Solar Permit in Gilbert, Arizona
It depends
Sometimes, depending on the project
Only if not installed by an Arizona licensed contractor or equipment is not listed and labeled
Issued byDevelopment Services (Plan Review and Inspection Division)
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Gilbert's amended 2018 IBC/IRC Section 105.2 exemption 16 exempts solar photovoltaic systems, solar hot water heating systems, and wind turbine systems from permits when installed by an Arizona licensed contractor with equipment listed and labeled by a nationally recognized third-party testing agency. The Building Code Adoption Dates sheet shows solar systems, wind turbine systems, and water heater replacements were first exempted from permits by Ordinance 2238 on June 30, 2009. Work outside the exemption falls under the adopted 2018 codes and 2017 NEC.
Typical threshold: Solar photovoltaic systems and solar hot water heating systems are exempt from permit when installed by an Arizona licensed contractor using equipment listed and labeled by a nationally recognized third-party testing agency.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
Hire it out
Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
- Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?
When a permit is usually needed
Only if not installed by an Arizona licensed contractor or equipment is not listed and labeled
What a solar permit costs in Gilbert
How Gilbert compares in Arizona
No Arizona jurisdiction we have verified sets a size threshold for this permit, so what actually differs between them is the fee.
| Jurisdiction | Permit needed? | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|
| Chandler | Permit required | Flat $150 fee for a residential solar photovoltaic system permit and a... |
| Gilbertthis page | It depends | No Town permit fee when the licensed-contractor exemption applies |
| Maricopa County | Permit required | Roof-mounted residential solar is printed at $300 ($150 inspection plus $140... |
| Mesa | Permit required | Most residential rooftop solar under 10,000 sq ft installed by a licensed... |
| Peoria | Permit required | Residential Solar Photovoltaic Permit is 184 dollars for a 40 amp circuit or... |
| Phoenix | Permit required | Residential solar photovoltaic permits use fixed-fee options from $780 with... |
| Pima County | Permit required | Residential photovoltaic installation is treated as minor electrical work... |
How to apply in Gilbert
In Gilbert, a rooftop solar PV permit application is a combined structural and electrical plan set: a site plan and roof framing details proving the array's mounting can carry its added loads, plus a one line electrical diagram covering listed modules and inverters, disconnects, and the rapid shutdown design. Utility interconnection is a separate approval that runs in parallel with the permit.
What most solar permit applications include:
- Both a building permit and a separate electrical permit are required, since the array must be designed and installed to the residential code's solar provisions and to the National Electrical Code (IRC R324.3).
- For Gilbert, the plan set identifies listed equipment: PV modules listed to UL 1703 (or both UL 61730-1 and UL 61730-2), and inverters listed to UL 1741, with grid-tied inverters listed for utility interaction (IRC R324.3.1).
- Structural drawings show that the roof framing is designed to structurally support the array and withstand the gravity loads it adds (IRC R324.4.1).
- For Gilbert, the site plan lays out roof access pathways at least 36 inches wide, plus a ridge setback sized to how much of the roof the array covers, so firefighters retain pathways and ventilation access (IRC R324.6.1, IRC R324.6.2).
- For Gilbert, the one line electrical diagram shows the rapid shutdown method and the location of its single initiation device, since one control point must bring all system conductors down to safe levels (NEC 690.12, NEC 690.56(C)).
- Interconnecting the array to the utility grid at a defined point of connection is a separate application process from the local building or electrical permit and must be approved before the system can operate (NEC 705.12).
- Some permitting offices route applications through SolarAPP+, an automated review platform that checks the plan set against code requirements and issues eligible permits instantly (DOE SolarAPP+).
General submittal guidance from IRC 2021 R324 (Solar Energy Systems) and NEC 2020 Article 690 (Solar Photovoltaic Systems) and Article 705 (Interconnected Power Production Sources). Source. Development Services (Plan Review and Inspection Division) sets the exact checklist for Gilbert.
