City of San Antonio

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

• Is this authority the AHJ for residential solar at this address? Yes 95% · department information bulletin
• What does this authority permit itself, and what does it delegate? Both — DSD holds building and electrical. Nothing is delegated to Bexar County. CPS Energy (city-owned utility) separately controls interconnection. 92% · adopting ordinance (Ord. 2025-01-30-0075)
• Is a permit required for a residential rooftop PV system? Yes 95% · department information bulletin
• Is there a separate electrical permit, or is it combined? Separate — a standalone Solar/Photovoltaic trade permit, which is a sub-type of the electrical permit. It is explicitly never part of a combination permit. 95% · department permitting guide
• Is a HOA or architectural approval required first? No — not a city requirement. Nothing in the DSD permit process or the automatic technical-review list conditions a solar permit on HOA or architectural-committee approval. 60% · department permitting guide
• Is there a historic-district review? Yes, where the property applies. Applicants proposing to install or modify a PV system on a premise containing a designated historical resource, or within a historic district, are required to meet with the Historic Design and Review Commission BEFORE submitting the project to DSD. Office of Historic Preservation is also one of the technical reviews the portal generates automatically based on location, as is Neighborhood Conservation District. 92% · department information bulletin
• Is a Specific Use Permit or Council approval ever required? Not for residential rooftop PV. The Unified Development Code's renewable-energy provision (§ 35-398) addresses ground-mounted fixed-panel photovoltaic solar farms and small wind systems, not roof-mounted residential arrays. For solar farms it sets an average array height limit of 12 feet, a 30-foot setback only where abutting residential uses or zones, open fencing up to 8 feet, no screening requirement from public streets, and requires an executed CPS Energy interconnection agreement before occupancy. 55% · third-party code publisher (UDC § 35-398)
• Is there a system-size cap on residential generation? Not capped by the city, but capped by the utility. CPS Energy: 'DG Facilities connected at secondary voltages cannot have a maximum capacity rating that exceeds the size of the transformer serving the secondary. Service upgrades will be designed and installed by CPS Energy at the owner's expense.' Also relevant to residential: energy storage installed as part of a net-metered installation is not permitted to export power to the grid, though it may power essential loads during an outage. Clustering thresholds (30% of minimum circuit peak) can trigger an interconnection study. Systems ≥25 kWac cross into PE-sealed drawings and a longer CPS review. 85% · utility DG manual

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? Licensed electrician — a Texas state-licensed Master Electrician, registered with the City of San Antonio, must be the applicant of record. Office staff may act only as delegates on that licensee's portal account. 95% · department information bulletin
• Must the contractor be registered with this authority before applying? Yes — state-licensed electrical contractors must register with the city before performing any electrical work, and the registration must be current (active insurance and active state licence) at the time of application. 95% · adopting ordinance
• Is a homeowner permitted to self-install and self-permit? No — there is no homeowner self-permit route for the solar/electrical permit. 80% · adopting ordinance

