Fairfield Solar Permit Guide
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) territory · Solano 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.
Permit timeline
0–1 days
The City's own page states 'A permit application that previously took days or weeks for review can now be approved instantly and issued the next business day,' and separately that eligible projects use 'the automated SolarAPP+ portal for instant permitting.'
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.
Permit fees
Not yet verified.
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 Fairfield as one of 4 Solano County communities it serves (alongside Benicia, Vallejo, and unincorporated Solano 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
- Active City of Fairfield business license (required when: always)
- SolarAPP+ approval documents (required when: always)
- Plans (uploaded to BUILD along with SolarAPP+ documents) (required when: always)
- Master solar permit number (subdivision roof-mount projects only) (required when: conditional)
Inspection steps
- Log in to BUILD and proceed through the SolarAPP+ permit application process
- Upload all documents received from SolarAPP+, as well as plans, to BUILD after applying
- Email building@fairfield.ca.gov with the permit number to confirm the SolarApp+ documents have been uploaded
- Schedule the inspection in BUILD
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: SolarAPP+ (residential roof-mounted, retrofit systems) via eTRAKiT
- Other conditions:
- Commercial, multi-family, ground-mount, or addition-to-existing-system projects must be submitted directly to Building Safety by email
- Applicants must submit for and receive building permit approval prior to installation
Official contacts
- City of Fairfield Building Safety Division, phone: 707-428-7451, email: building@fairfield.ca.gov, official website
Need a solar installer who handles permits in Fairfield?
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
- SolarAPP+ for Solar Installers, City of Fairfield (government). Accessed 2026-08-09.
- Net Energy Metering (NEM), Pacific Gas & Electric (utility). Accessed 2026-08-08.
- Service Area, MCE (Marin Clean Energy) (other_official). Accessed 2026-08-08.
- About, Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) (cpuc). Accessed 2026-08-09.
- 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 Fairfield, California?
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is the interconnection and distribution utility for Fairfield. The default electricity generation supplier is MCE (Marin Clean Energy), a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA), separate from Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E).
How long does a residential solar permit take in Fairfield?
The City's own page states 'A permit application that previously took days or weeks for review can now be approved instantly and issued the next business day,' and separately that eligible projects use 'the automated SolarAPP+ portal for instant permitting.'
What documents are required for a solar permit in Fairfield?
Commonly required documents include: Active City of Fairfield business license; SolarAPP+ approval documents; Plans (uploaded to BUILD along with SolarAPP+ documents); Master solar permit number (subdivision roof-mount projects only).
Who do I contact about solar permits in Fairfield?
City of Fairfield Building Safety Division, phone 707-428-7451, email building@fairfield.ca.gov.
Related California cities
Other verified cities related to Fairfield. See all cities on the California solar permit guide index.