California / Local permit guide
Burbank Solar Permit Guide
Your local requirements. The official sources. A clearer next step.
- Permit authority
- City of Burbank Building & Safety DivisionSource linked
- Electric utility
- Burbank Water and Power (BWP)Source linked
- Local pathway
- Instant Residential Solar Permits web portal (residential) / Tier 2 permit with ProjectDox plan check (commercial)Project-specific eligibility conditions apply.
- Review time
- Not yet verified.
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Your permit path,
at a glance.
This shows what GridPermit has verified for Burbank. 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.
Battery/solar incentive program on record
Battery Storage Program
BWP's own battery storage rebate for residential and commercial customers installing a new battery system paired with new or existing solar. One-time rebate of $275 per kWh of installed battery capacity, up to 100 kWh ($27,500 maximum), not to exceed the total installed cost; customers not eligible for the federal tax incentive may receive $530 per kWh up to the same 100 kWh limit. Battery must have a minimum capacity of 5 kWh, be permanently installed (portable systems ineligible), and be programmed to discharge at least 80% of its capacity daily during BWP's peak period (4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.). An early termination fee applies if a functioning battery is removed before the end of year ten.
Status on file: active. Verify current status before relying on this.
Sources & confidence
02 / Prepare your application
What you need.
Sources & confidence
Permit fees
Not yet verified.
Rebates on record
Rebates on record
Not yet verified.
Utility and generation supplier
Utility
Burbank Water and Power (BWP)
Burbank Water and Power is the City of Burbank's own municipal electric utility. Burbank is notably absent from SCE's own 'Incorporated Cities and Counties Served by SCE' fact sheet (which lists many neighboring LA County cities but not Burbank), consistent with Burbank having its own municipal utility rather than SCE service.
Sources & confidence
Generation supplier
Burbank Water and Power (BWP) (utility)
BWP is a vertically-integrated municipal utility (like LADWP, Pasadena Water and Power, and Glendale Water and Power) — it generates/procures and delivers its own power rather than sitting alongside a separate CCA. Some supporting official material could not be independently confirmed from the full source in GridPermit's latest review. Verify the current requirement with the authority before relying on it.
Sources & confidence
Interconnection
https://www.burbankwaterandpower.com/solar-net-billing
Burbank's own Solar Net Billing program, which replaced its prior Net Energy Metering program for all new permit applications starting January 1, 2026 — a genuinely distinctive municipal-utility policy shift (removed annual usage-based size caps, raised the maximum system size to 5 MW, and compensates excess generation at BWP's avoided cost of energy). Systems permitted before January 1, 2026 remain grandfathered under the prior NEM rate structure.
Inspection steps
- Schedule inspections through the Burbank Online Permits portal at least one day in advance
- Once the final permit is issued, BWP installs the performance meter, conducts safety tests, and connects the system to the grid
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: Instant Residential Solar Permits web portal (residential) / Tier 2 permit with ProjectDox plan check (commercial)
- Other conditions:
- Performance meters are required for properties with solar, with exceptions for certain systems with battery storage
- As of the Solar Net Billing program (effective January 1, 2026), annual energy usage-based size caps were removed and the maximum system size was raised to 5 megawatts
Sources & confidence
Official contacts
Official contacts
- City of Burbank Building Inspections, phone: (818) 238-5220, email: building@burbankca.gov, official website
- BWP Service Planning (residential interconnection), email: ERES@burbankca.gov, official website
- BWP Service Planning (commercial interconnection), email: ECOM@burbankca.gov, official website
Need a solar installer who handles permits in Burbank?
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
- Solar Net Billing, Burbank Water and Power (utility). Accessed 2026-08-06.
- Solar Installer Instructions, Burbank Water and Power (utility). Accessed 2026-08-06.
- Battery Storage Program, Burbank Water and Power (utility). Accessed 2026-08-09.
Frequently Asked Questions
What utility serves solar customers in Burbank, California?
Burbank Water and Power (BWP) is the interconnection and distribution utility for Burbank. The same utility is also listed as the default electricity generation supplier.
What documents are required for a solar permit in Burbank?
Commonly required documents include: Confirmation of Electric Service (downloaded instructions, submitted with full plans to Building & Safety); Interconnection and Metering Agreement (completed and emailed to ERES@burbankca.gov for residential, ECOM@burbankca.gov for commercial); Performance meter compliance (meter collars prohibited; multi-family buildings must follow Drawing S-825A labeling specifications).
Who do I contact about solar permits in Burbank?
City of Burbank Building Inspections, phone (818) 238-5220, email building@burbankca.gov.
Related cities
Related cities
Other verified cities related to Burbank. See all cities on the California solar permit guide index.
- Alhambra, Southern California Edison (SCE)
- Arcadia, Southern California Edison (SCE)
- Azusa, Azusa Light & Water
- Baldwin Park, Southern California Edison (SCE)
- Beverly Hills, Southern California Edison (SCE)
- Carson, Southern California Edison (SCE)