Solar Permit in Salt Lake City, Utah
Permit required
Yes, a permit is required
Before installing a roof-mounted or ground-mounted solar PV system.
Issued bySalt Lake City Building Services (Building Services & Civil Enforcement), Department of Community and Neighborhoods
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Salt Lake City requires a Solar Permit Application for solar photovoltaic systems, submitted with a completed Solar PV Permit Packet covering structural, electrical, zoning and fire review. The packet path applies to systems of 15 kW or less with 4 or fewer series strings per inverter, continuous AC output of 13,440 watts or less, and a load-side interconnection; ground-mounted arrays must sit at least 6 feet from a property line, and historic properties need a Certificate of Appropriateness first.
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 Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), Department of Commerce license active, and under which business name? Verify it on secure.utah.gov.
Utah's owner-builder rule (Utah Code 58-55-305(1)(d), (e), (j), (2); 15A-1-209(3)(b)(vi)) sets what you may do on your own home without hiring anyone. Read the statute.
When a permit is usually needed
Before installing a roof-mounted or ground-mounted solar PV system.
What a solar permit costs in Salt Lake City
How to apply in Salt Lake City
In Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City, 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. Salt Lake City Building Services (Building Services & Civil Enforcement), Department of Community and Neighborhoods sets the exact checklist for Salt Lake City.
Where to apply in Salt Lake City:
Salt Lake City Building Services (Building Services & Civil Enforcement), Department of Community and Neighborhoods
- City Hall, 451 South State Street, Room 215, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
- Phone: (801) 535-7968
- Email: slcpermits@slc.gov
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City: 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 Salt Lake City: 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 Salt Lake City: 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 Salt Lake City: 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 Salt Lake City: 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 Salt Lake City: 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 Salt Lake City permit portal or by phone at (801) 535-7968.
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 Salt Lake City
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before installing a roof-mounted or ground-mounted solar PV system.
- Budget the fee. "Solar Panel Permit Fee", by "System Size in kW": "0 - 5 kW" $264; "6 - 10 kW" $463; "11 - 50 kW" $529; "51 - 100 kW" $1,190 (Salt Lake City Consolidated Fee Schedule (FY2027, "Amended 06/16/2026 by Ord. 2026 - 29")). City Code 18.58.020: solar fees are assessed on kW size up to 100 kW; larger installations pay electrical system permit fees. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. Salt Lake City Building Services (Building Services & Civil Enforcement), Department of Community and Neighborhoods. Phone: (801) 535-7968. Address: City Hall, 451 South State Street, Room 215, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.
- Plan for inspections. In Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City?
- Salt Lake City requires a Solar Permit Application for solar photovoltaic systems, submitted with a completed Solar PV Permit Packet covering structural, electrical, zoning and fire review. The packet path applies to systems of 15 kW or less with 4 or fewer series strings per inverter, continuous AC output of 13,440 watts or less, and a load-side interconnection; ground-mounted arrays must sit at least 6 feet from a property line, and historic properties need a Certificate of Appropriateness first. Always confirm with the Salt Lake City Building Services (Building Services & Civil Enforcement), Department of Community and Neighborhoods before starting.
- How much does a solar permit cost in Salt Lake City?
- "Solar Panel Permit Fee", by "System Size in kW": "0 - 5 kW" $264; "6 - 10 kW" $463; "11 - 50 kW" $529; "51 - 100 kW" $1,190 (Salt Lake City Consolidated Fee Schedule (FY2027, "Amended 06/16/2026 by Ord. 2026 - 29")). City Code 18.58.020: solar fees are assessed on kW size up to 100 kW; larger installations pay electrical system permit fees. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a solar permit in Salt Lake City?
- You can apply through the Salt Lake City permit portal or contact the Salt Lake City Building Services (Building Services & Civil Enforcement), Department of Community and Neighborhoods directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a solar permit themselves in Salt Lake City?
- Under Utah law (Utah Code 58-55-305(1)(d), (e), (j), (2); 15A-1-209(3)(b)(vi)): Yes, within limits. A sole owner of property may build without a contractor license no more than one residential structure per year, and no more than three per five years, on their own property for their own noncommercial, nonpublic use, plus incidental structures such as a shed, carport, or detached garage (58-55-305(1)(d)). Unpaid helpers working under the owner's direction for token compensation are also exempt, but anyone else who builds the home must be licensed if the work requires it (58-55-305(1)(d)(i), (1)(e)). Owners and lessees, and their regular employees, are exempt when maintaining the property (58-55-305(1)(j)). The state's standardized permit form records whether the applicant is an original contractor or an owner-builder (15A-1-209(3)(b)(vi)), and a building department that issues a permit to an owner under this exemption must notify DOPL (58-55-305(2)). No state owner-builder disclosure form or resale restriction was found. Confirm how Salt Lake City applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Salt Lake City
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel Permit | It depends | Before replacing or relocating plumbing fixtures, adding or altering circuits, or moving... | ...Fee Schedule (FY2027, "Amended 06/16/2026 by Ord. 2026 - 29"), for example "$0.01 -... |
| Deck Permit | It depends | Deck height above grade at any point; an exempt deck must also not require guardrails and must not serve a required exit door | ...Fee Schedule (FY2027, "Amended 06/16/2026 by Ord. 2026 - 29"), for example "$0.01 -... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | Residential electrical: "Base Fee" $59 |
| EV Charger Permit | Permit required | Any size | Electrical permit: "Base Fee" $59 plus "Minor remodel and additional circuits" $40 for a... |
| Fence Permit | Permit required | Any size | "Fencing Permit" $47, a flat fee in the Salt Lake City Consolidated Fee Schedule... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | Mechanical permit: "Base Fee" $59 plus item fees, for example "Installation or... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | Plumbing permit: "Base fee" $59 plus item fees, for example "Plumbing fixture or trap... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | Water depth of a residential swimming pool or spa, above ground or in ground | ...Fee Schedule (FY2027, "Amended 06/16/2026 by Ord. 2026 - 29"), for example "$0.01 -... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Fee Schedule (FY2027, "Amended 06/16/2026 by Ord. 2026 - 29"), for example "$0.01 -... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | Floor area of a residential shed, playhouse or similar one-story detached accessory building | ...Fee Schedule (FY2027, "Amended 06/16/2026 by Ord. 2026 - 29"), for example "$0.01 -... |
| Water Heater Permit | Permit required | Any size | "Water heater" $16 each under Plumbing Permits, plus the plumbing "Base fee" $59 (Salt... |
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Salt Lake City documents; the office above sets the local rules.
How this solar permit page for Salt Lake City was verified. 2 official sources: slc.gov, slc.gov; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with Salt Lake City Building Services (Building Services & Civil Enforcement), Department of Community and Neighborhoods. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
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