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 plan (existing and proposed structures, setbacks/dimensions to property and internal lot lines; main electrical service wall layout showing existing and proposed equipment; PV equipment — rapid shutdown equipment, conduits and combiner boxes, inverters and disconnects, batteries if applicable, modules/panels, listed mounting system). Roof plan (array layout; roof covering, number of overlays, deck type; rafter/beam sizes, spacing and roof slope; plumbing/mechanical/attic vent terminals; fire-fighter access clearances per IFC 1205.2/1205.3). Array/panel fastening method — manufacturer fastening spec sheets or engineered design, plus method of sealing roof penetrations. Engineering calculations where a threshold is triggered (see q13). Single- or three-line diagram (conductor size and type; voltage and amperage of all circuits; ampacity and type of all overcurrent protection; equipment grounding; AC and DC disconnecting devices). Voltage and ampacity of main service and main service disconnect. Manufacturer specification sheets and listing information for all components. Separately, CPS Energy requires its own package: DER application, one-line diagram, site layout/plan, photos, and equipment specifications. 90% · department information bulletin
• How many copies, and in what format? Electronic only — PDF files uploaded to the BuildSA Plan Room. No paper copies. May be one PDF or multiple PDFs; filenames do not matter; files must not be password-protected. Construction plans are split into sheets and reviewed sheet by sheet, so each construction-plan file needs its sheet number entered. Resubmittals must reuse the original sheet title so the sheet becomes Version 2; uploading a whole replacement file triggers a full re-review. The upload is not received by the city until 'Finish' is clicked. 88% · department permitting guide
• Is a site plan required, and what must it show? Yes. Must show: existing structures on the property and any newly proposed structures, with setback locations and dimensions to property lines and internal lot lines; the main electrical service as a wall layout showing existing equipment (electrical, foreign, etc.) and proposed equipment; and the PV equipment — rapid shutdown equipment (optimizers, micro-inverters, 'birdhouse'), conduits and combiner boxes, inverters and disconnect(s), batteries if applicable, modules/panels, listed mounting system, and any other equipment. CPS Energy additionally requires a detailed site plan showing geographic orientation with the location of existing and proposed service and metering equipment, plus a meter loop drawing (elevation view) showing proposed equipment layout, all drawings to scale. 92% · department information bulletin
• Is a one-line / three-line diagram required? Yes — a single-line diagram for residential (three-line for commercial). Required by both DSD and CPS Energy. 95% · department information bulletin
• Are string and conductor calculations required? Yes in substance, though not phrased as 'calculations'. The one-line must carry conductor size and type, voltage and amperage of all circuits, ampacity and type of all overcurrent protection, equipment grounding, and AC and DC disconnecting devices, plus voltage and ampacity of the main service and main service disconnect. For load-side interconnection CPS requires the main breaker to be used in the bus ampere rating calculation. 78% · department information bulletin
