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California / Local permit guide

Long Beach Solar Permit Guide

Your local requirements. The official sources. A clearer next step.

Electric utility
Southern California Edison (SCE)Source linked
Local pathway
Express rooftop solar PV permitting (IB-023)Project-specific eligibility conditions apply.
See your permit path

Los Angeles · Explore related utility guides

Long Beach Solar Permit Checklist
Printed from mygridpermit.com/california/long-beach/solar-permit-guide/ · Last verified 2026-10-08 · City of Long Beach Community Development Department, Building and Safety Bureau / SCE · Verify current requirements before relying on this checklist. Programs and fees change.
Source healthLast verified 2026-10-089 official sources4 of 6 core facts verified
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Informational only. This page is not legal, engineering, or permit advice. Every fact below links to the official source it came from and shows how confident we are in it. Verify current requirements with City of Long Beach Community Development Department, Building and Safety Bureau and SCE before making a decision.

Research coverage

Your permit path,
at a glance.

This shows what GridPermit has verified for Long Beach. It does not show the status of a specific project.

  1. 01Permit authorityCity of Long Beach Community Development Department, Building and Safety BureauAuthority sourced
  2. 02DocumentsChecklist includes conditional itemsConditions apply
  3. 03InspectionInspection guidance for Long BeachSteps sourced
  4. 04Utility & PTOSouthern California Edison (SCE)Utility path sourced

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01 / Know your path

Two approvals.
One project.

Local authority

Permit & inspection

City of Long Beach Community Development Department, Building and Safety Bureau

Local requirements
Electric utility

Interconnection & PTO

Southern California Edison (SCE)

Utility requirements

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

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

Confidence: High (1)

Source(s): Self-Generation Incentive Program — current budget notice, 2026 Self-Generation Incentive Program Handbook, SGIP Program Metrics and Incentive Step Tracker

02 / Prepare your application

What you need.

0 of 5 markedSaved only on this device; not confirmation of permit readiness.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): IB-023 — Express Permit of Rooftop Solar PV System

Permit fees

The City states that revised Community Development fees took effect October 1, 2026. The prior residential rooftop photovoltaic amounts were therefore removed from the current guide until the applicable FY 2027 solar fee can be independently verified from the current City schedule.

Not yet verified.

Rebates on record

Rebates on record

Not yet verified.

Utility and generation supplier

Utility

Southern California Edison (SCE)

IB-023 identifies SCE as the city's electric utility and requires separate SCE interconnection approval.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (1)

Source(s): IB-023 — Express Permit of Rooftop Solar PV System, Outage Reliability Reports — Los Angeles County

Generation supplier

Southern California Edison (SCE) (utility)

The City’s current Community Solar page identifies Southern California Edison as the electricity utility carrying out the program. Clean Power Alliance’s current 38-community service map does not list Long Beach, so no CPA generation service is inferred for this record.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.85)

Source(s): Community Solar, Clean Power Alliance 2025 Impact Report — 38 Served Communities

Interconnection

https://www.sce.com/customer-service-center/help-center/solar/solar-billing-plan/solar-billing-plan-faqs

SCE's FAQ links its online interconnection system; utility approval is separate from city permitting.

Confidence: High (1)

Permit authority

City of Long Beach Community Development Department, Building and Safety Bureau

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (1)

Source(s): IB-023 — Express Permit of Rooftop Solar PV System

Permit page: https://www.longbeach.gov/lbcd/building/permit-center/solar-permit/

Inspection steps

  • After permit issuance and installation, schedule city inspection.
  • Keep approved plans, permit and job card on site, with access to all equipment and compliant ladders.
  • Obtain final inspection approval; SCE interconnection approval is separately required before operation.

Complex projects may require multiple inspections.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Process, IB-023 — Express Permit of Rooftop Solar PV System

Eligibility constraints

  • Property types: single-family, two-family, multifamily
  • Max system size (AC): Not yet verified.
  • Max system size (DC): Not yet verified.
  • Max thermal capacity: Not yet verified.
  • Program/pathway: Express rooftop solar PV permitting (IB-023)
  • Other conditions:
    • Flush-mounted rooftop PV up to 38.4 kW; the bulletin does not specify AC versus DC.
    • All express-checklist answers must qualify; otherwise regular review applies.
    • Multifamily buildings require fire review.
Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): IB-023 — Express Permit of Rooftop Solar PV System

Official contacts

Official contacts

Confidence: High (1)

Official sources

Official sources

Frequently Asked Questions

What utility serves solar customers in Long Beach, California?

Southern California Edison (SCE) is the interconnection and distribution utility for Long Beach. The same utility is also listed as the default electricity generation supplier.

What documents are required for a solar permit in Long Beach?

Commonly required documents include: Community Development permit application; Planning permit / Certificate of Appropriateness; Completed residential express checklist (FORM-016); Electrical plans, single-line diagram, equipment sheets and site diagram; Roof plan with panel layout, access pathways, fire classification and markings.

Who do I contact about solar permits in Long Beach?

City solar permitting, phone 562-570-7648.

Disclaimers: This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal, engineering, financial, tax, or permit advice. GridPermit is not a solar installer, contractor, engineering firm, public utility, or government agency. Requirements, fees, and program terms change. Verify current requirements with City of Long Beach Community Development Department, Building and Safety Bureau and SCE before starting a project. Last verified 2026-10-08.

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