Photovoltaic Real Time (PRT) Permit Submittal Requirements

Menlo Park’s PRT process complies with California SB 379 requirements for issuing residential solar energy system permits to a licensed solar installation contractor.  This process bypasses the standard building permit process to issue a building permit in real-time. All work must be designed to meet the minimum requirements of the California Building Standards Code and local amendments adopted by the City in effect at the time of permit application and the City of Menlo Park’s Municipal Code.

Eligible residential PV projects shall meet the following criteria:

  • Single-family residential
  • Roof-mounted system
  • New PV system (no upgrades or additions)
  • PV systems 38.4 kW or less
  • Electric service 400 A or less (no electrical panel upgrades)
  • Service to contain a 225 A service disconnect switch
  • Service to contain 225A bus bars
  • Applicant is a California-licensed contractor

Please note that: proposed systems that include battery ESS and EV charger installations are not eligible for the City's automated real time permit issuance at this time.

Menlo Park Fire Protection District

The Menlo Park Fire Protection District (MPFPD) is a separate and independent agencies from the City of Menlo Park. Depending on the scope of work for proposed projects, the MPFPD may require a permit, plan review and inspection. Please note that:

  • It is the responsibility of the applicant or applicant’s representative to coordinate the permit submittal, plan review, approval and inspection for Fire Code related work with the MPFPD.
  • It is the responsibility of the applicant or applicant’s representative to upload approval documents into the Accela Citizen Access Portal (ACA).
  • A Building permit from the City of Menlo Park will not be issued until both the MPFPD has approved the project if a permit is required.

Contact the MPFPD directly at www.menlofire.org or 650-688-8400 regarding any permitting questions or requirements.

Permit Application Submittal Requirements and Process

Please refer to Photovoltaic System and ESS Installation Requirements for a complete description of the required submittal documents listed below.

Plan Set Requirements

  1. Site Plan - To Include ESS location, dedicated ESS disconnect location and grounding system location

  2. Proposed Roof Plan - To Include location of existing plumbing vents which cannot be covered by the solar array

  3. Existing Roof Section(s)

  4. Installation Details

  5. Electrical Plan - To include an electrical one-line drawing with wire sizes, existing bus capacity and main disconnect

  6. PV Labeling Plan 

Required Supporting Documents

  1. Building Permit Application Form(PDF, 174KB)
  2. Structural Calculations
  3. Electrical Load Calculations(PDF, 1MB) - this may be included in the plan set
  4. All Product Specifications
  5. Approval letter from the MPFPD

Steps for PRT Process

Step 1: Register and/or log into process

SolarApp+

Step 2: Submit project to processor

  • Submit your project through the Processor (e.g., SolarAPP+).  
  • Pay the applicable fees charged by the Processor. 
  • Download the approval document (certificate) and inspection checklist.

Step 3: Apply for permit in Menlo Park portal

  • Log into Menlo Park’s Accela Citizen Access (ACA) portal.
  • When applying for a PRT permit, you will be asked to upload the required submittal documents including those you downloaded from the processor.
Required documents
  1. Approval certificate with issued processor number
  2. Inspection checklist from processor application
  3. Menlo Park Fire District approval letter
  4. Complete plan set
  5. Manufacturer specifications for PV modules, inverter, load center, combiner box, and other proposed equipment

Step 4: Scheduling inspection after construction

  • Log into Menlo Park’s Accela Citizen Access (ACA) portal.
  • Select “My Records."
  • Select the record number.
  • Select “Schedule an Inspection” near the top of the page.
  • Complete the inspection request form

 

FAQ's

What is SolarAPP+?

SolarAPP+ is short for Solar Automated Permit Processing. It is an online web portal that automates the plan review and process for issuing permits to qualified businesses or individuals installing code-compliant residential photovoltaic (PV) systems. Based on model building, electrical, and fire codes, SolarAPP+ automatically performs a compliance check based on inputs supplied by the contractor to ensure the proposed system is safe and code compliant. 

Visit https://gosolarapp.org for more information.

How do I submit a project through SolarAPP+?

Please visit the SolarAPP+ website for tutorials on how to register and submit a project on SolarAPP+:

Click her to register

Click here to submit

How do I make changes to approved SolarAPP+ plans?

Revisions can only be made on systems that have not yet been installed.

A SolarAPP+ revision must first be completed on the SolarAPP+ website. Once the SolarAPP+ revision is approved, create a City of Menlo Park revision amendment utilizing the following steps:

Log in to your Accela Citizen Access (ACA) account 

  1. On the “Home” tab, click “My Records”
  2. Locate the original permit number and in the “Action” column, select “Amendment”. This will prompt the creation of a Residential Solar Permit Revision which will generate a separate revision number (e.g., BLD2024-0XXXX-REVX)
  3. Complete the Residential Solar Permit Revision form
  4. Note the revised SolarAPP+ approval code (it will be different from the original code)
  5. Upload the newly generated SolarAPP+ approval package and specification sheets
  6. Print out the instruction package once the application is complete
  7. Read through the package for further instructions

Note that the instructions above are also noted in the previously issued permit packet.                                                         

 

Contact us

Building permits and general questions
650-330-6704
Email 

Inspection questions
Schedule online or 650-330-6767

Alternate Fridays closed

 

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