Camarillo, CA Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Chapter 16.54 implements the California Solar Rights Act and AB 2188's amendments to Civil Code Section 714 and Government Code Section 65850.5 for what the code calls a 'small residential rooftop solar energy system,' defined in Section 16.54.020 as a system no larger than 10 kilowatts AC or 30 kilowatts thermal, installed on a single or duplex-family dwelling, that meets state fire, structural, and electrical codes and does not exceed the zone's maximum legal building height.

Under Section 16.54.040, every system must meet applicable state, city, and fire-department health and safety standards; water-heating systems need certification from an accredited listing agency under the California Plumbing and Mechanical Code, and photovoltaic systems must meet California Electrical Code and Underwriters Laboratories standards, plus Public Utilities Commission safety and reliability rules where applicable. Section 16.54.050 requires the building and safety department to publish a standard plan and checklist on the city website that substantially conforms to the state's Solar Permitting Guidebook from the Governor's Office of Planning and Research. Applicants can submit the application and every supporting document electronically, by email or through the internet, and an electronic signature is accepted in place of a wet signature on every form.

Fees for these permits must comply with Government Code Sections 65850.55, 66015, and 66016, and Health and Safety Code Section 17951. The city cannot condition approval on sign-off from a homeowners' association, and any restriction an HOA or the city imposes cannot add more than ten percent to the system's cost, or more than one thousand dollars for a photovoltaic system, without qualifying as an unreasonable restriction under Section 16.54.020.