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Local Grid Tie Solar Laws

Lt.Dan

Solar Wizard
Joined
Dec 25, 2020
Messages
3,528
Location
Tulare, Ca
Anybody know if theres an easy to find place that gives info on laws/permits required to do a DIY Grid Tie system? Or do you basically just need to call your city officials and talk to them?
 
Anybody know if theres an easy to find place that gives info on laws/permits required to do a DIY Grid Tie system? Or do you basically just need to call your city officials and talk to them?
I started by searching my power company's web site for "Net Metering". You might find it at your state government web site, when there is a state law. I am not inside a city, so I didn't have to deal with city permits.
 
In California......

The State PUC Public Utilities Commission puc.ca.gov you will need to dig through but this is the bible for building departments search through the “grid tie” menu’s

all the requirements
accepted inverters and other devices, solar panels, etc

In CA the PUC lays down what the building inspector can accept

your local inspector may vary but the installation must be uploaded to the PUC and registered

this is so linemen can know exactly where phantom source are appearing on the grid

your state may vary
 
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Every state has adopted some version of the NEC code as @Supervstech said.
Not sure how accurate the map to the right is, might not be up-to-date anymore.

You'd think you couldn't go wrong by going with a later code (and the later codes are
always better), but sometimes inspectors are sticklers (or haven't been trained on the
changes yet).

What does change locally is the net metering agreement and the various discounts/rebates.
You can get your net metering agreement from your utility and there are a number of
websites you can google that will list incentives available to you.
6012ca3fb0ca8fc776785aa9_NEC2017_adoptionbystate_July1.png
 
Last edited:
Every state has adopted some version of the NEC code as @Supervstech said.
Not sure how accurate the map to the right is, might not be up-to-date anymore.

You'd think you couldn't go wrong by going with a later code (and the later codes are
always better), but sometimes inspectors are sticklers (or haven't been trained on the
changes yet).

What does change locally is the net metering agreement and the various discounts/rebates.
You can get your net metering agreement from your utility and there are a number of
websites you can google that will list incentives available to you.
6012ca3fb0ca8fc776785aa9_NEC2017_adoptionbystate_July1.png
What the chart doesn’t show are the changes to the NEC that states allow. My state has a SLEW of changes to the 2017 code they adopt… in November, NC adopts the majority of the 2020 code, but for commercial property only… they retain the 2017 code for single and two family dwellings until 2025… and there were a slew of changes to the 2017 code, and many of those changes were reversed this code cycle… I just completed my code review course Tuesday this week, and so many things changed from last cycle…
 
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