What it costs, what's permitted, and what to ask before you hire.
Last verified: 2026-05-31 · Well-sourced
Panel / electrical
Verify your panel capacity with an electrician
Permit likelihood
Confirm with your building department
Permit snapshot
electrical + building permit
As of 2026-05-31, residential solar PV installations in San Francisco require an electrical permit (and a building permit when structural roof attachment work is in scope) from the Department of Building Inspection (DBI). San Francisco participates in SolarAPP+, an automated plan-review platform that can issue instant online electrical permits for qualifying installations. SolarAPP+ eligibility is narrower than in some other California jurisdictions: it is limited to existing single- or two-family R-3 homes with a stand-alone PV system 4 kWdc or smaller, the only PV system on site, no concurrent panel upgrade, no ballasted or ground-mounted systems, and not on a historic property; paired energy storage must comply with SFFD Administrative Bulletin 5.12 and is limited to 20 kWh aggregate to remain in scope. Installations outside SolarAPP+ scope (systems larger than 4 kWdc, those requiring a panel upgrade, historic properties, or larger storage) submit traditional PV plans to DBI for plan review. California AB 1132 caps the residential solar permit fee at $450 for systems up to 15 kW, plus $15 per kW above 15 kW, through January 2034. Verify SolarAPP+ eligibility and any Planning Department review triggers (e.g., visibility from public right-of-way in historic districts) with DBI and the installing contractor before relying on the instant-approval timeline.