Davis, CA Solar Energy: Expedited Solar Permitting (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit turnaround
- Over-the-counter or 1 business day
- Checklist adoption deadline
- September 30, 2015
- Inspections required
- One consolidated inspection
- Denial standard
- Written findings of specific adverse impact
- Appeal body
- Planning Commission, § 40.35.030
- HOA approval
- Cannot be required for approval
Summary
Davis must issue small residential rooftop solar permits over the counter or within one business day under Municipal Code Article 8.21, adopted to comply with Government Code Section 65850.5. The building official reviews applications only against a pre-published checklist and the California Building Standards Code, and cannot condition approval on HOA sign-off.
The purpose of this article is to adopt an expedited, streamlined solar permitting process that complies with Government Code Section 65850.5, to achieve timely and cost-effective installations of small residential rooftop solar energy systems. ... For walk-in applications the building official shall perform a plan review and issue all required permits either over-the-counter or within one business day. Upon receipt of an incomplete application, the building official shall issue a written correction notice within the same time frames, detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information required to be eligible for expedited permit issuance. ... An application may not be denied unless written findings are made based upon substantial evidence in the record that the proposed installation would have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety, and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4915048; v22 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
5. 030 required the building official to adopt, by September 30, 2015, a checklist of everything a system must meet for expedited review, substantially conforming to the California Solar Permitting Guidebook published by the Governor's Office of Planning and Research; that checklist and all application documents must be posted on the city's website, and electronic submittal with an electronic signature (including a scanned or PDF signature) must be accepted in place of a wet signature. 040 sets the actual turnaround: walk-in applications get a plan review and all required permits issued over the counter or within one business day, with review limited strictly to the checklist and California Building Standards Code requirements.
An incomplete application draws a written correction notice on the same timeline rather than a denial. 030. Only one consolidated inspection is normally required, and the building official may never condition approval on sign-off from a homeowners' association under Civil Code Section 4080. 050).
Violations & Fines
There is no separate solar-specific fine schedule; enforcement runs through the normal building permit process. If the building official finds an application incomplete, it draws a written correction notice rather than a denial or citation. A denial requires written, evidence-based findings of a specific adverse safety impact and can be appealed to the planning commission under Section 40.35.030 of the code. Installing a system without the required permit remains subject to standard building code enforcement and correction procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast can I get a residential solar permit in Davis?
Can my homeowners association block my solar permit in Davis?
Can the City of Davis deny my solar permit application?
Does Davis require paper signatures for a solar permit application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davis
California rules heatmap·Compare Davis to another location·View the California solar energy overview
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Expedited Solar Permitting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Yolo County handle expedited solar permitting.