After it is on the roof
Why can't I switch my solar system on yet?
The short answer
Because the system cannot be energised until the authority having jurisdiction has inspected it and the utility has granted permission to operate. That sequence involves the permit office and the utility, both outside the installer's control, and the wait is the single most common complaint in residential solar.
The sequence
- Design and permit application.
- Installation.
- Inspection by the authority having jurisdiction, usually the local building or electrical inspector.
- Utility interconnection review, and a meter change if one is needed.
- Permission to operate, at which point the system may be switched on.
What the installer controls and what they do not
They control submitting complete paperwork promptly, passing inspection first time, and telling you where the job is. They do not control the inspector's schedule or the utility's queue. A company that communicates through the wait is doing its job; one that goes silent is not, and that distinction shows up clearly in review text.
Do not switch the system on before permission to operate, however tempting. It can breach the interconnection agreement, and in some jurisdictions it has consequences for the connection itself.
Also asked
How long does permission to operate take?
It varies enormously by utility and by jurisdiction, from a couple of weeks to several months. Ask your installer what the recent average has been in your specific utility territory — they will know, and an honest answer to that question is a good sign in itself.
The long version
After the installationPermission to operate, monitoring, what a workmanship warranty covers, and what happens if your installer disappears.
General information about solar and about hiring, not advice about your roof or your tax affairs. Incentives, net metering and contractor licensing are set federally, by state, and by your utility, and all of them change. The authority that publishes the rule is the current answer.