Modesto Solar Permit Guide
Modesto Irrigation District (MID) territory · Stanislaus 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
- Electrical Photovoltaic - Residential: $333 (flat fee (per permit))
Per the City's own Building Safety Division Development User Fees, Fiscal Year 25-26.
Rebates
Not yet verified.
Utility and generation supplier
Utility
Modesto Irrigation District (MID)
Generation supplier
Modesto Irrigation District (MID) (utility)
MID is a vertically-integrated municipal utility (also providing irrigation and drinking water treatment) — it generates/procures and delivers its own power rather than sitting alongside a separate CCA, consistent with the pattern already established for SMUD, Roseville Electric, and other municipal utilities this session.
Interconnection
https://www.mid.org/saving-energy-money/solar/
MID's own Solar Program page, identified via search-engine indexing; mid.org refused automated connections (ECONNREFUSED) on every attempt this session, so its content could not be independently read or verified.
Required documents
- Checklist for Expedited Residential Photovoltaic Systems (via Forms & Applications) (required when: conditional)
Inspection steps
- Inspections are conducted from the ground up in a specific defined order; you may not move forward in construction without passing each inspection
- Building Inspectors will not take inspection requests over the phone or in the field; schedule through the E-TRAKIT Permits Portal instead
- The City is unable to accommodate appointments
This is the City's general Building Safety Division inspection process (the same page covers all building permit types, including solar); the City does not publish a separate, solar-specific inspection sequence.
Eligibility constraints
- Property types: residential
- Max system size (AC): 10 kW
- Max system size (DC): Not yet verified.
- Max thermal capacity: Not yet verified.
- Program/pathway: Expedited Solar Photovoltaic Permitting (one- or two-family dwellings)
- Other conditions:
- System size must be 10 kW AC (CEC rating) or less
- Roof-mounted on a one- or two-family dwelling; utility-interactive, without battery storage
- Roof must have a single roof covering without a reroof overlay
- Access pathways at least 3 feet wide are required between multiple arrays
- Panel fire classification must be provided and meet the rating required for the structure
- MID also allows solar systems sized up to 115% of a customer's demonstrated load (for customers with 12+ months of service history)
Official contacts
- City of Modesto Building Safety Division, phone: 209-577-5232, email: odiaz@modestogov.com, official website
- Modesto Irrigation District (MID) Energy Services Department, phone: (209) 526-7582, official website
Need a solar installer who handles permits in Modesto?
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
- Building Safety Division, City of Modesto (government). Accessed 2026-08-05.
- Solar Program, Modesto Irrigation District (utility). Accessed 2026-08-05.
- Building Inspections, City of Modesto (government). Accessed 2026-08-09.
- Building Safety Division Development User Fees, Fiscal Year 25-26, City of Modesto (government). Accessed 2026-08-10.
Frequently Asked Questions
What utility serves solar customers in Modesto, California?
Modesto Irrigation District (MID) is the interconnection and distribution utility for Modesto. The default electricity generation supplier is Modesto Irrigation District (MID), a utility, separate from Modesto Irrigation District (MID).
What documents are required for a solar permit in Modesto?
Commonly required documents include: Checklist for Expedited Residential Photovoltaic Systems (via Forms & Applications).
Who do I contact about solar permits in Modesto?
City of Modesto Building Safety Division, phone 209-577-5232, email odiaz@modestogov.com.
Related California cities
Other verified cities related to Modesto. See all cities on the California solar permit guide index.