El Cerrito Solar Permit Guide
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) territory · Contra Costa County
Overview
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
No battery/storage incentive program is on record for this locality.
Permit fees
- SolarAPP+ administration fee: $25 (flat)
Additional standard permit fees are calculated during the online application.
Rebates
Not yet verified.
Utility and generation supplier
Utility
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
Generation supplier
MCE (Marin Clean Energy) (Community Choice Aggregator)
MCE's own service-area page confirms El Cerrito as one of 16 Contra Costa County communities it serves (alongside Concord, Danville, Hercules, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Richmond, San Pablo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, and unincorporated Contra Costa County). PG&E continues to deliver the power and provide billing/customer service.
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.
Required documents
- SolarAPP+ Approval Document (required when: always)
- SolarAPP+ Specifications Sheet (required when: always)
Inspection steps
- The permit number (e.g., BD24-0001) issued on the permit card is needed to schedule inspections
- An inspection checklist is provided with the SolarAPP+ approval
Eligibility constraints
- Property types: residential
- Max system size (AC): 38.4 kW
- Max system size (DC): Not yet verified.
- Max thermal capacity: Not yet verified.
- Program/pathway: SolarAPP+ (eTRAKiT-integrated)
- Other conditions:
- Single-family residential, roof-mounted systems only; new installations only (no upgrades/additions)
- PV and energy storage systems each capped at 38.4kW; electric service capped at 400A with 225A service disconnect and busbars required
- Ineligible: standalone storage, ground-mounted arrays, building-integrated systems, service panel upgrades, and multi-family/commercial installations
- Licensed contractor required
Official contacts
- City of El Cerrito Building Division, phone: 510-215-4360, email: buildingapplications@elcerrito.gov, official website
Need a solar installer who handles permits in El Cerrito?
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
- Solar System Streamlined Permitting, City of El Cerrito (government). Accessed 2026-08-08.
- Net Energy Metering (NEM), Pacific Gas & Electric (utility). Accessed 2026-08-08.
- Service Area, MCE (Marin Clean Energy) (other_official). Accessed 2026-08-08.
Frequently Asked Questions
What utility serves solar customers in El Cerrito, California?
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is the interconnection and distribution utility for El Cerrito. The default electricity generation supplier is MCE (Marin Clean Energy), a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA), separate from Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E).
What documents are required for a solar permit in El Cerrito?
Commonly required documents include: SolarAPP+ Approval Document; SolarAPP+ Specifications Sheet.
Who do I contact about solar permits in El Cerrito?
City of El Cerrito Building Division, phone 510-215-4360, email buildingapplications@elcerrito.gov.
Related California cities
Other verified cities related to El Cerrito. See all cities on the California solar permit guide index.