Exempt from permits AHJ, how many?

So far I have found 4 AHJs that have completely exempted permits for residential solar installs, Gilbert AZ, Mesa AZ, the entire Western Australia and the entire State of Vermont, each AHJ has their own qualifiers, nothing burdensome for sure. Do you know of any AHJ other than those mentioned that has EXEMPTED residential PV installs from the permit process? Please post the info as it will help with my campaign to reduce red tape, thank you.

Comments

  • jaggedben
    jaggedben Solar Expert Posts: 230 ✭✭
    Re: Exempt from permits AHJ, how many?

    What exactly do you mean? No permit at all, and no inspection at all? Or just no plan submittal and review, or the main building permit fee is waived?

    San Francisco, for example, waives the plan submittable and review for systems under 4kW, and only charges basically administrative and inspection fees. i.e. no building permit fee based on a percentage of the value of the project, as is typical for most other types of projects.

    A bunch of other AHJs in the Bay Area either waive the percentage based fee, or charge a modest flat fee for PV systems.

    I don't know of any that don't require a permit. The utilities in California all require the signed off AHJ permit for interconnection and net-metering, so I think you have have somebody do something no matter what.
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Exempt from permits AHJ, how many?

    You need to clarify what your talking about, Define AHJ (Authoritative Housing Jurisdiction?). And what type of solar installation.

    Off Grid requires very little in many places...
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Exempt from permits AHJ, how many?
    Photowhit wrote: »
    You need to clarify what your talking about, Define AHJ (Authoritative Housing Jurisdiction?). And what type of solar installation.

    Off Grid requires very little in many places...

    If anything it has gotten worse in Glendale, AZ as they now require a panel placement inspection for the fire code to allow the peak area to be clear for smoke venting.
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Exempt from permits AHJ, how many?

    i had brought up a point with one of our members before that went unanswered about the fact that steel roofs are more difficult to break through than busting up a pv to access the shingled roof below for venting. their cutters would make mince meat of most rails and you know they'd throw it to the ground and destroy it, but better to sacrifice a pv than your house. why they are now worried about having to go through something like a pv is stupid when you consider they go through any and everything else. they worry it's electrified, but i doubt it as most times there's insufficient light for most times are not optimal daylight hours or are actual night hours, but think about this for a moment, if your place is so bad they have to vent the roof then there's too much smoke present already for any real power production if even during the daytime and even if there was, a snip on the wires takes care of that. i guess they are worried it might put a ding into their cutters?
  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Exempt from permits AHJ, how many?
    niel wrote: »
    i had brought up a point with one of our members before that went unanswered about the fact that steel roofs are more difficult to break through than busting up a pv to access the shingled roof below for venting. their cutters would make mince meat of most rails and you know they'd throw it to the ground and destroy it, but better to sacrifice a pv than your house. why they are now worried about having to go through something like a pv is stupid when you consider they go through any and everything else. they worry it's electrified, but i doubt it as most times there's insufficient light for most times are not optimal daylight hours or are actual night hours, but think about this for a moment, if your place is so bad they have to vent the roof then there's too much smoke present already for any real power production if even during the daytime and even if there was, a snip on the wires takes care of that. i guess they are worried it might put a ding into their cutters?

    I have to agree Neil, glad I got that real estate used before that code requirement was in place so I am grandfathered.
  • Mike at Energy Commission
    Mike at Energy Commission Solar Expert Posts: 50 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Exempt from permits AHJ, how many?

    what I mean by AHJ is the Authority Having Jurisdiction, usually the Building Department that issues Building Permits, (not talking utilities connection process yet). Glad to discover there are AHJs that have exempted residential PV solar installs with reasonable limitations. In W. Australia cyclone zones need a permit, in AZ the install must be done by a lic electrical contractor and UL certified components only, no added electrical to house, Vermont requires a State approved installer and UL components.

    What I mean for "exempted from a Permit" *is either one of two situations where a Building Department exists*, be exempted from the up front paperwork process and associated fees, yet be required to get a safety inspection of some kind. The second situation would be exempt from both, the up front paper work and the inspection. I am using this information as part of a campaign to reduce red tape and fees locally.