Sacramento County offers expedited residential solar permits under AB 2188 and SB 379, with online submittal and typical approval within 1-3 business days for standard rooftop systems. Title 24 (2020) Solar Mandate requires solar on most new single-family homes. SMUD handles interconnection for its service territory; PG&E for the rest.
Sacramento County Community Development implements AB 2188 (2015) and SB 379 (2021) expedited solar permitting for standard residential rooftop photovoltaic systems. Applicants can submit online with a standardized plan set; approval is typically issued same-day or within 1-3 business days for systems that meet the checklist (generally under 10 kW AC, no structural upgrades beyond basic rafter analysis, no main service panel upgrade). Building inspection follows installation. Commercial and larger systems require full plan review. The 2019 Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (effective January 1, 2020) require solar PV on new single-family and low-rise multifamily dwellings sized to offset annual electrical use. Interconnection is handled by SMUD for most of Sacramento County and PG&E for portions on the south/east. NEM 3.0 (Net Billing Tariff) applies to new PG&E interconnections from April 2023; SMUD has its own Solar and Storage Rate (SSR).
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Sacramento County, CA
Unincorporated Sacramento County Zoning Code restricts RV, boat, and trailer storage in residential zones. Generally allowed in side or rear yards with scree...
Sacramento County, CA
Unincorporated Sacramento County does not generally prohibit overnight street parking in residential areas. The CVC 22651(k) 72-hour rule applies. Some comme...
Sacramento County, CA
California Civil Code 841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act) presumes equal cost-sharing for boundary fences. 30-day written notice is required before building or rep...
Sacramento County, CA
Fences 7 feet and under in unincorporated Sacramento County do not require a building permit, but a zoning clearance is required for front-yard fences over 3...
Sacramento County, CA
Sacramento County allows backyard chickens in most residential zones: up to 6 hens on lots under 10,000 sq ft, no roosters in RD zones. Coops must be set bac...
Sacramento County, CA
Sacramento County Code 9.60 prohibits feeding wild mammals including deer, raccoons, coyotes, and wild turkeys. Bird feeders are allowed if they do not attra...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Sacramento County.
See how other cities in Sacramento County handle panel permits.
See how Carmichael's panel permits rules stack up against other locations.
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