Contra Costa County, CA Solar Energy: Expedited Solar Permitting (2026)

5. 004 layers a faster path on top of that for small residential rooftop systems: the county building official must publish the standard building permit application, plan form, and checklist on the county website, matching the most current California Solar Permitting Guidebook from the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, and must accept applications submitted electronically. Once an application includes everything the standard forms require, the building official deems it complete; if anything is missing, the applicant gets written notice of exactly what's needed. From there, the building official's review must substantially conform to the Guidebook's expedited timeline, and the permit issues, electronically if the application was filed that way, once approved and all fees are paid.

To qualify for this fast lane, the system can be no larger than ten kilowatts AC (or thirty kilowatts thermal), must meet all applicable fire, building, and electrical codes and Civil Code Section 714, must sit on the rooftop of a detached single-family home or duplex, and can't exceed the zoning district's building height limit. After installation, the building official inspects the system, and it cannot legally operate until the official verifies in writing that it complies with the permit; noncompliant installs get a written notice of what needs fixing before reinspection.