How to Join the SolarAPP Virtual Inspection Pilot (Installer Guide)
SolarAPP Virtual Inspection lets your crew pass solar and battery inspections without waiting on-site for an inspector. Your team captures GPS-verified photos and videos against a guided checklist, submits the package through the Virtual Inspection portal, and the jurisdiction's inspector reviews and approves it asynchronously.
This article covers who can join the pilot, how to sign up, and how to get your company set up to submit your first virtual inspection.
Who can join
The pilot is open to all installers working in participating jurisdictions, subject to Jurisdiction approval. You do not need to be a SolarAPP permitting user to participate.
Project eligibility:
- Residential rooftop solar and/or energy storage permits approved on SolarAPP.
- Permits issued outside SolarAPP are welcome, as long as the project meets SolarAPP eligibility criteria and you can provide the city-approved plan set.
- Final inspection only. Other required inspections, such as trenching, rough electrical, or fire inspections, still happen in person.
Step 1: Confirm your participation
If you received a pilot invitation email, reply to confirm your company's participation. If you have not received an invitation but work in a participating jurisdiction, contact us at support@gosolarapp.org.
Step 2: Attend a training session
Training is mandatory for pilot participation. Sessions run about 90 minutes and cover the end-to-end virtual inspection experience: the photo checklist, capture requirements, jurisdiction-specific rules, and what inspectors look for. Sessions are recorded, and we rerun trainings as new companies join.
We highly recommend including both your field crew leads and the office staff who will assemble and submit inspection packages.
Step 3: Register your users
After training, we send registration invites by email. Registration takes a couple of minutes: follow the link in the invite and set up your account at inspection.gosolarapp.org.
Company admins can then invite additional users, including field crew members and inspection coordinators. Anyone who will capture photos on site or submit packages from the office needs their own account.
Step 4: Set up your company (one time)
Import your SolarAPP permits. If your company runs permits through SolarAPP, connect the two portals so approved permit data can be pulled into the virtual inspection portal. See Set up the SolarAPP permit import for more details.
Non-SolarAPP projects can be created manually in the portal. You will need to upload the city-approved, stamped plan set with the project.
Step 5: Turn on location services for every device
GPS is what tells the inspector your evidence is authentic and was taken at the site, so every device that will capture and upload photos or video needs precise location enabled. See GPS Toubleshooting Guide for more details.
Step 6: Capture, submit, and get your result
Once install is fully complete, the crew works through the guided checklist in the portal. Every item shows exactly what to capture and what a good shot looks like. GPS location and timestamps are locked in at the moment of capture in app. We also allow evidence upload from your photo gallery at any location (as long as evidence contains location data that matches the site), so spotty signal at the site never blocks a submission.
After you submit, there are three possible outcomes:
- Pass. You get an notification, the portal shows the result, and where the jurisdiction allows it, a digital job card is issued for interconnection.
- Revision. The inspector sends a clear list of exactly what they need. Address each item with a new photo, a note, or a justification, and resubmit.
- Reject. For something unworkable, or after repeated revision rounds, the submission locks and the job goes to a normal in-person inspection. Follow jurisdiction guideline to schedule an in-person inspection.
Getting help
Use the blue help button at the bottom of the app. We will get back to you as soon as we can.