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Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit in Centennial, Colorado

Required for installation of rooftop solar photovoltaic systems in Centennial. Governed by the City's Photovoltaic (Solar) Panels and Modules checklist, structural design criteria (115 mph wind / 30 psf snow load), and the currently adopted NEC. Commercial solar installations require a SEPARATE South Metro Fire Rescue submittal and permit in addition to the City Building permit.

Verified 2026-07-03 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A licensed electrical contractor must be provided at time of online application
  • Structural engineering letter (stamped and sealed by a licensed structural engineer) required for both commercial and residential installations, demonstrating the existing structure supports lateral and gravity loads with solar panels installed, using minimum 115 mph wind speed (Exposure Category C) and 30 psf roof snow load
  • Engineered drawings depicting roof framing member size/spacing, sheathing type/thickness, roofing material layers, and mount type (flush vs. tilt)
  • Aerial and vicinity map of the structure
  • Site plan showing combiner/junction box, disconnect, inverter, meter, and service panel/tie-in locations; general footprint and proximity to property lines; roof plan showing panel locations relative to b-vents, attic vents, and plumbing vents; 2 ft setback from eaves and 3 ft setback from the ridgeline
  • Mounting detail from manufacturer showing uplift capacity for 115 mph wind loads, 30 psf snow loads, and fastener type/size/spacing; custom racking requires a site-specific engineered design
  • Manufacturer specification sheets for PV panels and inverter, plus a complete electrical 3-line diagram (system size, module/array specs, string count, conductor sizing, grounding, overcurrent protection, and grid interconnection details)
  • Required signage/labels per NEC (rapid shutdown switch, PV system meter, AC/DC disconnect labeling, etc.)
  • Must upload a CORE/IREA electric cooperative interconnection application where applicable
  • All AC electrical work must be completed by a current Colorado-licensed electrician; all DC electrical work must be completed by a current NABCEP-certified contractor (unless the installer already holds a Colorado electrical license) Contractor
  • SEPARATE fire department submittal and permit required for commercial solar installations (South Metro Fire Rescue, not the City Building Division)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (project cost used as valuation)City of Centennial Building Permit Fee Schedule (PDF); no dedicated solar fee waiver found on the City's published fee schedule
$23.50 minimum ($1-$500 valuation), scaling per the Building Permit Fee Schedule table
All Other Electrical Fees (PV falls under non-living-area electrical work) — value of installation not more than $2,000 / $2,001 and aboveCity of Centennial Building Permit Fee Schedule (PDF), Electrical Fee Table Section B, which explicitly lists 'photovoltaic' as an example of a non-living-area installation
$100.00 minimum, or $5.00 per thousand (or fraction) plus $100.00 for installations over $2,000

Review timeline

Plan reviewCentennial’s published plan-review target
5–5 business days

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

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Electrical and Final Building (combined)

    One final electrical and one final building inspection required once all work is complete; no rough inspections. A Colorado-licensed electrician must be present; ladders must be installed and secured; attic access required if applicable. For CORE/IREA projects, an approved interconnection application must be uploaded before the final inspection can be requested

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

Tips

  • Renewable energy permits (solar) are reviewed in 5 business days after the plan review fee is paid for residential, commercial, and multi-family projects alike, per the Building Permit Review Schedule — the fastest plan-review track alongside reroofs and stand-alone demolition.
  • Commercial solar needs a SEPARATE South Metro Fire Rescue submittal and permit — budget extra time and a separate fee outside the City Building Division process.
  • The City's Photovoltaic Installation Guide (2024 edition, PDF) still references the 2020 NEC and 2015 International Codes in some sections; the Building Division's live Codes page (current as of this review) instead lists 2023 NEC and 2021 IBC/IRC as currently adopted — confirm the operative code edition with the Building Division at application time given this discrepancy between the City's own documents.
  • No rough electrical inspection is performed for PV systems — only one combined final electrical and final building inspection once all work is done.

Frequently asked questions

A separate South Metro Fire Rescue submittal and permit is required only for COMMERCIAL solar installations, not residential, per the City's Photovoltaic (Solar) Panels and Modules guide.

In Centennial, the published Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (project cost used as valuation) is: $23.50 minimum ($1-$500 valuation), scaling per the Building Permit Fee Schedule table. Additional published fees: All Other Electrical Fees (PV falls under non-living-area electrical work) — value of installation not more than $2,000 / $2,001 and above — $100.00 minimum, or $5.00 per thousand (or fraction) plus $100.00 for installations over $2,000. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Centennial's published plan-review target for a solar photovoltaic (pv) permit is 5–5 business days.