• Is a structural PE stamp required, and at what threshold? Required for single family, R-3, duplex and townhome roof-mounted arrays where ANY of: (i) the array weighs more than 6 lbs per sq ft when installed on roofs with slopes of less than 4:12; (ii) two or more existing applications of any type of roof covering are encountered; or (iii) a new structure such as a trellis, patio cover, canopy, carport or similar intended to support the PV system, which would otherwise be exempt from a building permit. Calculations must be from an engineer licensed in the State of Texas. All commercial buildings require them unconditionally. Separately, a new solar pergola intended to support PV requires engineered foundation and roof-mount plans, and PV added to an existing pergola requires a structural letter verifying the structure can carry the added load. 92% · department information bulletin
• Is an electrical PE stamp required, and at what threshold? Two separate thresholds, both of which can bite on a residential job. CITY (IB 153 / Chapter 10): electrical plans must be sealed by a Texas-licensed PE for installation or alteration of equipment on the customer side of the CPS Energy point of delivery rated over 600 amps at 250 volts or less, over 400 amps at 250 volts or greater, any system above 600 volts, or when otherwise required by the Texas Engineering Practice Act. UTILITY (CPS Energy): sealed and signed Texas PE one-line diagram AND site plan are required for ALL DG designs of 25 kWac and above at any voltage, and for DG of any size within the Downtown Network Area. 88% · utility electric service standards

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? BuildSA Customer Portal (Accela Citizen Access) at https://aca-prod.accela.com/COSA/default.aspx. The PV application sits under the Building module tab, as an MEP Trade Permits Application. Records split in two: an application record (MEP-TRD-APP…) used for uploads, plan review, resubmittals, fee payment and downloading approved stamped plans, and a permit record (MEP-SOL-PMT…) used for scheduling inspections, additional fees, the CPS release workflow and the Letter of Completion. 95% · department information bulletin
• Can the whole application be completed online? Yes — application, document upload, plan-review responses, fee payment, download of approved stamped plans, inspection scheduling and receipt of the Letter of Completion are all online. Approved stamped plans must then be printed and kept on site for inspection. 92% · department permitting guide
• What does a residential solar permit cost? Roughly $63–$100 for a typical residential system. There is no solar line item; the fee is assembled from the electrical schedule: basic electrical inspection permit fee $50.00, plus a 'UPS/generator/distributed generation/storage batteries' item priced by size (1–5 kW $1.60; 5–50 kW $3.25; 51–300 kW $4.85), plus a permit processing fee $10.00, plus any service-rating item if the service is touched (0–200 A $3.25; 201–600 A $6.50), plus a panelboard/loadcenter item $4.85 if an additional panelboard is installed. Inspection scheduling is free online, $3.00 by phone. 60% · adopted fee schedule (Ch. 10 § 10-54)
• How is the fee calculated? Tiered — an itemised schedule: a flat basic permit fee plus per-item charges, with the distributed-generation item banded by kW and the service item banded by amperage. Not valuation-based, not per panel. 80% · adopted fee schedule (Ch. 10 § 10-54)
• Is there a separate plan-check fee? Not as a standing separate charge on a solar permit. The schedule carries 'Electrical plan review only (without building plan number) — $100.00 per hour with a one-hour minimum', which is for standalone review; on a normal PV permit the technical review is part of the permit, but DSD may assess additional fees during technical review and invoice them before permit issuance. 65% · adopted fee schedule (Ch. 10 § 10-54)

