Building departments can launch a virtual solar inspection program in a matter of weeks by starting with a clear photo checklist, and simple video tools, or specialized software to handle scheduling, documentation, and compliance automatically.
Solar installations are one of the simplest permit types to move to a virtual format, largely because they solve a long-standing safety problem rather than creating a new one.
Step 1: Build A Simple Photo Checklist
Before any live call happens, departments should require installers to submit a defined set of photos so inspectors always get consistent documentation, regardless of who conducts the review.
Los Angeles County's model requires images of the property's street address, the roof plane before array placement, all equipment manufacturer labels, the inside of junction boxes showing crimped connections, the service panel interior, and grounding connections from the array to the electrode.
Once those photos are reviewed, the inspector moves into a live stream walkthrough covering the same equipment in real time.
Step 2: Choose Simple, Accessible Tools
Departments don't need to build anything from scratch to get started. Portland's solar program runs on everyday apps like FaceTime for iPhone or Google Duo for Android, paired with a basic equipment list for installers, including a fully charged device, a flashlight, a ladder, and printed city-approved plans on hand.
This low-barrier approach lets a department launch quickly using tools installers already know, before ever investing in dedicated software.
Step 3: Add Virtual Inspection Pro To Automate The Heavy Lifting
Once a department has proven the basic workflow works, a platform like Virtual Inspection Pro can take over the parts that become harder to manage at scale, especially documentation and compliance tracking.
Rather than manually assembling photo checklists, call recordings, and inspection results after each appointment, a dedicated app can automatically timestamp and geo-tag every session, keep records audit-ready for permitting authorities and incentive programs, and centralize scheduling so installers can book solar inspections without a phone call.
This kind of platform also solves a recordkeeping challenge that pure video-call programs struggle with: solar inspection documentation often needs to stay accessible for years, whether for warranty disputes, utility interconnection requirements, or state incentive audits, and manually stored FaceTime recordings simply aren't built for that kind of long-term retrieval.
Step 4: Offer Both Live And Asynchronous Options
The most productive solar programs give installers a choice rather than forcing one format.
Live video calls let an inspector flag an issue and let the installer correct it on the spot, avoiding a second trip back to the property entirely.
Photo or recorded video submissions, meanwhile, let installers capture everything at the end of the job and skip scheduling conflicts altogether.
Building both options into a platform like Virtual Inspection Pro from day one keeps the program flexible as installer preferences and department capacity evolve.
Step 5: Track And Prove The Results
Los Angeles now completes roughly 100 remote inspections a day across all trades, with about 30 of those for solar specifically, and IREC estimates inspectors can complete about three times as many virtual inspections as on-site visits, saving roughly $30,000 per inspector per year.
Departments should track these same kinds of numbers, inspections per day, backlog reduction, and miles avoided, from the very first month, since concrete results make the strongest case for expanding the program further.
Quick-Start Roadmap
Phase | Action | Tool Needed |
|---|---|---|
Week 1-2 | Publish required photo checklist for solar installs | Simple document or web form |
Week 2-3 | Train inspectors on live video walkthrough protocol | FaceTime, Google Duo, or similar |
Week 3-4 | Pilot program with a small batch of installers | Basic scheduling calendar |
Month 2 | Add Virtual Inspection Pro for automated records and scheduling | Virtual Inspection Pro app |
Month 3+ | Offer both live and photo/video submission options | Virtual Inspection Pro app |
Ongoing | Track inspections per day and backlog reduction | Built-in reporting dashboard |
Sources
LA County Public Works remote virtual inspection requirements for rooftop solar PV: https://pw.lacounty.gov/building-and-safety/docs/RVI%20Rooftop%20Solar%20PV.pdf
City of Portland Solar Inspections video guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O87VVWgr5mA
City of Portland Solar Inspections page: https://www.portland.gov/bds/solar-development/solar-permits/solar-inspections
Solar Permit Solutions on virtual solar inspections for clean energy compliance: https://www.solarpermitsolutions.com/blog/virtual-solar-inspections-clean-energy-compliance
Sequencing the rollout
| Phase | Focus | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | Scope | Eligible job types, exclusions, evidence standard |
| Weeks 3–4 | Capture sequences | One fixed shot list per inspection type |
| Weeks 5–6 | Pilot | A small crew, parallel with existing process |
| Weeks 7–8 | Review | Findings parity, completion rate, abort reasons |
| Weeks 9–12 | Scale | Wider crew training, integration into scheduling |
The shot list is the programme
Everything else is logistics; the capture sequence is what determines whether the record is accepted. For a residential PV job the core list is stable: site establishing shot with the address visible, array layout and module count, module and inverter data plates legible, rapid shutdown and labelling, AC and DC disconnects, conduit and penetration flashing, grounding and bonding, main service panel with breaker and busbar rating readable, and for storage the battery location, clearances, and signage. Capture each as a still, not a pan — see solar and battery virtual inspections for the detail.
Training installers to be the camera
- Run one practice session per crew before they do a live one; the second call is always twice as good as the first.
- Teach three habits: hold still for two seconds before capture, get closer than feels necessary for plates, and light the subject rather than the background.
- Be explicit that stopping the call is acceptable when the shot cannot be produced safely.
- Give crews the shot list on their phone so they arrive prepared.
Evidence and downstream acceptance
Solar records are read by more parties than most trades: the AHJ, the utility, the financier or PPA provider, the manufacturer for warranty, and eventually a buyer''s home inspector. That argues for the strongest defensible record you can produce cheaply — session-bound capture, server-side timestamps, position anchored to the address, immutable originals, and a full access log. Virtual Inspection Pro produces all of that automatically; see verified capture and chain of custody.
What to measure
Track completion rate on first attempt, abort reasons, time from job completion to accepted record, and the share of jobs needing a physical revisit. Those four tell you whether to widen the eligible list or tighten the shot list — and they are the numbers a utility or AHJ will ask about when you propose expanding the programme.
FAQ
How do you start a virtual solar inspection program?
Define eligible job types and the evidence standard, write one fixed shot list per type, pilot with a single crew in parallel with your existing process, then scale on measured completion and parity.
Who holds the camera on a solar inspection?
Usually the installer or site lead, guided remotely. Roof-level shots are taken by the person already safely working there, never by an untrained homeowner.
What evidence do utilities and AHJs expect?
Legible plates and labelling, disconnects, rapid shutdown, grounding, and the service panel rating — tied to the address and date.
How long does a virtual PV final take?
Typically 15–25 minutes with a prepared shot list.
Can storage systems be inspected remotely?
The visual elements — location, clearances, signage, disconnects, labelling — yes. Commissioning tests remain on site.