Where to apply in Gilbert:
Development Services (Plan Review and Inspection Division)
- 90 E. Civic Center Drive, Gilbert, AZ 85296
- Phone: (480) 503-6700
- Email: onestopshop@gilbertaz.gov
Solar Permit in Gilbert compared with nearby Arizona localities
| Locality | Permit needed? | Threshold | What each Arizona schedule says | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilbert | It depends | Solar photovoltaic systems and solar hot water heating systems are exempt from permit when installed by an Arizona licensed contractor using equipment listed and labeled by a nationally recognized third-party testing agency. | No Town permit fee when the licensed-contractor exemption applies | |
| Chandler | Permit required | Not specified | Flat $150 fee for a residential solar photovoltaic system permit and a separate flat... | |
| Maricopa County | Permit required | Not specified | Roof-mounted residential solar is printed at $300 ($150 inspection plus $140 plan review... | |
| Mesa | Permit required | Not specified | Most residential rooftop solar under 10,000 sq ft installed by a licensed Arizona... | |
| Peoria | Permit required | Not specified | Residential Solar Photovoltaic Permit is 184 dollars for a 40 amp circuit or less/8K or... |
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Gilbert, inspectors verify the installed array against the approved plans, and some agencies run a rough check of roof attachments and penetrations while they are still exposed before the wiring and roofing close them in. The final inspection confirms rapid shutdown, disconnects, grounding, and required labels are installed correctly, and the system cannot be energized until the utility separately approves interconnection.
- In Gilbert: where an agency runs a rough or pre-inspection, it checks the array's roof penetrations while they are still exposed, confirming they are flashed and sealed (IRC R324.4.3).
- In Gilbert: the inspector confirms whether rapid shutdown is required, how it is accomplished, and that it is properly identified (NEC 690.12, NEC 690.56(C)).
- In Gilbert: pV disconnecting means must be permanently marked and installed where they are readily accessible, which the inspector confirms in the field (NEC 690.13).
- In Gilbert: bonding and grounding of the array, including every exposed non current carrying metal part and the grounding electrode system, is checked before sign off (NEC 690.43, NEC 690.47).
- In Gilbert: at the service equipment, the inspector looks for the required rapid shutdown placard, a labeled diagram showing the initiation device's location in the specified colors and letter sizes (NEC 690.56(C)).
- In Gilbert: utility interconnection is inspected and approved separately from the local building department's sign off, and the system cannot be energized until both approvals are in hand (NEC 705.12).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Gilbert permit portal or by phone at (480) 503-6700.
Inspection sequence from NEC 2020 Article 690 (690.12 rapid shutdown, 690.13 disconnects, 690.43/690.47 grounding, 690.56 labeling) and IRC 2021 R324.4.3 (roof penetrations). Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Solar Permit checklist for Gilbert
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Typical threshold: Solar photovoltaic systems and solar hot water heating systems are exempt from permit when installed by an Arizona licensed contractor using equipment listed and labeled by a nationally recognized third-party testing agency. Usually needed: Only if not installed by an Arizona licensed contractor or equipment is not listed and labeled.
- Budget the fee. No Town permit fee when the licensed-contractor exemption applies; Gilbert first exempted solar systems from permits by Ordinance 2238 on 6/30/2009. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Gilbert, a rooftop solar PV permit application is a combined structural and electrical plan set: a site plan and roof framing details proving the array's mounting can carry its added loads, plus a one line electrical diagram covering listed modules and inverters, disconnects, and the rapid shutdown design. Utility interconnection is a separate approval that runs in parallel with the permit. Start at the Gilbert permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. Development Services (Plan Review and Inspection Division). Phone: (480) 503-6700. Address: 90 E. Civic Center Drive, Gilbert, AZ 85296.
- Plan for inspections. In Gilbert, inspectors verify the installed array against the approved plans, and some agencies run a rough check of roof attachments and penetrations while they are still exposed before the wiring and roofing close them in. The final inspection confirms rapid shutdown, disconnects, grounding, and required labels are installed correctly, and the system cannot be energized until the utility separately approves interconnection.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a solar permit in Gilbert?
- Gilbert's amended 2018 IBC/IRC Section 105.2 exemption 16 exempts solar photovoltaic systems, solar hot water heating systems, and wind turbine systems from permits when installed by an Arizona licensed contractor with equipment listed and labeled by a nationally recognized third-party testing agency. The Building Code Adoption Dates sheet shows solar systems, wind turbine systems, and water heater replacements were first exempted from permits by Ordinance 2238 on June 30, 2009. Work outside the exemption falls under the adopted 2018 codes and 2017 NEC. Solar photovoltaic systems and solar hot water heating systems are exempt from permit when installed by an Arizona licensed contractor using equipment listed and labeled by a nationally recognized third-party testing agency. Always confirm with the office before starting.
