Jurisdictional Approvals of Your Solar Installation
Jurisdictional and HOA Approvals
Now that you have gone through the initial steps of designing your customized solar system, it is time for approvals. This step in the solar installation process is all about submitting your system design for approvals. Don’t worry; your solar company will do all of this for you. However, every approval process is different based off of which part of San Diego County you live in. Instead of going into the specifics about each separate city, we decided to give you a general idea of what the approval process will look like.
The Process
Once you as the homeowner have approved your solar installation design plans, your solar company will submit said plans and the permits necessary to your city or county. If you have an HOA, they will also submit to the homeowner’s association. Once these are approved, the actual construction and installation of your solar system can begin.
What Are They Approving?
You’re probably wondering what exactly your jurisdiction and HOA will approve. These approvals fall into a few different categories. The first is structural and electrical safety. Your solar installation must be able to be supported by your roof and must comply with the California Electrical Code (CEC). You will also need approval to ensure that your system is in compliance with state fire safety requirements. This may seem a bit overwhelming but your solar company will be aware of all of these factors beforehand and will now all of the codes they need to follow.
California Solar Rights Act
The California Solar Rights Act is an important part of your approval process, as it promotes the use of solar energy through a more streamlined process. Created in 1978, the California Solar Rights Act was designed as the legal framework for solar access. The goal of the act is to enable more individuals to own solar energy systems in their communities with fewer limitations from HOA’s. This act provides the homeowner’s association of your community a timeline of approval so that you can stay on track with your solar installation.
How We Help
It is important to remember that your solar company will help streamline this process for you to ensure fast approvals and a prompt install. Here at Baker Electric Solar, we make sure to clearly communicate and explain how these approval processes will go and what is required for each. Timeliness is also important. We schedule your installation as soon as your approvals come in. Lastly, we make sure to coordinate with partnering agencies to make sure inspections run both smoothly and quickly.
So far our solar installation process blog series has covered everything you need to know up until the install. Next up is the actual installation. Stay tuned to find out everything you need to know about how your solar system will be installed at your San Diego home.