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

• What is the stated plan-review turnaround? 3 business days. DSD reviews the application for completeness within three working days and forwards it to technical review; technical review has a stated goal of three working days for initial review. DSD's solar guide tells applicants to 'Expect to receive Issues within three (3) business days'. Total time to permit depends on submittal quality and resubmittal speed. Note the separate utility clock: CPS Energy's initial DER review is stated as 10 business days in IB 153 but as 20–25 working days on CPS Energy's own distributed generation page. 90% · department information bulletin
• How long is an issued permit valid before it expires? 180 days. A permit becomes invalid unless work on the site is commenced within 180 days of issuance, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after commencing. The Building Official may grant one or more written extensions of not more than 180 days each, on written request with justifiable cause. A permit extension fee is charged at 50% of the permit (plus the cost of the permit). 92% · adopting ordinance
• Which utility handles interconnection here? CPS Energy — the City of San Antonio's own municipally owned utility. DG contact: (210) 353-2700, DG@cpsenergy.com; solar applications to cpsesolar@cpsenergy.com; general (210) 353-2641. 95% · utility corporate page
• Where does the utility sit in the sequence? Parallel — IB 153 says it is 'highly recommended that you submit your application and required documentation, as applicable, to both entities simultaneously'. But the dependencies are strict at both ends: CPS Energy's approval of the preconstruction package produces a Construction Letter 'authorizing the commencement of work', so CPS approval must precede construction; and at the far end CPS 'will only schedule a Commissioning Test if the permit is released by DSD'. So: submit in parallel, build after CPS's construction letter, inspect with DSD, then CPS commissions and grants Approval for Operation. 88% · department information bulletin

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

• Which NEC edition is in force? 2023 NEC (NFPA 70, 2023 edition), as amended by Chapter 10 Article VI. Effective 1 May 2025. 88% · adopting ordinance (Ord. 2025-01-30-0075)
• Which building code edition is in force? 2024 International Building Code and 2024 International Residential Code (one- and two-family dwellings), effective 1 May 2025. Also 2024 IEBC, IMC, IPC, IFGC, ISPSC. Energy: 2021 IECC, unchanged and still in effect. 95% · adopting ordinance
• Which fire code edition is in force? 2024 International Fire Code, including Appendices B, C, D, F, I, L and M. Adopted not in Chapter 10 but at City Code Chapter 11 (Fire Prevention), Article III, § 11-32, with local amendments at § 11-40. 95% · adopting ordinance
• Are there local amendments to any of the above? Yes — extensive local amendments to all adopted codes. The solar-relevant ones are: IBC 1604.5.2 (PV panel systems risk categories) amended by striking item 6; NEC Art. 230.82(6) amended to permit solar PV, fuel cell, wind, ESS and interconnected power production sources on the supply side of the service disconnect only with a disconnect listed as suitable for service equipment, with such connections not made within service equipment enclosures; NEC Art. 705.50 amended so microgrid systems may island only during loss of utility power, as a backup source; NEC Art. 706.7(A) amended so ESS commissioning for one- and two-family dwellings SHALL be conducted by CPS Energy (the model code's exclusion of one- and two-family dwellings was struck); NEC Art. 701.4(D)(2) requiring distributed generation transfer schemes to be approved by CPS Energy's Distributed Generation section; IRC R409 Photovoltaic (PV) Capable, requiring reserved electrical service space for a dual-pole breaker labelled 'For Future Solar Electric'; IFC 105.6.21 (solar photovoltaic power system construction permit) and 105.6.6 (energy storage systems) REPEALED; IFC 1107.1 amended so the lithium-ion ESS hazard-analysis duty begins 1 January 2026 and expressly excepts detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses. 95% · adopting ordinance
• What is the installation judged against? The 2023 NEC as amended by Chapter 10 Article VI (§§ 10-51 to 10-53), plus the 2024 IRC/IBC for structural and fire-classification aspects and the 2024 IFC (Ch. 11 § 11-40) for access pathways; and, in parallel and enforced by the utility rather than the city, CPS Energy's Electric Service Standards Section 2000 and the CPS Energy DG Manual. Roof-mounted PV panels or modules must have the same fire classification as the roof assembly per the IRC/IBC. 88% · department information bulletin + 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? The unamended 2024 IFC applies. Drawings must 'Show measurements for clearance for fire fighter access as required by the International Fire Code Section 1205.2 and 1205.3'. Residential (single family, duplex, townhomes) and commercial with sloped roofs greater than 2:12 follow IFC § 1205.2; commercial flat roofs or roofs at or below 2:12 follow the other track. In both cases solar arrays shall not be greater than 150 feet on any one side — larger dimensions create multiple arrays with further access pathways between them. Ground-mounted PV arrays are not subject to setback requirements but shall maintain a clear brush-free area of 10 feet. 85% · department information bulletin + adopting ordinance

