Birmingham Solar Permit Guide
Alabama Power Company territory · Jefferson County
Overview
GridPermit collects Alabama residential solar and permitting facts directly from official sources (city, county, and state government sites, utilities, and public utilities commissions) and shows only what we can verify, with a confidence score and a link to where it came from. Nothing here is estimated or inferred beyond what's stated below. See our methodology for the rules this page follows.
Permit timeline
3–10 days
Per the City of Birmingham's own building permit brochure: the review period is 3 working days or less for single-family residences (10 working days or less for commercial projects). This covers only the City permit review. Alabama Power's own Southern Company interconnection policy states the DER Owner is granted one 7-day period for Initial Synchronization once pre-conditions are met, but does not publish an overall application-to-approval turnaround specific to small residential rooftop solar.
Battery/solar incentive program on record
No battery/storage incentive program is on record for this locality.
Permit fees
- City of Birmingham building permit fee: amount not verified ($9.50 per $1,000 of total construction cost ($1.00 per $1,000 additional State of Alabama surcharge on commercial permits); $125.00 minimum fee)
Per the City's own Building Permit brochure. Valuation is based on the latest International Code Council valuation tables for new structures, or the contract value, whichever is higher.
Rebates
Not yet verified.
Utility and generation supplier
Utility
Alabama Power Company
Generation supplier
Alabama Power Company (utility)
Alabama Power is a Southern Company operating subsidiary and is recorded as both the distribution and generation utility.
Interconnection
https://www.alabamapower.com/company/clean-energy/solar-energy.html
Alabama Power's own page confirms the interconnection application is submitted via PowerClerk, and that customers selling excess power select either Rate PAE (systems under 100kW) or Rate CPE (systems 100kW or larger). The page also references a mandatory Rate Rider RGB for interconnected customers but does not itself disclose specific dollar charges.
Required documents
- City of Birmingham building permit application, plus two sets of plans (site plan, floor plan, typical wall section, foundation plan, framing plan) for single-family residential work (required when: for any work not exempted (painting, papering, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, similar finish work, and non-decking roof shingle replacement are exempt))
- Southern Company DER Interconnection Request (Application) form and Technical Data form, submitted via the PowerClerk portal (required when: always, before purchasing or installing panels)
- DER site plan showing the proposed point of interconnection, DER one-line electrical diagram, and DER relay and metering one-line (required when: always, as Application supporting documents)
- Proof of DER site control (property tax bill, lease agreement, or other legally binding document) (required when: always)
Inspection steps
- The DER must be inspected by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) before initial synchronization; if no AHJ exists for the DER location, inspection must instead be performed by a qualified licensed electrician, registered Professional Engineer, or other person deemed qualified by the Company
- Following successful DER Witness Testing, Alabama Power issues final written permission for DER Parallel Operation
- City of Birmingham inspections follow the adopted codes (2015 International Building Code family; the 2014 National Electric Code applies to electrical work, with no plan review required for electrical permits specifically)
Eligibility constraints
- Property types: residential
- Max system size (AC): 100 kW
- Max system size (DC): Not yet verified.
- Max thermal capacity: Not yet verified.
- Program/pathway: Rate PAE (Purchase of Alternate Energy) — for customers with a generating facility of no more than 100kW nameplate capacity seeking a permanent electrical connection to sell alternate energy to Alabama Power; systems 100kW or larger instead fall under the separate Rate CPE (Contract for Purchased Energy).
- Other conditions:
- To be eligible for Rate PAE, the customer must receive electric service under a rate presently on file with the Alabama Public Service Commission and available to new accounts.
- Rate Rider RGB (a mandatory rider for customers operating their own generation, covering supplementary, backup, and maintenance power) applies to interconnected customers, per Alabama Power's own solar page.
- A monthly capacity reservation charge and a below-retail excess-generation credit rate are widely reported by third-party sources for Rate PAE customers, but the exact current dollar figures were not independently confirmed from a primary Alabama Power tariff document this session — the actual Rate PAE tariff PDF returned a 404 error, and an alternate copy obtained from a third-party host could not be extracted as readable text.
Official contacts
- City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits (PEP), phone: 205-254-2211, official website
- Alabama Power renewable generation support, email: g2apcrenewables@southernco.com, official website
Need a solar installer who handles permits in Birmingham?
EnergySage is an independent solar marketplace where you can request property-specific pricing from installers familiar with local permitting.
Compare quotes from solar installers →You'll continue on EnergySage's website. GridPermit has a partner relationship with EnergySage; this link is not currently tracked, and whether the partnership results in compensation to GridPermit has not yet been confirmed.
Sources
- City of Birmingham One Stop Permitting — Building Permit, City of Birmingham, AL (government). Accessed 2026-08-14.
- Solar Power: A Renewable Energy Source, Alabama Power Company (utility). Accessed 2026-08-14.
- Operation of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) in Parallel with the Distribution System Policy (effective June 15, 2021), Southern Company (Alabama Power Company, Georgia Power Company, Mississippi Power Company) (utility). Accessed 2026-08-14.
Frequently Asked Questions
What utility serves solar customers in Birmingham, Alabama?
Alabama Power Company is the interconnection and distribution utility for Birmingham. The default electricity generation supplier is Alabama Power Company, a utility, separate from Alabama Power Company.
How long does a residential solar permit take in Birmingham?
Per the City of Birmingham's own building permit brochure: the review period is 3 working days or less for single-family residences (10 working days or less for commercial projects). This covers only the City permit review. Alabama Power's own Southern Company interconnection policy states the DER Owner is granted one 7-day period for Initial Synchronization once pre-conditions are met, but does not publish an overall application-to-approval turnaround specific to small residential rooftop solar.
What documents are required for a solar permit in Birmingham?
Commonly required documents include: City of Birmingham building permit application, plus two sets of plans (site plan, floor plan, typical wall section, foundation plan, framing plan) for single-family residential work; Southern Company DER Interconnection Request (Application) form and Technical Data form, submitted via the PowerClerk portal; DER site plan showing the proposed point of interconnection, DER one-line electrical diagram, and DER relay and metering one-line; Proof of DER site control (property tax bill, lease agreement, or other legally binding document).
Who do I contact about solar permits in Birmingham?
City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits (PEP), phone 205-254-2211.