-Existing permit rather than requiring its own City permit type, but no City document says so. 60% · Code of Ordinances Ch. 7-14 Fees (checked, absent) + Solar Information page (checked, absent) / fee schedule
• Is a specific mounting system or attachment spacing required? No specific mounting system is mandated by the City, but the design must be fully documented and engineer-sealed: support-rail and module dimensions/weights/materials/attachment method, fastener type/material/diameter/length/spacing, and penetration flashing/waterproofing must all be shown or supplemented with product cut sheets. The one fixed City rule is a 3-foot minimum setback: 'installation is not allowed closer than 3 feet to valleys, ridges, or roof edges.' 82% · authority's own Solar Project Structural Plan Checklist / 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 or Phone — inspections may be booked online through the MGO customer portal, or by calling the 24-hour IVR line at (866) 957-3764, option 5 90% · authority's own Inspections page / department page
• Are same-day or AM/PM windows offered? No, not generally — the City's current Call-Ahead Policy states 'Requests for specific times, or AM/PM requests are not valid requests for most projects. The inspectors operate from 7-3, and an inspection could be at the project anytime during this time frame.' The one exception: for OWNER-OCCUPIED buildings, an AM/PM preference may be requested (along with the owner's name/number). A specific time can also be requested for paid after-hours inspections. 88% · authority's own 'Call Ahead Policy for Inspectors' memo (6 Aug 2025) / 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 — the City performs its own final solar inspections; not delegated. The Solar Information page requires 'An Electrical Final, Solar Electrical Final, and Building Final' and states inspections are 'ordered through the MGO portal' — all performed by City of Pensacola Building Inspections staff. 88% · authority's own Solar Information page / department page
• If delegated, to whom? N/A — not delegated. The City of Pensacola Building Inspections Division performs its own solar inspections (see Q52); I found no FS 553.80 utilization report or vendor-contract page (e.g. naming a firm like CGA, CAP Government or Universal Engineering Sciences) anywhere on the City's site to indicate any contracted-out plan review or inspection function for solar. 70% · authority's own department pages (no delegation found) / department page

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

• Which inspections are required, and in what order? An Electrical Final, a Solar Electrical Final, and a Building Final — in that order per the Solar Information page's 'REQUIRED INSPECTIONS' section: 'An Electrical Final, Solar Electrical Final, and Building Final are required.' (The City's generic one-and-two-family inspection list also includes earlier-stage inspections — e.g. Electrical Rough-In — for new construction, but the Solar page's own list of three finals is what is published specifically for a rooftop PV retrofit onto an existing dwelling.) 85% · authority's own Solar Information page / department page
• Is a rough-in or mid-roof inspection required? Not stated for solar retrofits specifically — the Solar Information page's own required-inspection list names only three FINAL inspections (Electrical Final, Solar Electrical Final, Building Final) with no rough-in or mid-roof stage named. The City's generic new-construction inspection list does include a 'Wall and/or Roof Sheathing Inspection' and an 'Electrical Rough-In Inspection', but those are written for new-construction projects, not rooftop PV retrofits, and the Solar page does not cross-reference them. 62% · authority's own Solar Information page vs. generic Inspections page / 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? Yes — the City publishes a 'Solar Project Checklists' document (structural and electrical, REV 2022-02-08) that functions as the submittal/completeness checklist for what plans and calculations must be provided; I did not find a SEPARATE inspection-day checklist (i.e. a form the inspector fills out on-site), so this answer covers the submittal checklist rather than an inspector's field checklist. 68% · authority's own Solar Project Checklists PDF / published checklist
• What must be on site at inspection? The permit and the approved, stamped plans must be on site before inspections ('The contractor is responsible for placing the permit and approved stamped plans on the job site before inspections.'). If the job value exceeds $2,500 (per the Solar Information page — see the $2,500-vs-$5,000 discrepancy noted at Q8), a certified copy of the recorded Notice of Commencement must also be provided to the City and posted on the job site before the first inspection. Power must be ON for the Electrical Final inspection (per the generic Inspections page). 82% · authority's own Solar Information page + Inspections page / 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 — passing the three required inspections (Electrical Final, Solar Electrical Final, Building Final) closes out the permit. The City's materials do not describe a separate 'Certificate of Occupancy', 'green tag' or letter issued specifically for a rooftop PV retrofit onto an already-occupied dwelling (a CO is a new-construction/occupancy-change concept); the closest match among the offered options is 'Final'. 68% · authority's own Solar Information page / department page
• Who notifies the utility for PTO? Installer/customer — FPL's own process places the burden on the customer (in practice, the installer on the customer's behalf) to submit proof that the local permit was approved: 'a customer should provide a copy of the approved permit or a screen print from the local authority's website indicating the permit has been approved' (including inspector sign-off, description of work, address, permit number and building department name) before FPL will install the bi-directional meter and grant PTO. The AHJ (City) does not itself notify FPL. 75% · FPL Northwest Net Metering Guidelines + retail tariff Sec. 9, Sec. 3.4 / utility DG manual
• Is there a re-inspection fee? $50 flat — 'Reinspection fee ..... $50.00' (Code of Ordinances Sec. 7-14-5(1), Field inspection fees), applying generally across trades including electrical and building. 85% · Code of Ordinances Sec. 7-14-5(1) / fee schedule