California / Local permit guide
Auburn Solar Permit Guide
Your local requirements. The official sources. A clearer next step.
- Permit authority
- City of Auburn Building DivisionSource linked
- Electric utility
- Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)Source linked
- Local pathway
- Symbium automated permitting platform (SB 379 compliant), submitted via Civic AccessProject-specific eligibility conditions apply.
- Review time
- Same-day review for eligible expedited-permit projectsNo verified standard-path permit timeline is available.See source scope and conditions below.
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Your permit path,
at a glance.
This shows what GridPermit has verified for Auburn. It does not show the status of a specific project.
01 / Know your path
Two approvals.
One project.
A local permit and utility permission to operate are different approvals. Check the local sequence and requirements below.
How to read this guide
GridPermit collects California 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
Same-day review for eligible expedited-permit projects
No verified standard-path permit timeline is available.
The City's own page is titled 'Instructions to Apply for an Instant Solar Permit Through Symbium' and states SB 379 was passed 'to establish instantaneous plan review practices,' with the City's Symbium partnership providing 'instantaneous plan review approval.'
Sources & confidence
Battery/solar incentive program on record
California SGIP - current category and budget check required
New applications and waitlist applications for ratepayer-funded SGIP budgets closed on December 30, 2025. New AB 209 applications have a June 30, 2028 deadline. The 2026 SGIP rate table publishes $3.10/W for solar and $1.10/Wh for storage in applicable Residential Solar and Storage Equity categories. Household eligibility and live budget availability vary by category and program administrator; check the official Program Metrics tracker before relying on an incentive.
Status on file: unknown. Verify current status before relying on this.
Sources & confidence
02 / Prepare your application
What you need.
Sources & confidence
Permit fees
- Residential Solar Photovoltaic System - Solar Permit (15kW or less): $347 (flat fee per permit)
Per the City's own Adopted Fee Schedule, effective July 1, 2026.
- Residential Solar Photovoltaic System - Solar Permit (above 15kW): $450 (base fee plus $15 per kW for each kW above 15kW)
Per the City's own Adopted Fee Schedule, effective July 1, 2026.
- Battery Backup Storage - Residential: $174 (flat fee per permit)
Per the City's own Adopted Fee Schedule, effective July 1, 2026.
Sources & confidence
Rebates on record
Rebates on record
Not yet verified.
Utility and generation supplier
Utility
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
Auburn is a well-documented Placer County city within PG&E's core Northern California service territory, consistent with the already-established pattern for neighboring Rocklin in this dataset.
Sources & confidence
Generation supplier
Not yet verified.
Interconnection
https://www.pge.com/en/save-energy-and-money/rebates-and-incentives/nem.html
PG&E's own utility-wide Net Energy Metering (NEM) program page.
Inspection steps
- Call 530-823-4211 x389 to schedule an inspection, before 4:00pm the business day prior (Monday inspections must be requested by 4:00pm Thursday)
- Inspections can also be scheduled online through the Civic Access portal
- Inspections are conducted Monday-Thursday (none on Friday), in a morning (9am-noon) or afternoon (1pm-4pm) window
This is the City's general Building Division inspection scheduling process (the same page covers all building permit types, including solar); the City does not publish a separate, solar-specific inspection sequence.
Sources & confidence
Eligibility constraints
- Property types: residential
- Max system size (AC): Not yet verified.
- Max system size (DC): Not yet verified.
- Max thermal capacity: Not yet verified.
- Program/pathway: Symbium automated permitting platform (SB 379 compliant), submitted via Civic Access
- Other conditions:
- Applicant must verify the project address is within Auburn city limits
- Two-step process: complete application and pay fees in Symbium, then upload documentation and submit permit in Civic Access
Sources & confidence
Official contacts
Official contacts
- City of Auburn Building Division, phone: 530-823-4211, official website
Need a solar installer who handles permits in Auburn?
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 links to EnergySage as an independent third-party resource. This link is not currently tracked for compensation.
Official sources
Official sources
- Symbium Permits, City of Auburn (government). Accessed 2026-08-09.
- Net Energy Metering (NEM), Pacific Gas & Electric (utility). Accessed 2026-08-09.
- About, Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) (cpuc). Accessed 2026-08-09.
- Building Inspections, City of Auburn (government). Accessed 2026-08-10.
- Auburn - Adopted Fee Schedule - FY 26/27, City of Auburn (government). Accessed 2026-08-10.
- 2026 Self-Generation Incentive Program Handbook, Self-Generation Incentive Program Program Administrators (program_administrator). Accessed 2026-08-26.
- SGIP Program Metrics and Incentive Step Tracker, Self-Generation Incentive Program Program Administrators (program_administrator). Accessed 2026-08-26.
Frequently Asked Questions
What utility serves solar customers in Auburn, California?
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is the interconnection and distribution utility for Auburn.
How long does an expedited-eligible residential solar permit take in Auburn?
The City's own page is titled 'Instructions to Apply for an Instant Solar Permit Through Symbium' and states SB 379 was passed 'to establish instantaneous plan review practices,' with the City's Symbium partnership providing 'instantaneous plan review approval.' No verified standard-path permit timeline is available.
What documents are required for a solar permit in Auburn?
Commonly required documents include: Line drawing and solar/equipment layout; PV attachment layout; Racking and roof sealant specification sheets; Equipment specification sheets with UL listing information; Placards; Symbium inspection checklist and approval document.
Who do I contact about solar permits in Auburn?
City of Auburn Building Division, phone 530-823-4211.
Related cities
Related cities
Other verified cities related to Auburn. See all cities on the California solar permit guide index.
- Lincoln, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
- Roseville, Roseville Electric Utility
- Albany, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
- American Canyon, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
- Antioch, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
- Arroyo Grande, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)