Novato Solar Permit Guide
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) territory · Marin 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
Same-day review for eligible expedited-permit projects
No verified standard-path permit timeline is available.
The City's own Residential Solar page describes Solar APP+ as providing 'instantaneous review' and states it 'Expedites installation with instant City permit issuance.'
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 Novato as one of Marin County's member communities. 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+ checklist (required when: always)
- Solar plan set (required when: always)
- Specification sheets (required when: always)
- Active Novato Permits account (contractor) (required when: always)
Inspection steps
- Contractors must first obtain and pass a final inspection from the Novato Fire Protection District (call 415-878-2623, Monday-Friday 8am-5pm; minimum 48 hours' notice) before requesting a City inspection
- Once the Fire final inspection has passed, schedule the City of Novato Building inspection via the online permit portal
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+ (licensed contractors) or Standard Building Permit (owner-builders/non-licensed)
- Other conditions:
- Approved contractors may apply online via SolarAPP+; owner-builder/non-licensed applications must go through the Standard Permit process
Official contacts
- City of Novato Chief Building Official, phone: 415-899-8989, email: permitinfo@novato.gov, official website
Need a solar installer who handles permits in Novato?
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
- Residential Solar, City of Novato (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.
- Building Division, City of Novato (government). 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 Novato, California?
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is the interconnection and distribution utility for Novato. 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 an expedited-eligible residential solar permit take in Novato?
The City's own Residential Solar page describes Solar APP+ as providing 'instantaneous review' and states it 'Expedites installation with instant City permit issuance.' No verified standard-path permit timeline is available.
What documents are required for a solar permit in Novato?
Commonly required documents include: SolarAPP+ checklist; Solar plan set; Specification sheets; Active Novato Permits account (contractor).
Who do I contact about solar permits in Novato?
City of Novato Chief Building Official, phone 415-899-8989, email permitinfo@novato.gov.
Related California cities
Other verified cities related to Novato. See all cities on the California solar permit guide index.
- Corte Madera, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
- Fairfax, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
- Larkspur, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
- Mill Valley, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
- Ross, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
- San Anselmo, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)