California / Local permit guide
Pacific Grove Solar Permit Guide
Your local requirements. The official sources. A clearer next step.
- Permit authority
- City of Pacific Grove Community Development, Building DivisionSource linked
- Electric utility
- Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)Source linked
- Local pathway
- Expedited small residential rooftop solar permitting (Pacific Grove Municipal Code Chapter 18.45)Project-specific eligibility conditions apply.
- Review time
- 0–3 daysSee source scope and conditions below.
Monterey County · Explore related utility guides
Jump to a section
Planning a new solar project? See the homeowner quote option →
Research coverage
Your permit path,
at a glance.
This shows what GridPermit has verified for Pacific Grove. It does not show the status of a specific project.
01 / Know your path
Two approvals.
One project.
Permit & inspection
City of Pacific Grove Community Development, Building Division
Local requirementsA 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.
Permit timeline
0–3 days
Pacific Grove Municipal Code Section 18.45.060(a): the building department 'shall issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permit within three business days for over-the-counter applications or up to three business days for electronic applications' of receipt of a complete application.
Sources & confidence
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
02 / Prepare your application
What you need.
Sources & confidence
Permit fees
- Solar Photovoltaic Permit: $686 (flat fee)
Per the City's FY 2025-26 fee schedule.
Sources & confidence
Rebates on record
Rebates on record
Not yet verified.
Utility and generation supplier
Utility
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
Pacific Grove is a well-documented Monterey County city within PG&E's core Northern California service territory.
Sources & confidence
Generation supplier
Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) (Community Choice Aggregator)
3CE's own official site confirms it serves Monterey County, including Pacific Grove, as part of its 5-county, 33-community service area. PG&E continues to deliver the power and provide billing/customer service.
Sources & confidence
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.
Inspection steps
- Only one inspection may be required and performed by the building department for eligible small residential rooftop solar energy systems
- The inspection shall be done in a timely manner and should include consolidated inspections; an inspection will be scheduled within two business days of a request
- If a small residential rooftop solar energy system fails inspection, a subsequent inspection is authorized
Per Pacific Grove Municipal Code Section 18.45.060(h)-(j).
Sources & confidence
Eligibility constraints
- Property types: residential, duplex
- Max system size (AC): 10 kW
- Max system size (DC): Not yet verified.
- Max thermal capacity: 30 kW
- Program/pathway: Expedited small residential rooftop solar permitting (Pacific Grove Municipal Code Chapter 18.45)
- Other conditions:
- System must be installed on a single- or duplex-family dwelling
- Solar panel/module array must not exceed the maximum legal building height as defined by the city planning commission
- Electronic submittal of required applications/documents is available by email, internet, or fax, and electronic signatures are accepted in lieu of wet signatures
Sources & confidence
Official contacts
Official contacts
- City of Pacific Grove Building Division, phone: 831-648-3191, official website
Need a solar installer who handles permits in Pacific Grove?
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 links to EnergySage as an independent third-party resource. This link is not currently tracked for compensation.
Official sources
Official sources
- Building Permits & Inspections, City of Pacific Grove (government). Accessed 2026-08-09.
- Net Energy Metering (NEM), Pacific Gas & Electric (utility). Accessed 2026-08-09.
- About Us — Service Area, Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) (other_official). Accessed 2026-08-09.
- About, Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) (cpuc). Accessed 2026-08-09.
- Chapter 18.45 - Residential Rooftop Solar System (Pacific Grove Municipal Code, Title 18 - Buildings and Construction), City of Pacific Grove (via eCode360 official code host) (government). Accessed 2026-08-11.
- 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 Pacific Grove, California?
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is the interconnection and distribution utility for Pacific Grove. The default electricity generation supplier is Central Coast Community Energy (3CE), a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA), separate from Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E).
How long does a residential solar permit take in Pacific Grove?
Pacific Grove Municipal Code Section 18.45.060(a): the building department 'shall issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permit within three business days for over-the-counter applications or up to three business days for electronic applications' of receipt of a complete application.
What documents are required for a solar permit in Pacific Grove?
Commonly required documents include: Standard plan and checklist of all requirements, published on the City's website, substantially conforming to the California Solar Permitting Guidebook.
Who do I contact about solar permits in Pacific Grove?
City of Pacific Grove Building Division, phone 831-648-3191.
Related cities
Related cities
Other verified cities related to Pacific Grove. See all cities on the California solar permit guide index.