Automated Solar Permitting – City of Atwater

The Building Division is excited to announce that licensed contractors are now able to streamline the permitting process of residential rooftop solar projects via SolarAPP+ in the City of Atwater. SolarAPP+, short for Solar Automated Permit Processing, is an online web portal that automates the plan review and process for issuing permits to licensed contractors, to install code-compliant residential photovoltaic (PV) systems.

Before applying for an automated solar plan review and solar permit, projects must follow certain requirements, please refer to the SolarAPP+ Eligibility Checklist to see which systems are eligible. Only projects that conform to this list are eligible to use the automated SolarAPP+ portal for instant permitting.

Below is an overview of the process:

Submit for Automated Review Through SolarAPP+

Once you submitt to SolarAPP+ and receive their and make their payment, you will be redirected to the City’s permit portal Cloudpermit, where you will apply for a Solar Building Permit and upload the approved documentation and provide the approval ID number issued by SolarAPP+.

All main panel upgrades require a separate application, permit and fees. Only Electrical C-10 licensed contractors may obtain panel upgrade permits.

Once the City’s review of the applications is complete, you will be receive notification of payment due.

Once the payment is received, the City will issue the solar permit, via Cloudpermit and you will be ready to commence work.

Eligibility to use SolarAPP+

For a full list of requirements, please click here.
Main Dwelling Rooftop, Permitted, Residential structures only.
No Ballasted Systems.
Must be a licensed contractor and registered with SolarAPP+
Permit Runners are not allowed to request SolarAPP+ permits.

1. Submit for Automated Review Through SolarAPP+

Submit your design to solarapp.nrel.gov
Click Login or Register to get started.
Have Contractors license information available to complete this step.
A $25 processing fee will be charged by the SolarAPP+ website.
Click here for a demonstration on SolarAPP+

2. Apply for City of Atwater Solar Permit

Create an account and/or log in to Cloudpermit
Click here for instructions on “How to Submit a Solar Permit Application.”
Click here for Instructions on “How to Submit a Permit Application for a Main Panel Upgrade.”

4. Inspections

SolarAPP+ inspections shall be scheduled through Cloudpermit.
Click here for instructions on “How to Schedule an Inspection.”
Field solar representative shall verify that all of the work performed conforms to the approved SolarAPP+ checklist and documents, prior to requesting an inspection.
Click here for instructions on “How to Cancel an Inspection.”

5. Revisions

Submit your revision through SolarAPP+ first.
You will be provided with a revised SolarAPP+ Approval Document.
The initial processing fee charged by the SolarAPP+ website covers up to three revisions.
Log in to Cloudpermit
Click here for instructions on “How to Submit a Revision.”
If the scope of the revision makes the project ineligible for use of SolarAPP+, please call the Building Division to coordinate the revision submittal process at (209) 357-6343.

FAQ’s – SolarAPP+ Residential Permits

SolarAPP+ is a standardized plan review software that runs compliance checks and processes building permit approvals for eligible rooftop solar systems. NREL created SolarAPP+ process.

NREL stands for National Renewable Energy Lab, a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, About NREL | NREL. SolarAPP+ is an application developed by NREL that allows authorized contractors to submit plans for certain rooftop residential solar projects and receive permits and plan check documents instantly.

Contractors who have completed training and are approved by SolarAPP+ are the only applicants that are accepted to use this streamlined process on SolarAPP+.

Once the solar contractor gets their plan approved by SolarAPP+, the solar contractor applies for the permit via Cloudpermit with their SolarAPP+ approval ID number and documents, staff will review the application and issue the permit.

When the contractor applies for SolarAPP+ on NREL Site, there will be a question to verify the building is permitted. If the building is not permitted, they are ineligible to apply on NREL’s SolarAPP+ and instead must apply for the regular permit via City of Atwater Cloudpermit portal.

All main panel upgrades require a separate application, permit and fees. Only Electrical C-10 licensed contractors may obtain panel upgrade permits.

SolarAPP+ allows up to 3 revisions under the $25.00 fee. They must resubmit the application to SolarAPP+ and once the resubmittal is approved, they will receive a modified permit number, for example:

Original SolarAPP+ ID: SA20230117-242-19-1234-A
First Approved Revision SolarAPP+ ID: SA20230117-242-19-1234-BSecond Approved Revision SolarAPP+ ID: SA20230117-242-19-1234-C
Third and Last Approved Revision SolarAPP+ ID: SA20230117-242-19-1234-D