Riverside, CA Solar Energy: Expedited Solar Permitting (2026)

22, adopted by Ord. 7297 in 2015, exists to comply with California's Solar Rights Act and AB 2188 (2014) by making small residential rooftop solar installs fast and cheap to permit. It applies to any "small residential rooftop solar energy system": one no larger than 10 kW AC nameplate or 30 kW thermal, installed on the roof of a single- or duplex-family dwelling, that meets state and City fire, structural, and electrical codes and doesn't exceed Riverside's maximum legal building height. Systems already permitted before the ordinance took effect are grandfathered unless a later modification changes their size, type, or components enough to require a new permit.

050, the Building and Safety Division must post all required application documents on the City's public website, accept electronic submittal through City-run software, honor electronic signatures in place of wet ones, and adopt a standard plan and checklist substantially conforming to the California Solar Permitting Guidebook published by the Governor's Office of Planning and Research. Before submitting, the applicant must independently verify, using standard engineering and electrical evaluation techniques, that the roof structure can carry the new system's wind, seismic, and live/dead loads, and that the existing electrical panel and wiring can safely carry the added photovoltaic load.

If an application is incomplete, the Division sends a written correction notice detailing every deficiency for resubmission rather than an outright denial. 040 requires certification by an accredited listing agency under the California Plumbing and Mechanical Code; electricity-producing systems must meet California Electrical Code and IEEE standards and, where applicable, CPUC safety and reliability rules.