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Residential Solar and Battery Storage
Contractors and homeowners can now apply for residential solar permits using the portal linked below. This portal offers AI-based plan checking that enables Truckee to issue solar permits quickly.
Submitting Your Solar Permit with Symbium
Apply for your rooftop solar or battery storage permit online through Symbium. Simply enter your property address, answer project questions, and submit your application- all without an in-person visit. Symbium automatically checks code compliance, verifies contractor licenses, and provides status updates by email and in your user dashboard.
Fee Notice: A processing fee is paid to Symbium at the time of submission. This is separate from the Town permit fee, which will be billed to the applicant afterward.
Solar Photovoltaic Requirements
Residential Solar Photovoltaic Panels/Modules shall be installed in accordance with the 2025 California Residential Code, Sections R324 (PDF) and R907 (PDF), the 2022 California Electrical Code, and Truckee's Design Guidelines and Criteria. The 2025 California Building Energy Efficiency Standards requires solar photovoltaic systems to be installed on new single-family and low-rise residential construction (R-2, multifamily, with 3 habitable stories or less; or R-3, single family; or U-building, located on a residential site).
All submittals for Residential Solar Photovoltaic installations shall include:
- References to the current California codes and the Town of Truckee Municipal Code.
- Plans (site, roof layout, and access pathways, mounting system, signage, electrical plan, etc.).
- Engineered design and structural calculations.
- Product specifications.
- Any additional documentation deemed relevant to the project.
Submittals for a mandated PV system shall be separate from the building permit. It shall be submitted, approved, and issued prior to requesting a rough framing inspection on the building permit. In addition to the above requirements, it shall include:
- CF1R indicating the minimum PV system size (confirm that the annual solar access is correct.
- After the system is installed, submit a solar assessment report completed by a CEC-approved solar assessment tool and a CF2R-PVB-01-E Certificate of Installation. In addition, one of the following conditions must be met:
- The satellite, drone, or other digital image used in the solar assessment report must be created and dated after the installation of the photovoltaic system.
- If the satellite, drone, or other digital image used in the solar assessment report is dated before the installation of the photovoltaic system, additional on-site pictures must be attached to clearly show that the installed system matches the system modeled in the solar assessment report.
Note: Building permit applicants should address all issues under their control to design and install PV systems that meet snow load structural requirements where possible. These include the specific characteristics of the PV panels and the method of installation, the slope and design of the roof, and the location of PV panels on the roof. The expectation is that designers will optimize the building design for solar PV from the start of their project.
Many building sites in the Sierra Nevada have roof-design snow loads that are greater than the highest-rated PV panels. In order to mitigate solar PV failures, the California Energy Commission (CEC) approved an exception that the solar PV requirement does not apply to buildings where PV panels cannot comply with the California Building Code snow load structural requirements.
If you believe you qualify for the high snow load exception, at project submittal:
- Submit a CF1R for the project showing the minimum required PV system.
- Complete and submit the threshold calculation. You may utilize the Solar PV High Snow Load Exception Calculator.
Effective January 1, 2022, the Building Division will collect a fee to review solar exception requests. The review fee will be charged hourly (1 hour minimum - see the Fee Schedule page for current rates).
Notice: Pertinent design requirements go beyond what is covered in this threshold calculation. If you wish to explore the exception further, a registered design professional shall provide supporting documentation, and the Building Division shall determine if the project qualifies for the exception.
A PV system is not required if the effective annual solar access is restricted to less than 80 contiguous square feet by shading from existing permanent natural or manmade barriers external to the dwelling, including but not limited to trees, hills, and adjacent structures. The effective annual solar access shall be at least 70% of the output of an unshaded PV array on an annual basis.
A CEC-approved solar assessment is required to confirm the exception.
If you believe you qualify for the solar access and shading exception, at project submittal, provide the following:
- A written request for an exception - the request can be an email or letter.
- CF1R indicates the exception.
- A site plan showing the proximity to remaining trees and, if applicable, the location(s) on the roof where the solar assessment reading(s) were taken.
- Solar assessment report with reading(s) clearly verifying the exception.
Please note: The Building Division will review the documentation submitted and determine if the project is exempt. If you do not qualify, a solar PV system submittal and an updated CF1R showing the minimum required PV system will be required.