Independent Educational Guide: California residential solar permit facts, sourced, dated, and confidence-scored. Not legal, engineering, or permit advice.

San Diego Solar Permit Guide

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) territory · San Diego County

San Diego Solar Permit Checklist
Printed from mygridpermit.com/california/san-diego/solar-permit-guide/ · Last verified 2026-08-09 · City of San Diego Development Services Department / SDG&E · Verify current requirements before relying on this checklist. Programs and fees change.
✓ Last verified 2026-08-0911 official sources
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 San Diego Development Services Department and SDG&E before making a decision.

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

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.

Confidence: High (0.9)

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

Permit fees

  • Residential First System/Inverter Inspection (no plan review): $275.8 (flat)

    Applies to the self-issued residential pathway (no plan review) under IB-301.

  • Residential First System/Inverter Plan Check (with plan review): $154.2 (flat)

    Applies only if the project requires plan review rather than the self-issued pathway.

  • Residential First System/Inverter Inspection (with plan review): $275.8 (flat)
  • Non-Residential/Multi-Family First 100 kW Plan Check: $758 (per 100kW)
  • Non-Residential/Multi-Family Each Additional 100 kW Plan Check: $264 (per 100kW)
  • Non-Residential/Multi-Family First 100 kW Inspection: $290 (per 100kW)
  • Non-Residential/Multi-Family Each Additional 100 kW Inspection: $145 (per 100kW)
  • Mapping Fee: $12.16 (flat)

    Only if applicable, per IB-301.

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): Information Bulletin 301 - How to Obtain a Permit for the Installation of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

Rebates

Not yet verified.

Utility and generation supplier

Utility

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)

Confidence: High (1)

Source(s): SDG&E Electric and Gas Franchise

Generation supplier

San Diego Community Power (SDCP) (Community Choice Aggregator)

The City of San Diego is a founding member/customer of San Diego Community Power, a joint-powers Community Choice Aggregator that purchases/generates electricity on customers' behalf. SDG&E remains the transmission/distribution entity and delivers the electricity SDCP procures. Customers receive one bill from SDG&E, with SDCP's generation charge appearing as a line item rather than a separate bill.

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): Mayor Gloria Launches San Diego Community Power, Understanding Your Bill

Interconnection

https://www.sdge.com/residential/savings-center/solar-power-renewable-energy/net-energy-metering

URL confirmed to exist on SDG&E's official domain via search engine indexing under the expected title. Full page content could not be directly rendered this session — sdge.com returned HTTP 403 to every attempt, including the site's own homepage and a linked PDF, both via direct fetch and via a text-extraction proxy. Same limitation as pge.com in the PG&E-territory pilot records.

Confidence: Medium (0.6)

Permit authority

City of San Diego Development Services Department

Confirmed via direct retrieval of the Residential Rooftop-Mounted Solar PV Permit page and the Permits, Approvals & Inspections page, both hosted under Development Services.

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): Residential Rooftop-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit, Permits, Approvals & Inspections

Permit page: https://www.sandiego.gov/development-services/permits/solar-photovoltaic-permit

Required documents

  • Hazardous Materials Reporting Form (DS-165) (required when: non-residential or battery/ESS projects)
  • San Diego Regional Hazardous Materials Questionnaire (HM-9171)
  • Stormwater Requirements Applicability Checklist (DS-560)
  • Owner-Builder Verification (DS-3042) (required when: if the owner performs the work)
  • Project Contact form (DS-345) (required when: at permit issuance)
  • Site plan showing all PV panels, disconnects, inverters, batteries, and meter locations
  • Roof plan with slope, panel location, and weight calculations
  • Single-line diagram with voltage, kilowatt output, and conductor specifications
  • Manufacturer specifications for modules, racking, inverters, and batteries

Confidence: High (0.85)

Source(s): Information Bulletin 301 - How to Obtain a Permit for the Installation of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

Inspection steps

  • Electrical Underground inspection
  • Electrical Rough inspection
  • Electrical Final inspection
  • Structural-Foundation inspection (if applicable)
  • Structural-Rough inspection (if applicable)
  • Structural-Final inspection (if applicable)
  • After final inspection approval for all related City permits, the City notifies SDG&E; the system is not approved to energize until SDG&E gives its own approval

Quoted directly from IB-301: 'After receiving final inspection approval for all related City of San Diego Permits, San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) will be notified. The system is not approved to energize until SDG&E approval is obtained.' This is a genuine two-authority sign-off (City then SDG&E), distinct from the single-authority processes in the PG&E/Ava-territory and PWP records.

Confidence: High (0.85)

Source(s): Information Bulletin 301 - How to Obtain a Permit for the Installation of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

Eligibility constraints

  • Property types: single-family, duplex, townhouse
  • Max system size (AC): 38.4 kW
  • Max system size (DC): Not yet verified.
  • Max thermal capacity: Not yet verified.
  • Program/pathway: Self-issued residential solar PV permit, no plan review (Information Bulletin 301)
  • Other conditions:
    • Energy storage systems up to 38.4 kWh total, with individual units not exceeding 20 kWh
    • Panel upgrades permitted up to 320 amps under the same self-issued pathway
    • Fire plan review determination (IB-301 Section F) and structural review determination (IB-301 Section II.C.1) both required
    • Ground-mounted systems require a Building Permit if the support structure exceeds 5 feet above ground
    • No additional work requiring a separate building permit is allowed under the self-issued pathway

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): Residential Rooftop-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit, Information Bulletin 301 - How to Obtain a Permit for the Installation of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

Official contacts

Confidence: High (0.85)

Paid referral disclosure: GridPermit has a paid referral relationship with CompareSolarPrices. If you use this link and later complete a qualifying action, GridPermit may receive compensation.

Want a solar quote after reviewing the permit requirements in San Diego?

Continue to CompareSolarPrices to request a homeowner solar quote for San Diego.

You will continue on CompareSolarPrices' website. GridPermit is not the installer.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

What utility serves solar customers in San Diego, California?

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is the interconnection and distribution utility for San Diego. The default electricity generation supplier is San Diego Community Power (SDCP), a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA), separate from San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E).

What documents are required for a solar permit in San Diego?

Commonly required documents include: Hazardous Materials Reporting Form (DS-165); San Diego Regional Hazardous Materials Questionnaire (HM-9171); Stormwater Requirements Applicability Checklist (DS-560); Owner-Builder Verification (DS-3042); Project Contact form (DS-345); Site plan showing all PV panels, disconnects, inverters, batteries, and meter locations; Roof plan with slope, panel location, and weight calculations; Single-line diagram with voltage, kilowatt output, and conductor specifications; Manufacturer specifications for modules, racking, inverters, and batteries.

Who do I contact about solar permits in San Diego?

City of San Diego Development Services Department, phone 619-446-5000.

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 San Diego Development Services Department and SDG&E before starting a project. Last verified 2026-08-09.

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