Section 66015.

(a) For a residential rooftop solar energy system that produces direct current electricity:

(1) A city, county, city and county, or charter city shall not charge a residential permit fee that exceeds the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged. Except as provided in paragraph (2), that fee shall not exceed five hundred dollars ($500) plus fifteen dollars ($15) per kilowatt for each kilowatt above 15kW.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a city, county, city and county, or charter city may charge a residential permit fee for a rooftop solar energy system that exceeds the fees specified in paragraph (1) if, as part of a written finding and an adopted resolution or ordinance, it provides substantial evidence of the reasonable cost to issue the permit.

(b) For a commercial rooftop solar energy system that produces direct current electricity:

(1) A city, county, city and county, or charter city shall not charge a commercial permit fee that exceeds the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged. Except as provided in paragraph (2), the fee shall not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) for systems up to 50kW plus seven dollars ($7) per kilowatt for each kilowatt between 51kW and 250kW, plus five dollars ($5) per kilowatt for each kilowatt above 250kW.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a city, county, city and county, or charter city may charge a commercial permit fee for a rooftop solar energy system that exceeds the applicable fee specified in paragraph (1) if, as part of a written finding and an adopted resolution or ordinance, it provides substantial evidence of the reasonable cost to issue the permit.

(c) A written finding adopted pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b) shall include all of the following:

(1) A determination that the municipality has adopted appropriate ordinances, permit fees, and processes to streamline the submittal and approval of permits for solar energy systems pursuant to the practices and policies in state guidelines and model ordinances.

(2) A calculation related to the administrative cost of issuing a solar rooftop permit.

(3) A description of how the higher fee will result in a quick and streamlined approval process.

(d) For purposes of this section, "administrative costs" means the costs incurred in connection with the review, approval, and issuance of the permit, and the hourly site inspection and followup costs, and may also include an amortization of the costs incurred in connection with producing a written finding and adopting an ordinance or resolution pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b).

(e) For purposes of this section, "residential permit fee" means the sum of all charges levied by a city, county, city and county, or charter city in connection with the application for a rooftop solar energy system.

(f) It is the intent of the Legislature that a city, county, city and county, or charter city that meets the obligations of subdivisions (a) and (b) receive priority access to state funds for the purposes of distributed energy generation planning, permitting, training, or implementation.

(g) This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2018, and as of that date is repealed.

(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 614, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2013. Repealed as of January 1, 2018, by its own provisions. Note: Repeal affects Chapter 7.5, consisting of this section.)