San Bernardino County, CA Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Solar photovoltaic permits in unincorporated San Bernardino County are processed through the Building and Safety Division under accelerated procedures mandated by California Assembly Bill 2188 (Gov Code 65850.5). Rooftop residential systems under 10 kW on one- and two-family dwellings must be processed within 3 business days using a standardized checklist-based approach with no discretionary design review. Permit fees are capped at $450 plus $15 per kW over 15 kW for residential systems (per AB 2188). Online permit submittal is available through the San Bernardino County Land Use Services portal. Title 24 Solar Mandate (effective January 2020) requires solar PV on most new single-family homes and many low-rise multifamily buildings with system sizes calculated based on conditioned floor area and climate zone. NEM 3.0 (effective April 2023) establishes net billing tariff rates for new interconnections to Southern California Edison and other investor-owned utilities, substantially reducing export compensation compared to NEM 2.0. Ground-mount systems require structural and setback review and may trigger full site plan review if over 15 kW. Battery energy storage systems require separate permits and NFPA 855 fire code compliance. Inspections include structural mounting, DC wiring, AC interconnection, and rapid shutdown verification under NEC 690.12.