Solar PV & Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

To schedule an appointment at City Hall, view the link below:


SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT


Solar Photovoltaic Systems (PV)

Roof Mounted Solar PV (RES-PV) systems (10kW AC or less) for single family and duplex homes qualify for streamlined permitting offering the use of standard plans and over the counter approval if all requirements are met. All applications for residential solar systems (RES-PV) require the following:

  • Building Permit Application (PDF)
  • Solar Expedited Eligibility Checklist (PDF)
  • (2) complete sets of 11" x 17" plans, stapled
  • (2) sets of structural calculations
  • (2) sets of manufacturer's specifications for all components being installed
  • Signed contract or letter of intent between the solar company/homeowner (copy or PDF)
  • SDGE Work Order (Required for Main Panel Upgrade)
  • Electrical Load Calculation Form (PDF) (Required for ALL installations)
  • (2) Copies of Clear photographs required of existing main service panel and subpanels showing ALL circuit breakers/loads and panel board/bus ratings 


Renewable Meter Adapter (RMA) installs must be approved by SDG&E, have a separate General Electrical Contractor, and any and all grounding work not performed by SDG&E including but not limited to the RMA disconnect will be performed by the Solar Contractor.

Ground Mounted, Multi-Family, and Commercial Solar PV systems must be submitted for plan check.

Plan Review Time Frames

Small residential rooftop solar PV permits under 10kW that meet all of the solar eligibility checklist requirements are processed and approved over-the-counter the same day or within 3 business days. Application and associated documents must be submitted electronically via the city appointment scheduling system for expedited approval. Two hard copy sets of 11x17 plans along with two copies of all associated documents must be provided on the day of your appointment for building permit issuance. Access the online portal to schedule an appointment for over-the-counter expedited solar review at City Hall.

All other solar reviews that do not meet the expedited solar eligibility checklist requirements, including non-residential, will be reviewed within (2) working weeks. Please click here to schedule an appointment to submit plans at City Hall for all other solar reviews.

Resubmittals and revisions will have a target review time of (5-7) business days.

Permit Fees

Solar permits are no-fee permits, however, any revisions to approved solar plans will be processed with the applicable revision fees associated with the review.

Solar permits that include main panel upgrades, battery back-up systems or other additional electrical equipment will be charged fees associated with those components.

Ground mounted solar permits or solar carports will be charged fees associated with the construction and installation of the racking system.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS)

There are two types of Electric Vehicle chargers - Level 1 and Level 2. An electrical permit may be required to install an Electrical Vehicle Charging Station. Please see Level 1 and Level 2 for descriptions.

Level 1

Level 1 chargers are smaller units that plug directly into a standard 120-volt receptacle outlet. These types of chargers do not require a permit from the Building Division as long as there are no changes to the electrical system to provide the 120-volt receptacle. Any changes to an electrical system require a permit prior to commencing the work.

Level 2

Level 2 charging systems require a 240-volt electrical circuit. Level 2 charger installations typically require an electrical permit and inspections of the installation. In order to obtain the permit, you will need to provide some basic information demonstrating electrical service capacity for the added load.

Over the Counter / Online

For a Single Family Residential application, an Electrical Permit is required to install an Electrical Vehicle Charging Station (EVCS) onsite or in an attached or detached garage. Technical review will be limited to health and safety issues.

Schedule an appointment for Over the Counter review. Alternatively, customers may submit their applications electronically to the Building Division.

Conformance is required with the eligibility checklist for expedited permitting. Complete and submit the following documents for expedited review.

Submittal Requirements

For Multi-Unit Residential, Commercial, and Larger Scale projects a combination Building/ Electrical Permit is required to install an Electrical Vehicle Charging Station (EVCS). Technical review will be limited to health and safety issues and accessibility as required. Below are the minimum requirements to submit for these project types:

Please open the following PDFs in Chrome or Microsoft Edge in order to enable all form functions:

  1. Complete a Building Permit Application (PDF). Only complete the items that apply to your project on the application. This includes job site address, owners name, contractor, architect, or engineer, etc. Note: All applications must include the following additional information noted below and may be amended by the Eligibility Checklist requirements found in item (3).
  2. Provide a site plan that is drawn to scale and with full dimensions and the following information:
    • Location and size and use of all structures on site
    • Location and size of the electrical panel for the charging system
    • The type of charging system and mounting required for the unit
    • Indicate if mechanical, or non-mechanical ventilation is required and where it would be installed as part of the permit
    • Electrical load calculation worksheet
    • Any additional information required from the checklist(s) below in item (3) should also be included
  3. Project conformance with the eligibility checklist for expedited permitting:

These checklists have been developed to help streamline the permit, installation, and inspection process. As you complete the applicable checklist, you will be guided as to what plans, documents, or information are necessary for submission.

To schedule an appointment for non-residential or multi-family installation of electric vehicle charging stations, please access the online scheduling portal.