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 (Art. 690.12), which is the edition adopted by the city effective 1 May 2025. Rapid shutdown equipment (optimizers, micro-inverters, 'birdhouse') must be shown on the submitted site plan, and all protective devices including rapid-shutdown equipment must be shown with size, rating, manufacturer, type, style, model and settings on the CPS submittal. CPS Energy adds: 'Rapid shutdown shall be required in accordance with the NEC and shall be included in the design with proper labeling'; SolarEdge inverter installations may use the PV DC disconnect as the rapid shutdown switch and micro-inverter installations may use the PV AC disconnect, with rapid-shutdown labelling per Figure 2000.6 required on both; and rapid shutdown is NOT required at all for ground-mounted array systems provided the DC conductors do not route inside the building. 85% · utility electric service standards

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 placard set is specified by CPS Energy, not by DSD, at Electric Service Standards Figure 2000.6 'Labeling requirements for typical photovoltaic (PV) systems'. Required labels: PV SYSTEM DC DISCONNECT (with maximum voltage, maximum circuit current, and maximum rated output current of the charge controller or DC-to-DC converter if installed); PV SYSTEM AC DISCONNECT (with rated AC output current and nominal operating AC voltage); PV METER at the PV meter socket and REVENUE METER at the CPS Energy revenue meter socket (required on both where the meters have been approved to be remote from one another); customer service panel directory/plaque per NEC 705.10; rapid shutdown placards — a different one for systems that shut down the array and the conductors leaving the array versus systems that only shut down conductors within 10 ft of leaving the array; RAPID SHUTDOWN SWITCH FOR SOLAR PV SYSTEM on the inverter DC disconnect switch where that switch shuts down the array and conductors leaving it; 'WARNING: INVERTER OUTPUT CONNECTION — DO NOT RELOCATE THIS OVERCURRENT DEVICE'; 'WARNING: PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE' on raceways/enclosures containing DC conductors; and 'PV/AC AGGREGATE PANEL: DO NOT REMOVE, ADD OR RELOCATE ANY CIRCUITS FROM THIS PANEL'. The figure states it 'is not intended to include all labeling which may be required by the NEC and AHJ'. 82% · utility electric service standards, Figure 2000.6
• Does the authority specify placard wording of its own? Yes, but the wording comes from the municipally owned utility, not from DSD. CPS Energy Figure 2000.6 prescribes actual label text — e.g. 'WARNING: INVERTER OUTPUT CONNECTION / DO NOT RELOCATE THIS OVERCURRENT DEVICE', 'WARNING: PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE', 'PV/AC AGGREGATE PANEL: DO NOT REMOVE, ADD OR RELOCATE ANY CIRCUITS FROM THIS PANEL', 'RAPID SHUTDOWN SWITCH FOR SOLAR PV SYSTEM', 'PV SYSTEM DC DISCONNECT', 'PV SYSTEM AC DISCONNECT', 'PV METER', 'REVENUE METER'. DSD's Chapter 10 imposes only generic electrical marking (§ 10-53(b): disconnecting means legibly and durably marked to indicate purpose; electrical room doors marked ELECTRICAL ROOM or similar approved wording) and no PV-specific wording of its own. 82% · utility electric service standards, Figure 2000.6
• Does it specify letter height, colour or material? No independent letter height, colour or material specification. CPS Energy Figure 2000.6 Note 1 instead defers to the NEC: 'LABELING SHALL BE PERMANENTLY AFFIXED AND SUITABLE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH 2017 NEC, ARTICLE 110.21(B).' So the governing requirements are permanence, environmental suitability, and NEC 110.21(B) — read at the 2023 edition now in force in the city. Neither DSD nor CPS specifies a millimetre letter height, a colour, or a substrate. 85% · utility electric service standards, Figure 2000.6 Note 1
• Is a site plan / facility map placard required, and what must it show? Yes — a customer service panel directory/plaque per NEC 705.10. CPS Figure 2000.6 requires it 'PLACED ON SERVICE PANEL AND ON SYSTEM DISCONNECTS FOR OTHER ELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTION SOURCES WHEN NOT GROUPED'. Chapter 10 § 10-53 and CPS ESS § 407.3 add the general parallel rule that where a building is supplied by more than one service, a permanent plaque or directory must be installed at each service disconnect location denoting all other services. Neither document prescribes the plaque's graphical content beyond the NEC 705.10 reference. 82% · utility electric service standards, Figure 2000.6
• Does the UTILITY specify placards beyond the AHJ's? Yes — and this is where the placard requirements actually live for San Antonio. CPS Energy ESS § 2005(G): 'Customer shall be responsible for all labeling of DG Facilities equipment as outlined in Figure 2000.6. Such labeling shall be in place at time of commissioning.' The full set is at q38. Note that the CPS DG Manual — the document an installer would most naturally reach for — contains NO labelling requirements at all; the placards are in the separate Electric Service Standards. 85% · utility electric service standards § 2005(G)
• Where must the labels be placed? Per CPS Figure 2000.6 and the Figure 2000.2/2000.3 notes: on the PV DC disconnect; on the PV AC disconnect; on the PV meter socket and on the CPS Energy revenue meter socket (the meter placards required on BOTH sockets where the meters are approved to be remote from one another); on the customer service panel (the 705.10 directory/plaque), and on system disconnects for other electric power production sources when not grouped; on the service panel for the rapid shutdown placard; on the inverter DC disconnect switch for the rapid shutdown switch label; on the overcurrent device for the inverter output connection warning; on raceways and enclosures containing DC conductors for the 'WARNING: PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE' label; on the PV/AC aggregate panel; and on PV AC conductors run in attic spaces, whose raceways must carry labels denoting PV AC conductors. All labelling must be in place at the time of CPS commissioning. 85% · utility electric service standards, Figure 2000.6

