Home / Solar site surveys / California / Los Angeles
Solar site surveys · Los Angeles, CARoof, attic and service panel captured in one visit, with the plan set built for the Los Angeles AHJ you submit into and the utility that serves the address.
Los Angeles-area solar permitting is split among many AHJs. LADBS covers the City of LA, LA County Public Works covers unincorporated areas and contract cities, and cities such as Long Beach, Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank run their own building departments. The serving utility also varies by address: LADWP serves the City of LA, SCE serves most surrounding cities, and Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank run municipal utilities with their own solar rules.
California state rules apply here, plus whatever the local AHJ amends.
In Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, LADBS requires Class A-rated PV and racking. Ground-mounted arrays in the hillside grading area need a grading pre-inspection and a 10-foot brush-free clearance.12
LADBS does not route applicants to LADWP, so installers must get LADWP's interconnection approvals themselves, alongside the city permit.12
In the City of LA, solar on historic buildings requires a signed advisory notice before the permit issues, but no separate City Planning clearance.12
The main AHJs, and how the rest of the metro splits up.
LADBS issues online electrical permits for qualifying rooftop PV on one- and two-family homes: 10 kW or less, 120/240 V single-phase, and a service panel of 225 A or less. Larger or nonstandard systems go to counter or regular plan check. A separate building permit is waived for many light, flush-mounted arrays.12
Official page ↗LADBS requires rooftop access under LAFD Requirement No. 96. Rooftop PV on one- and two-family homes skips separate LAFD approval if it meets LAFD's reference requirements form, and LADBS inspectors check those items in the field.12
Official page ↗LA County Public Works handles permits for unincorporated areas and for cities that contract with the County. Plans can be submitted online through EPIC-LA (unincorporated) or the BSOP web application (contract cities), and small plans can be reviewed over the counter.14,15
Official page ↗Each incorporated city is its own permitting authority and may adopt local amendments to the 2025 state codes, as Long Beach and Culver City have. LA County Public Works serves unincorporated communities and contract cities.16,17,15
LADWP provides electricity inside the City of Los Angeles, and SCE serves most other cities and unincorporated areas in the region. Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank run their own municipal electric utilities with separate interconnection processes.24,25,26,27
SCE is the investor-owned utility for much of central, coastal and Southern California, including most Los Angeles-area cities outside the City of LA. It interconnects rooftop solar under Rule 21, and new customers go on the Solar Billing Plan.25,28
Interconnection page ↗LADWP is the City of Los Angeles's municipal utility and sets its own solar rules outside the CPUC net billing tariff. It runs its own tiered interconnection process: Type 1 covers PV and battery projects up to 30 kW.24,29
Interconnection page ↗PWP is Pasadena's municipal utility. Installers apply through PowerClerk, PWP reviews and inspects the system, and PWP installs a bi-directional meter before granting permission to operate.26
Interconnection page ↗GWP is Glendale's municipal utility and still offers net energy metering. Interconnection and NEM applications go through PowerClerk with the plan set attached.30
Interconnection page ↗BWP is Burbank's municipal utility. Installers get a meter spot and confirmation number from BWP before pulling a city permit. Permits filed on or after January 1, 2026 fall under BWP's Solar Net Billing program.27,31
Interconnection page ↗The same capture standard as every other California job, so the plan set is built on what the technician verified on site.
LADBS issues permits inside the City of Los Angeles. LA County Public Works handles unincorporated areas and contract cities, and other cities such as Long Beach, Pasadena and Glendale have their own building departments. Confirm the jurisdiction from the parcel address.12,15
Yes, for qualifying systems. LADBS issues online permits for rooftop PV of 10 kW or less on one- and two-family homes that meet its electrical criteria, and other systems go through counter or regular plan check.12
No. The CPUC Net Billing Tariff applies to PG&E, SCE and SDG&E. LADWP is a municipal utility that runs its own net energy metering and interconnection program, so check LADWP's current terms.32,34
Usually not separately for one- and two-family homes, if the design meets LAFD's reference requirements and the plans say so. LADBS inspectors verify those fire access items during inspection.12
State-level detail is on the California page; every location is on the solar site survey hub.
Roof, attic and service panel in one visit
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Explore →Roof and electrical, one visit
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Explore →Every local fact on this page links to where it came from. Codes, programs and tariffs change: confirm the current requirement with the AHJ and the utility before you design.
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