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California / Local permit guide

San Francisco Solar Permit Guide

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

Electric utility
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)Source linked
Local pathway
SolarAPP+ (for existing single/two-family R3 homes) or standard DBI plan submittalProject-specific eligibility conditions apply.
See your permit path

San Francisco County · Explore related utility guides

San Francisco Solar Permit Checklist
Printed from mygridpermit.com/california/san-francisco/solar-permit-guide/ · Last verified 2026-08-09 · San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI) / PG&E · Verify current requirements before relying on this checklist. Programs and fees change.
Source healthLast verified 2026-08-095 official sources5 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 San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI) and PG&E before making a decision.

Research coverage

Your permit path,
at a glance.

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

  1. 01Permit authoritySan Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI)Authority sourced
  2. 02DocumentsChecklist includes conditional itemsConditions apply
  3. 03InspectionInspection guidance for San FranciscoSteps sourced
  4. 04Utility & PTOPacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)Utility path sourced

01 / Know your path

Two approvals.
One project.

Local authority

Permit & inspection

San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI)

Local requirements
Electric utility

Interconnection & PTO

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)

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

No battery/storage incentive program is on record for this locality.

02 / Prepare your application

What you need.

0 of 4 markedSaved only on this device; not confirmation of permit readiness.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.85)

Source(s): Get a permit for a solar photovoltaic system

Permit fees

Amounts are from the Board of Supervisors ordinance text. State law (AB 1132) may cap residential solar permit fees; the cap amount and scope were not verified. Fire Department inspection, SolarAPP+, plan-check, building-permit and utility fees are not verified and are excluded.

  • Electrical permit, Solar Photovoltaic Systems: 10 kW rating or less (DBI Table 1A-E): $320 (flat, for systems rated 10 kW or less)

    Rate adopted by Ordinance 112-26 (passed 2026-06-09), replacing $283. Electrical permit issuance and inspection component only; not a complete project cost. Verify the current DBI schedule before relying on it.

  • Electrical permit, Solar Photovoltaic Systems: each additional 10 kW rating (DBI Table 1A-E): $259 (per additional 10 kW)

    Rate adopted by Ordinance 112-26, replacing $238.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.8)

Source(s): Ordinance No. 112-26, Building Permit Fees Adjustment (Table 1A-E, Solar Photovoltaic Systems), Building Inspection Commission, Fee Ordinance (April 15, 2026)

Rebates on record

Rebates on record

Not yet verified.

Utility and generation supplier

Utility

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)

San Francisco is served by PG&E for electric transmission and distribution; the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) separately serves a limited set of municipal/institutional customers (not general residential customers), and CleanPowerSF (also operated by SFPUC) is the default generation supplier riding on PG&E's delivery infrastructure.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): Get a permit for a solar photovoltaic system

Generation supplier

CleanPowerSF (Community Choice Aggregator)

CleanPowerSF, operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), is the default electricity generation provider for San Francisco (except customers already directly served by SFPUC). PG&E continues to own and operate the electric grid, deliver electricity, and issue a single combined monthly bill that includes CleanPowerSF's generation charges in place of PG&E's own generation charges.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): How It Works

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.

Confidence: Medium (0.55)

Permit authority

San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI)

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.85)

Source(s): Get a permit for a solar photovoltaic system

Permit page: https://www.sf.gov/step-by-step--get-permit-solar-photovoltaic-system

Inspection steps

  • Every San Francisco solar installation requires a mandatory SF Fire Department inspection before DBI's electrical inspection can proceed
  • Some system types may also require a separate DBI building inspection
Sources & confidence

Confidence: Medium (0.7)

Source(s): Get a permit for a solar photovoltaic system

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+ (for existing single/two-family R3 homes) or standard DBI plan submittal
  • Other conditions:
    • Some projects require both an electrical permit and a building permit; others can obtain an electrical permit via SolarAPP+ or by submitting plans directly to DBI
Sources & confidence

Confidence: Medium (0.6)

Source(s): Get a permit for a solar photovoltaic system

Official contacts

Official contacts

Confidence: Medium (0.7)

Need a solar installer who handles permits in San Francisco?

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What utility serves solar customers in San Francisco, California?

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is the interconnection and distribution utility for San Francisco. The default electricity generation supplier is CleanPowerSF, a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA), separate from Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E).

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

Commonly required documents include: SolarAPP+ Approval ID, Inspection Checklist, and Specification Sheet; Plan drawings; Data sheets; Structural drawings and calculations, stamped and signed by a California-licensed civil or structural engineer (roof coverings, framing type/size/spacing, panel weight/support/attachment method, any roof-strengthening framing, site-specific structural calculations, and racking-system documentation).

Who do I contact about solar permits in San Francisco?

San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI).

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 San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI) and PG&E before starting a project. Last verified 2026-08-09.

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