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Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit in Erie, Colorado

Required for residential and commercial solar PV installations in Erie. The Town publishes a dedicated Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permitting and Inspection Checklist with a flat fee, specific design criteria, a photo-based rough inspection option, and published (though non-guaranteed) review timelines.

Verified 2026-07-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • All Solar Permits must have a licensed Electrical Contractor listed on the application; the Town verifies the company holds a State-licensed Electrical Contractor and that the listed Master Electrician is employed by that company Contractor
  • PV arrays complying with IRC R324.6 Roof Access and Pathways require no fire service review; others require Mountain View Fire Rescue review
  • Site plan showing location of major components (need not be to exact scale)
  • Electrical diagram/worksheet showing PV system configuration, wiring, overcurrent protection, inverter, disconnects, required signage, and AC connection to the building
  • Specification sheets and installation manuals for all manufactured components (PV modules, inverter(s), combiner box, disconnects, mounting system), where available
  • Structural Roof Letter, including snow load and wind speed, stamped by a Colorado Professional Engineer
  • Local design criteria per the checklist: Maximum Wind Speed = 142 mph Ultimate; Snow Load = 30 psf (checklist's own codes list cites 2021 IRC/IBC and 2020 NEC, which predate the Town's April 2026 IECC/NEC/IFC update — reconfirm current governing code edition with the Building Division for design work)
  • Submitted via the Customer Self-Service Portal (eTRAKiT)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Residential Solar PV (flat fee)Plus Town Use Tax (3.5%) and County Use Tax (Boulder County rate, 0.985%) on estimated material cost, per the Solar Permitting Checklist and detailed fee memo at /DocumentCenter/View/12883/Residential-Solar-System-Flat-Fee
$164.50

Review timeline

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

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

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough Electrical and Frame Solar

    Residential rough solar inspection requires photos submitted by email (building@erieco.gov) rather than an in-person visit in most cases; JPGs or PDF only, 10-15 photos max, no ZIP files or cloud links; photos must show bonding, flashing, junction boxes, and full panel landscapes; typical photo-review turnaround is 2-3 business days

  2. 2

    Final Electrical, Building, and Electrical Service

    Final inspection covering electrical service connection and overall installation

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

Tips

  • Erie's residential solar rough inspection is typically done by PHOTO SUBMISSION (email to building@erieco.gov), not an in-person site visit — follow the exact photo requirements (10-15 photos, JPG/PDF only, no ZIP/cloud links, showing bonding/flashing/junction boxes) to avoid a resubmission delay.
  • The County Use Tax rate the Town applies to solar permits is explicitly the Boulder County rate (0.985%) in its own published checklist, regardless of which county the specific parcel sits in.
  • Systems using PV shingles or battery storage require separate Mountain View Fire Rescue approval in addition to the Town's own permit review.
  • A solar permit expires 6 months after issuance if work has not commenced, or if more than 6 months pass between inspections.

Frequently asked questions

Erie requires a solar photovoltaic (pv) permit for: All Solar Permits must have a licensed Electrical Contractor listed on the application; the Town verifies the company holds a State-licensed Electrical Contractor and that the listed Master Electrician is employed by that company; PV arrays complying with IRC R324.6 Roof Access and Pathways require no fire service review; others require Mountain View Fire Rescue review; Site plan showing location of major components (need not be to exact scale); Electrical diagram/worksheet showing PV system configuration, wiring, overcurrent protection, inverter, disconnects, required signage, and AC connection to the building; Specification sheets and installation manuals for all manufactured components (PV modules, inverter(s), combiner box, disconnects, mounting system), where available; Structural Roof Letter, including snow load and wind speed, stamped by a Colorado Professional Engineer; Local design criteria per the checklist: Maximum Wind Speed = 142 mph Ultimate; Snow Load = 30 psf (checklist's own codes list cites 2021 IRC/IBC and 2020 NEC, which predate the Town's April 2026 IECC/NEC/IFC update — reconfirm current governing code edition with the Building Division for design work); Submitted via the Customer Self-Service Portal (eTRAKiT). If your project isn't listed, confirm with Town of Erie Building Division at 303-926-2780 before starting work.

A flat $164.50 fee, plus Town Use Tax (3.5%) and County Use Tax (Boulder County rate of 0.985%) on the estimated material cost, per the Town's Solar Permitting Checklist.

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

You'll need: Building Permit Application (Residential or Commercial Solar PV System); Site Plan and Electrical Diagram; Structural Roof Letter. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Erie requires 2 inspection(s) for a solar photovoltaic (pv) permit, in order: Rough Electrical and Frame Solar, Final Electrical, Building, and Electrical Service. Schedule each through Town of Erie Building Division (303-926-2780).

Apply through Town of Erie Building Division at 645 Holbrook St., Erie, CO 80516 (mailing: P.O. Box 750, Erie, CO 80516). Phone: 303-926-2780, email: building@erieco.gov. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Building Division fax/photo-submission line bldgfax@erieco.gov; HVAC/mechanical contact line 303-926-2700; Planning Division 303-926-2770 / planningdivision@erieco.gov.. Official information: https://www.erieco.gov/110/Building-Division.

Erie, Colorado has adopted: 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — currently in force per the Town's Building Codes & Design Criteria page; Title 9 (Building Regulations) of the Municipal Code governs local amendments. Source: https://www.erieco.gov/1772/Building-Codes-Design-Criteria; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC); 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC); 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC); 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), with local amendments — adopted by Ordinance No. 12-2026, effective April 24, 2026; 2026 National Electrical Code (NEC) — adopted by Ordinance No. 12-2026, effective April 24, 2026 (supersedes the 2020 NEC cited in the Town's older Solar Permitting Checklist); 2024 International Fire Code (IFC), as adopted by the Fire District (Mountain View Fire Rescue) — effective April 24, 2026; Local design criteria (per the Town's Solar Photovoltaic Permitting and Inspection Checklist, the most specific published source found): Maximum Wind Speed = 142 mph Ultimate; Snow Load = 30 psf. This document's own codes list (2021 IRC/IBC, 2020 NEC) predates the April 2026 IECC/NEC/IFC update, so these two figures should be reconfirmed with the Building Division (building@erieco.gov) if a general (non-solar) project needs them, since no separate general design-criteria table was found published on the Town's site as of this review.. Local amendments apply — see the Erie overview page for the full list.

The Town's published best-effort target is 5 business days for residential solar permit review and 7 business days for commercial/non-residential — explicitly described as typical, not guaranteed.

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

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