LADWP Solar Interconnection: Timeline and Tracker
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is the largest municipal utility in the United States, and it runs its own interconnection process entirely separate from the city building department. For installers, that separation is the whole story: a permit from LADBS does not move the LADWP clock at all.
Who is LADWP, and where does it operate?
LADWP is a publicly owned utility serving the City of Los Angeles and a handful of adjacent areas. Because it is municipal rather than investor-owned, its net metering and interconnection rules are set locally by the LADWP Board rather than by the California Public Utilities Commission — so the paperwork and portals differ from the big investor-owned utilities a few miles away.
The interconnection process
- 1.Installers generally start by submitting an interconnection and net metering application to LADWP after the system design is finalized, and many report that LADWP wants to see the application before or alongside the build rather than after.
- 2.LADWP reviews the application and the electrical details, and on larger or non-standard systems may request revisions. Installers typically describe the review as a multi-week back-and-forth rather than an instant approval.
- 3.After the install passes city inspection, LADWP coordinates the meter change-out and issues Permission to Operate (PTO). The PTO step, not the permit, is usually what gates energization.
Timelines above reflect what installers commonly report, not guaranteed or regulated processing times. Confirm current requirements directly with LADWP.
Documents typically required
- •Completed LADWP interconnection / net metering application
- •Signed interconnection agreement
- •Single-line electrical diagram
- •Equipment specification sheets (modules and inverters)
- •Proof of final city building and electrical inspection sign-off
The gap between permit approval and PTO
The classic Los Angeles stall happens after the permit is closed out: the project is physically done but cannot be switched on until LADWP completes its meter work and issues PTO. Because LADWP handles that on its own queue, installers often lose visibility right at the finish line. PermitClock keeps the LADWP interconnection clock on screen next to the permit clock so the project does not quietly sit dark.
LADWP jurisdictions we track
| Jurisdiction | Typical permit days | |
|---|---|---|
| City of Los Angeles | ~7 days | View → |
Track your LADWP interconnection timeline in PermitClock
See the interconnection clock next to the permit clock, and catch the projects that stall on the way to PTO.