How long does my city/county usually take to approve solar permits?
The time it takes for a city or county to approve solar permits can vary widely, typically ranging from a few weeks to a few months.
Factors such as local regulations, workload, and the complexity of your solar panel system can influence the approval timeline. We’ll keep you updated via your myFreedom account, and send emails to the address we have on file.
Do I need to contact the utility company myself?
As your turnkey professional solar installer, we handle all communications and interactions with the utility company on your behalf, so there is no need to connect with your utility company.
Our team will take care of the necessary paperwork, approvals, and coordination with the utility to ensure a smooth and hassle-free connection of your solar panel system to the grid.
There may be times when you need to sign documents to move your utility paperwork along—we’ll notify you when your participation is required. Otherwise, your job is simply to enjoy the benefits of your new solar panel system while we handle the rest!
Will you keep me updated on permitting status changes?
Absolutely! Here is what you can expect from us in terms of permit status updates:
- Permit submission: We’ll let you know as soon as your permit applications are submitted
- Requests for additional information: If anyone asks for any clarification or supplemental documents, we’ll reach out right away to gather what they need.
- Approval notification: You’ll hear from us as soon as we receive official notice that your permits have been approved.
Communication will be ongoing while your permits are issued, via realtime updates in your customer portal and through email. Please reach out to us if you ever have any questions or concerns during the review process. We know how important these updates are!
Can you expedite the permits if needed?
The time it takes to review and approve permits is up to each local building department, so we are unable to expedite any permits. Some may have quicker turnaround times than others based on their current workload and processes.
The good news is that we’re solar experts who submit the most complete and compliant permit application possible to try to minimize any delays. We’ll also stay in close communication with the various departments throughout the process to provide any needed clarification and updates in a timely manner.
While we can’t expedite the permitting itself, what we can promise is clear ongoing communication with you so you know what to expect throughout the process
What could delay the permitting process?
There are a few things that could potentially delay the permitting process for your solar installation:
- Permit backlog: Some building departments may have a significant backlog of permits to review, which could slow things down. We’ll follow up with them regularly to try to expedite the process.
- Requests for additional information: The building department may request clarification or additional details during their review. In smaller jurisdictions, the building department may just be learning about how solar permitting works. We’ll work closely with them to provide anything they need as quickly as possible.
- Roof structural analysis: If required, the structural roof analysis done by an engineer could take some time and delay the permit approval. We’ll try to get this scheduled and completed promptly.
- HOA approval: If your homeowners association needs to approve the solar installation, their review process could add some time as well. We’ll coordinate with them right away to get the ball rolling.
While delays are possible, we’ll do everything we can to minimize them and keep your permit moving through the approval process as quickly as we can, and inform you as soon as your applications have been approved.
Do I need to contact my HOA myself?
Typically, we’ll handle all the HOA communication and coordination for you.
To make things smoother, feel free to provide your HOA portal login and contact info in the account settings in your myFreedom account. That way, our solar team can easily reach out to them on your behalf.
Some HOA’s have unique requirements for solar panel applications, such as collecting the signatures of your neighbors, that we may need your assistance with. We’ll let you know if your HOA is asking for anything like this.
Other than those rare instances, we’ll take care of submitting any required HOA paperwork and securing approvals. Solar installation just got easier!