In 2022, California passed SB 379 which “requires most California cities and counties to implement an online, automated permitting platform that verifies code compliance and issues permits in real time or allows the city, county, or city and county to issue permits in real time for a residential solar energy system.” SB 379

SolarAPP+ is a standardized plan review software that runs compliance checks and processes building permit approvals for eligible rooftop solar systems. NREL created SolarAPP+ process.

NREL stands for National Renewable Energy Lab, a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, About NREL | NREL.  SolarAPP+ is an application developed by NREL that allows authorized contractors to submit plans for certain rooftop residential solar projects and receive permits and plan check documents instantly.

Contractors who have completed training and are approved by SolarAPP+ are the only applicants that are accepted to use this streamlined process on SolarAPP+.

Once the solar contractor gets their plan approved by SolarAPP+, the solar contractor applies for the permit on PermitSLO with their SolarAPP+ approval code, and the permit is issued right away.

When the contractor applies for SolarAPP+ on NREL Site, there will be a question to verify the building is permitted. If the building is not permitted, they are ineligible to apply on NREL’s SolarAPP+ and instead must apply for the regular permit on PermitSLO.

The landing page on our website includes a link that identifies all APN’s that are within the FEMA 100-Year Flood Zones. The contractor has to check this list to see if property is within the FEMA 100-Year Flood Zones. If the property is within the 100-Year Flood Zone, they are ineligible to apply on NREL’s SolarAPP+ and instead must apply for the regular permit on PermitSLO

SolarAPP+ collects a one-time fee of $25.00. The County application fee is separate and will remain the same as a regular solar permit application that contractors apply for on PermitSLO.

SolarAPP+ allows up to 3 revisions under the $25.00 fee. They must resubmit the application to SolarAPP+ and once the resubmittal is approved, they will receive a modified permit number, for example:

• Original SolarAPP+ ID: SA20230117-242-19-1234-A
• First Approved Revision SolarAPP+ ID: SA20230117-242-19-1234-B
• Second Approved Revision SolarAPP+ ID: SA20230117-242-19-1234-C
• Third and Last Approved Revision SolarAPP+ ID: SA20230117-242-19-1234-D

Once the contractor receives the new SolarAPP+ ID, they can upload this new document onto their existing permit on PermitSLO, along with their modified plans. The County Inspector may charge any fees that are appropriate for the resubmittal, similar to the current process for re-inspection.

There will be no difference in the application for SolarAPP+. There will be a question on PermitSLO that allows the contractor to specify whether a panel is being modified. If there is a modification, there will be a fee charged for Electrical Service, Meter Replacement-1.