You'll need: Photovoltaic (Solar) Installation Guide submittal package; Building/Electrical Permit Application. Depending on your project, Centennial may also ask for: CORE/IREA Interconnection Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Centennial requires 1 inspection(s) for a solar photovoltaic (pv) permit, in order: Final Electrical and Final Building (combined). Schedule each through City of Centennial Building Division (Community Development Department) (303-754-3321).

Apply through City of Centennial Building Division (Community Development Department) at Centennial Civic Center, 13133 E. Arapahoe Rd., Centennial, CO 80112. Phone: 303-754-3321, email: buildingdivision@centennialco.gov. Office hours: Monday - Tuesday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Wednesday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Thursday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Workstations are available at the Building Division office for online portal use. 24-Hour Citizen Response Center: 303-325-8000.. Official information: https://www.centennialco.gov/Government/Departments/Building.

Centennial, Colorado has adopted: Colorado has no statewide mandatory building code for general construction; code adoption is a home-rule/local decision that varies by city and county. Applicants must confirm the specific edition and local amendments adopted by their own city — do not assume any other Colorado jurisdiction's adopted codes apply to Centennial. Source: City of Centennial Building Division page (jurisdiction-specific adopted-codes list, current as of this review).; Colorado HB22-1362 (Building Greenhouse Gas Emissions, signed June 2, 2022) establishes a statewide ENERGY-CODE FLOOR only (not a full building code): before July 1, 2026, municipalities and counties that update their building codes must adopt and enforce an energy code achieving equivalent-or-better efficiency than the 2021 IECC and the state Energy Code Board's model Electric and Solar Ready Code; on/after July 1, 2026 they must meet the Board's model Low Energy and Carbon Code. Centennial's currently adopted 2021 IECC satisfies this floor as of this review. Source: Colorado General Assembly, HB22-1362, https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1362; Colorado HB24-1152 (effective June 30, 2025) requires 'subject jurisdictions' (which include Centennial as part of the Denver metro area) to allow at least one Accessory Dwelling Unit per single-family-zoned lot where single-family homes are allowed, removing owner-occupancy mandates, ADU-specific parking minimums beyond what the statute permits, and other historical barriers. Centennial's Land Development Code ADU provisions (Section 12-3-603(H)) implement this. Source: Colorado General Assembly, HB24-1152, http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1152; 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division; 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division; 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — listed among Centennial's 'Current Building Codes'; note the Building Division's separate FAQ page states the adopted energy code as '2018 IECC' — the Building Division's main Codes page (which lists 2021 IECC) is treated as the more current, authoritative statement for this record, but applicants should confirm the operative edition with the Building Division directly given this discrepancy between the City's own published pages. Source: City of Centennial Building Division page and Building Division FAQ (both centennialco.gov); 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) — enforced by South Metro Fire Rescue, not the City Building Division; fire permits/plan review must be applied for separately through South Metro Fire; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division; 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division; 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division (Colorado, unlike Montana, uses the IPC here, not the UPC); 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division (supersedes the 2020 NEC cited in the City's older 2024 Photovoltaic Installation Guide handout); 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (CWRC) — adopted by City of Centennial; part of the statewide Wildland-Urban-Interface code framework administered by the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, with local adoption required for WUI-designated jurisdictions by April 1, 2026 and full compliance by July 1, 2026. Source: City of Centennial Building Division 'Current Building Codes' list; 2024 Centennial Property Maintenance Code — locally authored, adopted by City of Centennial (PDF on file with Building Division); 2017 ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities — referenced in the 2021 IBC as adopted by City of Centennial; Centennial Municipal Code Chapter 18 (Building Regulations) and the City's Land Development Code govern amendments, permitting procedure, and zoning overlays on top of the adopted I-Codes. Source: https://library.municode.com/co/centennial/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=CEMUCO_CH18BURE. Local amendments apply — see the Centennial overview page for the full list.

A structural engineering letter must use a minimum wind speed of 115 mph (Exposure Category C) and a roof snow load of 30 psf. Source: City of Centennial Photovoltaic (Solar) Panels and Modules guide.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-03.

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 Centennial building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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