City of Bellevue
Bellevue’s Permit Process Is Built for Speed
Most residential rooftop systems on a detached single-family home only need an electrical permit, so you generally won’t need a separate building permit as long as the system meets the city’s standard rooftop-PV checklist (compliant mounting, lightweight roofing, code-compliant design). Beyond that, electrical contractors can apply to waive plan review entirely for qualifying systems, using Bellevue’s own template one-line diagram instead of a custom submittal.
Utility Coordination
PSE Interconnection & Net Metering
Bellevue is Puget Sound Energy territory, and it’s a process we’ve run on repeat across our Bellevue builds. We submit through PSE’s Customer Connected Solar online portal, and PSE issues an Approval to Construct once it accepts the application. Meanwhile, net metering under PSE’s Rate Schedule 150 stays open to new interconnections until PSE adopts a replacement rate schedule, something we track closely so every bid reflects the program actually available at the time of your build.
Online Portal Application
We file directly through PSE’s Customer Connected Solar portal for every home.
Approval to Construct
We wait for PSE’s written approval before installation begins on each home.
Net Metering Status Tracked
Schedule 150 is a moving target as PSE transitions rate structures, so we monitor it closely to keep your buyers’ numbers accurate.
Built for Spec Builders
Standardize Once, Replicate Across the Plat
When several homes on a plat share a similar roof plan, we design one WSEC-compliant solar spec that qualifies for Bellevue’s plan-review waiver, then reuse it lot to lot instead of re-engineering the system and re-submitting paperwork for every single home. As a result, permitting moves faster across the whole project, and you get one fixed price per system instead of a new negotiation every time.
Beyond Permitting
The Rest of Your Bellevue Build
WSEC Energy Credits
Solar is usually the lowest cost per WSEC credit of any compliance option. See the full credit math and cost comparison.
Full Builder Process
Fixed pricing, trade coordination, and battery upsell options across all of Western Washington.
Common Questions
Bellevue Spec Builder FAQ
Does a Bellevue spec home need a building permit for solar?+
Usually not. If the rooftop system sits on a detached single-family home, uses compliant mounting, and has a standard lightweight roof, you’ll typically only need an electrical permit. A separate building permit only comes into play for systems that fall outside those standard requirements.
Can plan review be skipped entirely?+
For systems that meet the city’s checklist requirements, yes. Electrical contractors can apply to waive plan review and use Bellevue’s own template one-line diagram instead of a custom submittal. In fact, this is exactly the path we design toward on repeatable spec-home builds.
Which utility handles solar interconnection in Bellevue?+
Puget Sound Energy. Interconnection runs through PSE’s Customer Connected Solar portal, and PSE issues an Approval to Construct once it accepts the application, a process we’ve coordinated repeatedly across our Bellevue installs.
Is net metering still available through PSE?+
Yes, for now. PSE’s Rate Schedule 150 net metering stays open to new interconnections until PSE adopts a replacement rate schedule. Because the timeline can shift, we confirm current program status before finalizing each bid.
Can the same solar design be used across multiple spec homes?+
Where roof plans repeat across a plat, yes. We design one WSEC-compliant spec that qualifies for the plan-review waiver, then reuse it lot to lot, which speeds up permitting across the whole project instead of re-engineering each home individually.
Sources: City of Bellevue: Solar Panel Permits · PSE: Customer Connected Solar FAQ · WA SBCC: IFC §605.11 Solar PV Systems