- How much does a solar permit cost in Gilbert?
- No Town permit fee when the licensed-contractor exemption applies; Gilbert first exempted solar systems from permits by Ordinance 2238 on 6/30/2009. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a solar permit in Gilbert?
- You can apply through the Gilbert permit portal or contact the Development Services (Plan Review and Inspection Division) directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a solar permit themselves in Gilbert?
- Under Arizona law (A.R.S. 32-1121(A)(5), (A)(9), (A)(14)(a); 32-1164(A)(2), (B)): Arizona addresses owner-builders through its contractor licensing law rather than through the building code itself. A.R.S. 32-1121(A)(5) exempts property owners who build or improve structures on their own land and do the work themselves, with their own employees, or with duly licensed contractors, as long as the finished structure is for the owner's own occupancy and is not intended for sale or rent. Selling or renting within one year of completion or of the certificate of occupancy is prima facie evidence the project was really undertaken for sale or rent, which defeats the exemption, a rule that functions much like Florida's one-year restriction. The exemption does not waive the underlying permit requirement: several of the chapter's small-job licensing exemptions, including the $1,000 casual-work exemption in A.R.S. 32-1121(A)(14), expressly do not apply whenever the work requires a local building permit, so once a job needs a permit, anyone doing that work for someone else generally must hold an Arizona contractor's license regardless of dollar amount. Acting as a contractor without a license, on permit-required work or otherwise, is a class 1 misdemeanor under A.R.S. 32-1164, carrying a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 for a first offense and $2,000 for a repeat offense. Confirm how Gilbert applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Gilbert
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | Decks are not addressed in Gilbert's published amendments to the IRC R105.2 exemption list, so permit requirements follow the unamended 2018 IRC provisions, which Gilbert's own pages do not restate. | If a permit is required, valuation-based building permit fee, minimum $50 |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Exemptions include work by a serving utility and solar or like-for-like water heating appliance replacements installed by an Arizona licensed contractor under amended exemption 16. | Individual Electrical Permit, residential: $150 (fee schedule revised 7/1/2026). |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Gilbert's amended IRC R105.2 exempts only fences not over 3 feet high; the Town's pool barrier policy statement says internal fences over 3 feet in height require building permits and inspections. | Walls/Fences fee $180 as a separate single-family permit, or $120 when combined with a... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Gilbert's amended IRC R105.2 mechanical exemption list includes a replacement-based exemption and cross-references the exemption for water heating appliance replacements by an Arizona licensed contractor. | Individual Mechanical Permit, residential: $150 (fee schedule revised 7/1/2026). |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Only one-story detached non-habitable accessory structures up to 200 square feet are exempt from permit; attached patio covers and larger structures require a building permit. | Valuation-based building permit fee, minimum $50 |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Water softeners and like-for-like replacements of gas or electric water heating appliances (not tankless) installed by an Arizona licensed contractor are exempt from permit. | Individual Plumbing Permit, residential: $150 (fee schedule revised 7/1/2026). |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Non-permanent wading pools of rubber or plastic holding no more than 18 inches of water are excepted from the pool enclosure regulations. | Swimming pool permit fee $300 for permanent in-ground pools/spas and $140 for portable... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | Re-roofing not requiring a structural change is exempt from permit; a re-roof that involves a structural change requires a building permit. | If a permit is required, valuation-based building permit fee, minimum $50 |
| Shed Permit | It depends | Structures less than 200 square feet do not require a permit; a permit is required at 200 square feet or larger, or if the shed has electrical or plumbing utilities or is connected to the house or another structure. | Valuation-based building permit fee, minimum $50 for work valued up to $1,100 |
Solar Permit in other Arizona localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Gilbert documents; the office above sets the local rules.
How this solar permit page for Gilbert was verified. 3 official sources: gilbertaz.gov, gilbertaz.gov, gilbertaz.gov; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with Development Services (Plan Review and Inspection Division). Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page