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? Immediately adjacent to the meter. CPS Energy ESS § 409: 'On all Distributed Generation (DG) Systems, a meter disconnect switch shall be installed ahead of CPS Energy's kWh meter to isolate it from the DG power source. The meter disconnect switch shall be located immediately adjacent to the meter.' ESS § 2005(F): the PV AC meter disconnect is furnished and installed by the customer on the load side of the inverters and before CPS Energy PV system metering equipment, 'shall be located immediately adjacent to the PV system metering equipment and shall be readily accessible and capable of being locked in the open position'. Figure 2000.3 Note 4: 'THE PV AC DISCONNECT AND PV METER SHALL BE LOCATED IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE REVENUE METER.' Figure 2000.6 Note 2: the PV meter shall be located adjacent to the revenue meter unless pre-approved by CPS Energy to be located remotely due to special circumstances; where the interconnection is made remote from the PV meter, an additional disconnect to isolate the PV meter is required. The DG Manual § 4.7 adds that the owner pays the full cost of a visible load-break disconnect switch 'by and to the sole specification of CPS Energy', readily accessible to CPS Energy personnel and 'of a type that can be secured in an open position by a CPS Energy padlock'. 90% · utility electric service standards §§ 409 and 2005(F)
• Must equipment be on a specific approved list? Yes, at utility level. CPS DG Manual § 7.1.3: for DG systems up to 50 kWac, certified equipment and equipment listed with an approved test label may be installed 'without further review of the DG Owner's design by CPS Energy', and for the list of certified equipment CPS points to the California Energy Commission solar equipment lists at https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/solar-equipment-lists. Where the owner is exporting using certified equipment, the protective settings and operations shall be those specified by CPS Energy. City side, IB 153 requires manufacturer specification sheets and listing information for all components, and a listed mounting system and listed battery racking, but names no list. 80% · utility DG manual
• Are batteries permitted, and under what conditions? Yes, permitted. Conditions: batteries must be installed in a listed racking system and located in areas provided with ventilation in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions (IB 153), and batteries must be shown on the submitted site plan. The IFC lithium-ion ESS hazard-analysis duty (§ 1107.1 as amended, operative from 1 January 2026) expressly excepts detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses. Commissioning is the notable local twist: Chapter 10 amends NEC Art. 706.7(A) so that 'Commissioning for one-and-two family dwellings shall be conducted by CPS Energy' — the model code's exclusion of one- and two-family dwellings was deliberately struck. Storage installed as part of a net-metered installation may not export to the grid but may power essential loads during loss of power. CPS Energy's DG Manual is explicitly still being revised for Battery Energy Storage Systems and directs applicants to contact CPS directly (DG@cpsenergy.com, 210-353-2700) for BESS interconnection in the interim. 85% · department information bulletin + adopting ordinance + utility DG manual
• Is there a separate ESS permit or inspection? No separate city permit. The IFC construction permit for energy storage systems (§ 105.6.6) was repealed by the city's fire code amendments, as was the IFC solar photovoltaic power system permit (§ 105.6.21) — so neither triggers a separate fire construction permit; the ESS is covered by the electrical/solar trade permit. There IS a separate utility step: under the amended NEC Art. 706.7(A), ESS commissioning for one- and two-family dwellings shall be conducted by CPS Energy. 80% · adopting ordinance
• Is a ground mount treated as a structure? Yes for structural purposes. IBC § 1604.5.2 as locally amended assigns risk categories to PV panel systems and elevated PV support structures, with ground-mounted PV panel systems serving only Group R-3 buildings assigned to Risk Category I and other ground-mounted systems to Risk Category II. For fire access, ground-mounted PV arrays are not subject to setback requirements but shall maintain a clear brush-free area of 10 feet. A new structure such as a trellis, patio cover, canopy or carport intended to support PV — which would otherwise be exempt from a building permit — triggers Texas PE engineering calculations. 72% · adopting ordinance + department information bulletin
• Is there a local rule on service upgrades or busbar sizing? Yes, and it is at utility level. CPS Energy ESS § 2005(H): load-side interconnections shall be made on the load side of the customer's main service panel; 'A main breaker is required and shall be used in the bus ampere rating calculation to ensure the bus rating is not exceeded'; and 'Interconnections for residential installations shall be made at exterior panels'. Line-side interconnections shall be made in a junction box or auxiliary gutter ahead of the service disconnecting means, the junction box provided with locking provisions and not less than 12 in x 12 in; conductors from that junction box to the PV AC disconnect are treated as service-entrance conductors and 'in no case shall the distance exceed 10 feet'. Raceways containing inverter output conductors must be EMT for all above-ground portions and must not contain conduit bodies (LBs) or junction boxes unless specifically approved by CPS Energy; underground may be PVC, with Schedule 80 permitted above ground if securely supported and not extending more than 4 feet. Where the point of interconnection is ahead of the service equipment it must be after the CPS revenue meter and pre-approved. PV DC conductors in attic spaces must be in approved metal raceways/conduits; PV AC conductors in attics must be in approved raceways with labels denoting PV AC conductors. City side: Chapter 10's NEC 230.82(6) amendment governs supply-side connections. 88% · utility electric service standards
• Is a specific mounting system or attachment spacing required? No prescribed proprietary system or fixed attachment spacing. What is required: a 'Listed Mounting System' shown on the site plan; a 'Listed and labeled, Array/Panel fastening method'; and either fastening specification sheets from the manufacturer or an engineered design for anchorage and support of the array panels to the roof structure; plus the method of sealing roof penetrations. Batteries must be installed in a listed racking system. 88% · department information bulletin

