Click to download PDF of checklist.
The pre-submittal checklist below contains the minimum information and project plan details required to be submitted to the Town of Erie when applying for a permit to install a residential or commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) system. The intent of using the checklist is to provide transparent and well-defined information to minimize the number of required revisions, improve permit application quality, and accelerate the application and review process.
Codes and Design Criteria
The Town of Erie has adopted the following codes: 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), 2021 International Building Code (IBC), and the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC). View more on Codes and Design Standards.
The following local design criteria should be used: Maximum Wind Speed = 142 mph Ultimate. Snow Load = 30 psf.
Required Permits
A permit must be obtained prior to the start of any work. Complete the following permit application form(s) and submit any additional required documents.
Solar PV System:
Additional Required Documents
- Site Plan
- Site plan should show the location of major components on the property. The site plan drawing need not be exactly to scale, but it should represent relative location of components at site.
- PV arrays in compliance with IRC R324.6 Roof Access and Pathways require no fire service review.
- Electrical Diagram
- Electrical diagram/worksheets shall indicate PV system configuration, wiring system, overcurrent protection, inverter, disconnects, required signs, and AC connection to the building.
- Specification sheets and installation manuals (if available)
- Provide spec sheets and manuals for all manufactured components including, but no limited to, PV modules, inverter(s), combiner box, disconnects, and mounting system.
- Structural Roof Letter, including snow load and wind speed.
- Stamped by Colorado Professional Engineer
Contractor Requirements
All Solar Permits shall have a licensed Electrical Contractor listed on the application. Electrical Contractors shall be verified by a Permit Technician, that the company listed has a State licensed Electrical Contractor, and the Individual listed as the Master Electrician is employed by the company.
Permit Fees
A permit fee for a solar install consists of a flat fee of $164.50 plus a Town Use Tax (3.5%) and applicable County Use Tax (Boulder County = 0.985%) is collected on the estimated material.
Complete solar permit fee information can be found on the Fee Schedule webpage located at the bottom of the page.
Submit Permit Application
The permit shall be submitted on our Customer Self Service Portal. You will need to register for an account and then you can apply for the permit.
Review Process Timeline
The Town of Erie Building Division is committed to providing a timely review of solar PV permit applications. Best efforts are made to review completed residential solar permit applications within 5 business days and commercial/non- residential solar permit applications within 7 business days. These turnaround times are typical, not guaranteed. The Building Division has a dedicated staff; however workloads, vacations, and sick leave can cause unforeseen delays that may impact turnaround time.
Certain circumstances can delay the plan review turnaround time such as:
- Applicant does not submit all required information.
- Contractor applying for permit is not a licensed contractor.
- Equipment is not listed.
Permit Status
To check your permit status please log into your portal account you set up when submitting. You will see the permit located on your “Dashboard” and the status should be viewable from there.
Permit Expiration
A permit expires six (6) months after date of issuance, unless the work authorized by such permit is commenced within six (6) months after its issuance or after commencement of work if more than six (6) months pass between inspections.
Scheduling an Inspection and the Inspection Process
To schedule an inspection please log into your portal account and click on the permit you are requesting the inspection. You can request the inspection(s) available to you under the “Inspection Tab.” If the inspection you are looking for isn’t available, either there is a prerequisite that needs to be met or you may have been logged out of your account. If the prerequisite needs to be met, it will be stated in red next to the inspection. If there isn’t anything in red, check the top right-hand corner of your page and make sure your name is listed and it does not say “Guest.” If it does say “Guest” you will need to re-log into your account and make sure to select the “Remember Me” button before hitting continue. This will prevent you from being logged out when selecting a permit.
Typically, inspections are completed within the next business day. When scheduling the inspection, it will only show the days available. To receive a timeframe of when an inspector will be completing the inspection, call the office at 303-926- 2780 the morning of your inspection between 07:30-08:30 am to speak to an inspector. The inspector will give a 2-hour time window but that is subject to change due to weather or cancellations.
A solar PV system requires two inspections:
- Rough Electrical and Frame Solar (Residential rough solar inspection requires photos submitted)
- Final Electrical, Building and Electrical Service
