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Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit in Brighton, Colorado

Required for rooftop solar PV installations in Brighton. Applied for through the City's OpenGov portal under a dedicated Solar category. Solar energy collection/conversion systems fall under the Class E Specialty Trades contractor license (Municipal Code Article 15-16-50(5)) unless performed by a broader-class licensed contractor.

Verified 2026-07-20 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Electrical work governed by the 2023 NEC as adopted
  • Contractor must hold a City of Brighton Class E (Specialty Trades — solar energy collection/conversion systems) license, or a broader Class A/B/C license authorizing the work
  • Rough inspection requires photo documentation uploaded directly (not as a link or zip file) showing: front of house and address, roof flashing, hold-downs, rail system, junction boxes, bonding, and any required structural upgrades
  • Applications submitted through the dedicated OpenGov Solar category (new users must sign up and obtain a license before beginning the solar permitting process)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Electrical/Building Permit Fee (unified valuation-based schedule)Brighton does not publish a solar-specific flat fee; billed under the general unified Permit Fee schedule based on installation valuation
$23.50 minimum, scaling per the valuation tiers in the 2026 Community Development Fee Schedule
Construction Use TaxCity of Brighton Adopted Fee Regulations — “Use tax is 3.75% of 50% of the project valuation.” This is the only City page that states the rate; the 2026 fee resolution does not carry it.
3.75% of 50% of total project valuation
Statewide aggregate fee cap on active solar energy system installs
Statutory cap on the aggregate of all City-imposed fees/charges related to installing an active solar energy system under 2 megawatts DC, applicable statewide to 'the state or any agency,… Show full citationStatutory cap on the aggregate of all City-imposed fees/charges related to installing an active solar energy system under 2 megawatts DC, applicable statewide to 'the state or any agency, institution, authority, or political subdivision of the state' regardless of Brighton's home-rule status; repealed effective December 31, 2029 unless renewed. Brighton's own valuation-based Permit Fee + Construction Use Tax is not itself published as a single number, so whether a given project's combined City charges actually reach this cap depends on project valuation — but the cap is a real, current ceiling on whatever the valuation-based schedule would otherwise total.
$500.00 maximum (residential) / $1,000.00 maximum (commercial), per Colorado C.R.S. 24-48.5-113 (enacted by HB21-1284)

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit permit actually take in Brighton?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough Inspection

    Photo-documented: roof flashing, hold-downs, rail system, junction boxes, bonding, structural upgrades

  2. 2

    Final Inspection

    System energized, electrical connections and labeling verified

See the full Brighton inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Brighton requires rough-inspection photos to be uploaded directly through the OpenGov portal — the City's own solar guidance explicitly warns against submitting them as a link or zip file, which will not be accepted.
  • New OpenGov users must sign up and obtain a license before starting the solar permitting process — budget account setup time separately from the permit application itself.

Frequently asked questions

Brighton requires a rooftop solar photovoltaic (pv) permit for: Electrical work governed by the 2023 NEC as adopted; Contractor must hold a City of Brighton Class E (Specialty Trades — solar energy collection/conversion systems) license, or a broader Class A/B/C license authorizing the work; Rough inspection requires photo documentation uploaded directly (not as a link or zip file) showing: front of house and address, roof flashing, hold-downs, rail system, junction boxes, bonding, and any required structural upgrades; Applications submitted through the dedicated OpenGov Solar category (new users must sign up and obtain a license before beginning the solar permitting process). If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Brighton Community Development Department, Permitting Division at 303-655-2017 before starting work.

In Brighton, the published Electrical/Building Permit Fee (unified valuation-based schedule) is: $23.50 minimum, scaling per the valuation tiers in the 2026 Community Development Fee Schedule. Additional published fees: Construction Use Tax — 3.75% of 50% of total project valuation; Statewide aggregate fee cap on active solar energy system installs — $500.00 maximum (residential) / $1,000.00 maximum (commercial), per Colorado C.R.S. 24-48.5-113 (enacted by HB21-1284). These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Brighton does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Brighton Community Development Department, Permitting Division at 303-655-2017 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Solar/Electrical Permit Application — Photovoltaic scope; Rough Inspection Photo Set. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Brighton requires 2 inspection(s) for a rooftop solar photovoltaic (pv) permit, in order: Rough Inspection, Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Brighton Community Development Department, Permitting Division (303-655-2017).

Apply through City of Brighton Community Development Department, Permitting Division at 500 S 4th Avenue, Brighton, CO 80601. Phone: 303-655-2017, email: 1stop@brightonco.gov. Office hours: City of Brighton main line 303-655-2000; Building Permit Counter direct line 303-655-2017; Homeowner Inspection Line 303-655-2151; Community Development general line 303-655-2072. City Hall closes at noon on Fridays, and all Community Development functions (planning and zoning, permitting and inspections) end at noon on Fridays as well.. Official information: https://www.brightonco.gov/222/Permitting.

Brighton, Colorado has adopted: 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — City of Brighton 'Building Code Editions, Design Loads, Etc.' sheet, Codes & Information page; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC); 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2021 International Fire Code (IFC); 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC); 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC); ICC A117-17 (Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities); Effective date of the 2021 I-Code revisions: January 1, 2023. Effective date of the 2023 NEC adoption: July 1, 2023 — both per the City's own published 'Building Code Editions, Design Loads, Etc.' sheet (Codes & Information page), which is treated as the current, governing adopted-code list for this record.; Brighton's Municode-hosted Chapter 15, Article 15-12 (“National Electrical Code”) still codifies the 2005 National Electrical Code in its text, which lags the City's live Codes & Information page. That page states the 2023 NEC is adopted effective 7/1/2023, and the 2023 NEC is the edition in force. Design and bid to the 2023 NEC, and raise it with the Building Division if a plan reviewer cites the older codified text.. Local amendments apply — see the Brighton overview page for the full list.

Yes. Solar permits are processed through a dedicated OpenGov Solar category (brightonco.portal.opengov.com/categories/1071) distinct from the general building/electrical permit categories, though it follows the same underlying fee schedule.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-20.

Fee schedules

Codes & ordinances

Department & other records

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Brighton building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit in other cities

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