California / Local permit guide
Union City Solar Permit Guide
Your local requirements. The official sources. A clearer next step.
- Permit authority
- City of Union City Building DivisionSource linked
- Electric utility
- Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)Source linked
- Local pathway
- Instant Solar Permit (ISP) via SolarAPP+ / Expedited Streamlined Permitting Process for Small Residential Rooftop Solar SystemsProject-specific eligibility conditions apply.
- Review time
- 7–14 daysSee source scope and conditions below.
Alameda County · Explore related utility guides
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Your permit path,
at a glance.
This shows what GridPermit has verified for Union City. It does not show the status of a specific project.
01 / Know your path
Two approvals.
One project.
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.
Permit timeline
7–14 days
The City's current Solar Photovoltaic submittal requirements state that plan check typically takes 1–2 weeks and solar photovoltaic permits are not reviewed over the counter.
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.
Not yet verified.
Permit fees
Not yet verified.
Rebates on record
Rebates on record
Not yet verified.
Utility and generation supplier
Utility
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
Union City is a well-documented Alameda County city within PG&E's core Northern California service territory.
Sources & confidence
Generation supplier
Ava Community Energy (Community Choice Aggregator)
Ava Community Energy confirms Union City as a current member city, alongside Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, and San Leandro in Alameda County. 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 is required for small residential rooftop solar systems, performed by the Building Official
- A Final Inspection is required after installation of the Solar Photovoltaic System
Sources & confidence
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: Instant Solar Permit (ISP) via SolarAPP+ / Expedited Streamlined Permitting Process for Small Residential Rooftop Solar Systems
- Other conditions:
- Solar energy systems for producing electricity must meet standards from the California Electrical Code, IEEE, and accredited testing laboratories (e.g. UL)
Sources & confidence
Official contacts
Official contacts
- City of Union City Building Division, phone: 510-675-5313, official website
Need a solar installer who handles permits in Union City?
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, City of Union City (government). Accessed 2026-08-08.
- Net Energy Metering (NEM), Pacific Gas & Electric (utility). Accessed 2026-08-08.
- Who We Serve, Ava Community Energy (other_official). Accessed 2026-08-08.
- About, Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) (cpuc). 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.
- Solar Photovoltaic Submittal Requirements, City of Union City (government). Accessed 2026-10-08.
Frequently Asked Questions
What utility serves solar customers in Union City, California?
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is the interconnection and distribution utility for Union City. The default electricity generation supplier is Ava Community Energy, a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA), separate from Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E).
How long does a residential solar permit take in Union City?
The City's current Solar Photovoltaic submittal requirements state that plan check typically takes 1–2 weeks and solar photovoltaic permits are not reviewed over the counter.
Who do I contact about solar permits in Union City?
City of Union City Building Division, phone 510-675-5313.
Related cities
Related cities
Other verified cities related to Union City. See all cities on the California solar permit guide index.