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 — online through BuildSA, on the PERMIT record (not the application record): open the permit record, Record Info tab, Inspections, choose the inspection, Actions, Schedule, then choose the date and the time. Phone is available as a paid fallback: DSD customer service on (210) 207-1111, M-F 7:45am–4:30pm. The fee schedule prices this explicitly — 'Inspection schedule fee (free on-line) $3.00'. 92% · department information bulletin + fee schedule
• Are same-day or AM/PM windows offered? The portal presents a date and then a time to select for the chosen inspection, and the request can carry a contact for the inspection and notes for the inspector; bookings can be rescheduled or cancelled from the Actions drop-down. 62% · department permitting guide

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 — DSD performs its own inspections. Note the statutory alternative: since 1 September 2025, under TX SB 1202 (89th Leg.) an applicant may instead have a third-party electrical inspector or licensed master electrician conduct the inspection without requesting it from the city, in which case the city must issue the approval/permit/certification within three business days of notice and may not charge an additional fee for it. 88% · department information bulletin + state statute
• If delegated, to whom? Not delegated by the city. Where the applicant elects the statutory route, the inspection is performed by an electrical inspector as defined in Occupations Code § 1305.002, or a master electrician described by § 1305.153 licensed under Subchapter D of Chapter 1305. The reviewer/inspector must give the city a copy of any inspection note or report and notify the city of the result within 15 days of completing it, and is personally liable for damages from negligent acts or omissions; the city is not liable for a review or inspection so conducted. This does not displace CPS Energy's own commissioning. 70% · state statute (enrolled bill)

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? Rough-in and final, and for residential PV they are typically called at the same time: 'After the installation is completed, the contractor must request inspections with DSD. Typically, the rough-in and final are called at the same time. For commercial there may be a separate Work with CPS inspection.' After all inspections are approved, DSD issues the release to CPS Energy and a Letter of Completion. CPS Energy then performs its own commissioning test and, if satisfied, both parties sign the 'Approval for Operation' (Certificate of Completion) document authorising parallel operation. A solar permit does not directly hold up a Certificate of Occupancy, although it may hold up an Electrical Final. 85% · department information bulletin
• Is a rough-in or mid-roof inspection required? Yes — a rough-in inspection exists, but in practice it is called together with the final on residential PV rather than as a separate earlier visit. No mid-roof inspection is mentioned. 82% · department information bulletin

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.

• What must be on site at inspection? The approved city-stamped PDF drawings, downloaded from the Plan Room on the application record and printed — IB 153: the applicant 'may download the approved stamped PDF file drawings in the Plan Room from the application record, to be printed out and made available on the site for inspections.' Also the permit itself: Chapter 10 § 10-6(r) 'The building permit or copy shall be kept on the site of the work until the completion of the project.' For solar pergolas, an engineer's foundation and frame letter is additionally required. 85% · department information bulletin + adopting ordinance

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? Letter — a Letter of Completion (LOC), issued once all inspections are approved, emailed with the LOC attached to all contacts on the permit. Not a CO: DSD states 'A solar permit does not directly hold up a Certificate of Occupancy, although it may hold up an Electrical Final.' The separate final artefact on the utility side is CPS Energy's 'Approval for Operation' / Certificate of Completion, signed and dated by both the DG owner and a CPS Energy representative. 92% · department permitting guide
• Who notifies the utility for PTO? AHJ — the city notifies the utility. IB 153: 'After a successful inspection, DSD will notify CPS Energy that the equipment is ready for a Commissioning Test and the installation of a meter.' DSD's solar guide describes 'Solar – Photovoltaic' as one of its CPS release types: 'The release occurs once all inspections and criteria are met for the project. Email sent to customer and notification sent to CPS. CPS reviews work order sent by COSA.' CPS then commissions and issues the Approval for Operation. The installer's residual duty is to coordinate with CPS after the DSD release; the customer must hold a CPS Energy electric service account number for the specified address. 90% · department information bulletin
• Is there a re-inspection fee? $51.50 re-inspection fee (electrical). Related: after-hour inspection fee $100.00 per hour with a one-hour minimum; inspection for which no fee is specifically indicated $100.00 per hour with a one-hour minimum; permit amendment fee $10.00; open permit review fee $3.00 per permit; permit refund fee $50.00. 90% · adopted fee schedule (Ch. 10 § 10-54)
• How are corrections issued and cleared? For PLAN REVIEW corrections the process is published and specific: results are emailed and posted to the BuildSA Plan Room; corrections are raised as 'Issues', some attached to a specific sheet with markups; the applicant must open and respond to every Issue and save it (status becomes 'answered'), then upload revised PDF sheets under a new review package (e.g. 'Electrical Cycle 2'); a revised sheet must keep the same title as the original so it becomes Version 2, and uploading a whole replacement file causes the city to review the entire project again. Any revised file or sheet must contain all the information supplied in the original plus indications of corrections made. 72% · department information bulletin + permitting guide