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Rooftop Solar / Photovoltaic Permit in Berthoud, Colorado

Required for solar photovoltaic and solar thermal installations in Berthoud. Electrical portions governed by the 2023 NEC (Article 625 for EVSE-adjacent work) as adopted; new construction and major renovations must also satisfy Appendix RM/CK Colorado Model Solar Ready Code provisions even where solar is not being installed at time of construction. PV fees are billed as flat amounts distinct from the standard electrical fee tables.

Verified 2026-07-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Governed by the 2023 NEC as adopted; solar-ready zone, roof-load documentation, and interconnection-pathway requirements apply per Appendix RM (residential) / Appendix CK (commercial) of the 2024 IECC
  • Contractor must hold a Town of Berthoud Trade Contractor license (Solar pathway) plus any required Colorado state electrical trade credential, contemporaneously verified per the Town's HB19-1086/SB19-156 procedure Contractor
  • Residential solar-ready zone: minimum 300 sq ft per dwelling unit (150 sq ft for qualifying 3-story-or-less townhouses ≤2,000 sq ft conditioned space), free from obstructions, with a documented interconnection pathway and reserved main-panel breaker space labeled 'For Future Solar Electric'
  • Commercial solar-ready zone: minimum 40% of qualifying roof area, subject to shading/engineering-certification exceptions

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Residential Solar Electrical Fee2026 Schedule of Rates, Charges and Fees
$500.00 flat
Nonresidential Solar Electrical Fee (< 2MW)
$1,000.00 flat
Nonresidential Solar Electrical Fee (> 2MW)
Per Table 1-A, 1997 UBC, plus Plan Review
Electrical Plan Review — Residential Solar
50% of the Electrical Permit Fee

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Rooftop Solar / Photovoltaic Permit permit actually take in Berthoud?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough Electrical

    Conduit runs, wire sizing, and disconnect placement before cover

  2. 2

    Final Inspection

    Racking, roof penetrations, and electrical connections verified; solar-ready labeling checked where applicable

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

Tips

  • Residential solar in Berthoud is billed a flat $500 Electrical Fee rather than the square-footage or valuation-based tables used for most other electrical work — this is a materially simpler fee calculation than peer jurisdictions that price solar by installation valuation.
  • Even if you aren't installing solar today, confirm your new-construction plans show the required solar-ready zone and labeled panel space — Appendix RM inspections specifically check for this at final.

Frequently asked questions

Berthoud requires a rooftop solar / photovoltaic permit for: Governed by the 2023 NEC as adopted; solar-ready zone, roof-load documentation, and interconnection-pathway requirements apply per Appendix RM (residential) / Appendix CK (commercial) of the 2024 IECC; Contractor must hold a Town of Berthoud Trade Contractor license (Solar pathway) plus any required Colorado state electrical trade credential, contemporaneously verified per the Town's HB19-1086/SB19-156 procedure; Residential solar-ready zone: minimum 300 sq ft per dwelling unit (150 sq ft for qualifying 3-story-or-less townhouses ≤2,000 sq ft conditioned space), free from obstructions, with a documented interconnection pathway and reserved main-panel breaker space labeled 'For Future Solar Electric'; Commercial solar-ready zone: minimum 40% of qualifying roof area, subject to shading/engineering-certification exceptions. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Town of Berthoud Planning & Building Department at 970-532-2643 (option 3); alt. 970-344-5828 before starting work.

Residential Solar is billed a flat $500.00 Electrical Fee per the Town's 2026 Schedule of Rates, Charges and Fees, plus a Plan Review Fee of 50% of that amount — a flat-fee structure rather than a square-footage or valuation-based calculation.

Berthoud does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Town of Berthoud Planning & Building Department at 970-532-2643 (option 3); alt. 970-344-5828 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Solar/Electrical Permit Application (CommunityCore); Town of Berthoud Trade Contractor License (Solar). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Berthoud requires 2 inspection(s) for a rooftop solar / photovoltaic permit, in order: Rough Electrical, Final Inspection. Schedule each through Town of Berthoud Planning & Building Department (970-532-2643 (option 3); alt. 970-344-5828).

Apply through Town of Berthoud Planning & Building Department at 807 Mountain Ave, Berthoud, CO 80513 (PO Box 1229, Berthoud, CO 80513). Phone: 970-532-2643 (option 3); alt. 970-344-5828, email: building@berthoud.org. Office hours: Main line 970-532-2643 option 3 (fax 970-532-0640). Inspections are performed under contract by SAFEbuilt/ProCode — phone 970-305-3161 ext. 1, online scheduling via the Town's CommunityCore portal; inspection requests must be received by 4 p.m. for next-business-day completion.. Official information: https://www.berthoud.org/169/Building-Department.

Berthoud, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — Chapters 1-33 and Appendix Chapter I, adopted by reference with local amendments (Berthoud Municipal Code Chapter 11.1); 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) — Chapters 1-43 and Appendix AB, adopted by reference with local amendments (Chapter 11.2). Fee schedule is explicitly keyed to '2024 IRC Appendix AB' as the valuation-based fee table.; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — Chapters 1-16 (Chapter 11.3); 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — Commercial Chapters 1-6, Residential Chapters 1-6, INCLUDING Appendix CK (Colorado Model Electric and Solar Ready Code — Commercial) and Appendix RM (Colorado Model Electric and Solar Ready Code — Residential) (Chapter 11.4); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC / NFPA 70) (Chapter 11.5); 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — Chapters 1-13 (Chapter 11.10); 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — Chapters 1-15 (Chapter 11.16); 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — Chapters 1-8 (Chapter 11.17); Colorado State Regulation 86 (Graywater Systems) — Town of Berthoud is the designated local agency for graywater oversight (Chapter 11.18); 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — Chapters 1-11 (Chapter 11.19); 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) — Chapters 1-8 (Chapter 11.20); HB22-1362 statewide energy code floor: Berthoud's 2024 IECC adoption explicitly incorporates Appendix CK and Appendix RM (the Colorado Energy Office's model Electric Ready / Solar Ready / EV Ready code), satisfying HB22-1362's statewide low-energy/electric-and-solar-ready requirement. Confirmed directly from the Town's own 2024 I-Code Amendment ordinance text (Berthoud Municipal Code Chapter 11.4), not inferred.. Local amendments apply — see the Berthoud overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-06.

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

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