Who may remove and reinstall rooftop solar in California, Arizona and Nevada, the permit a San Diego-area code policy describes, and what to settle first.
By the SolarCleaningRated team · Facts checked against the sources listed below on November 1, 2026. General information, not professional advice.
When the roof under a solar array needs replacing or major repair, the panels have to come off and go back on. A policy from the San Diego Area Chapter of the International Code Council (ICC), Chapter Policy E-02 of March 2020, deals with exactly this: reinstalling a roof-mounted photovoltaic system after the roof covering is replaced. It covers removal and reinstallation only, not alterations or additions to the system.
Taking an array apart means disconnecting and reconnecting live DC wiring and handling the panels without damaging them. Maxeon's manual says module cables carry direct current and are sources of voltage when the module is under load, and tells installers to cover all the modules in the array with an opaque cloth or material before making or breaking electrical connections. It says installation should be performed only by qualified personnel, and that its modules are only certified when the factory frame is fully intact. REC says never to stand on, walk on or lean on its panels, and that damaged panels can present a lethal shock hazard.
The San Diego-area policy says the reinstallation must be performed by qualified personnel, such as a C-46 solar or C-10 electrical contractor, and states that it does not recognize a C-39 roofing contractor as qualified to do the work.
In a winter 2015-16 newsletter, the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) said that only contractors holding an A (general engineering), B (general building) or C-46 (solar) license can perform solar installation, and that holders of C-4, C-10, C-36 and C-53 licenses can do solar work only within their own classification. It also says leasing companies that send out a licensed contractor still need their own license in the proper classification, and that a lease should clearly explain who is responsible for repairs and maintenance. Check any contractor's license with CSLB before you sign. Our guide to rooftop safety and licensing covers California's minor-work threshold.
Under the San Diego chapter policy, a permitted and finalized roof-mounted system can be removed and reinstalled under a permit issued by the authority having jurisdiction, which for a home is the local building department. Its main points:
Building departments elsewhere in our areas may handle this differently, so ask yours before the roofer is booked.
Arizona's Registrar of Contractors (ROC) says a contractor's license is required when the whole project, including labor and materials, costs more than $1,000, or when the work requires a permit from the local municipality. It advises checking the license at roc.az.gov and then calling the phone number listed on the license to confirm you are dealing with an authorized representative of the company. Under certain conditions, homeowners may apply to the state's Residential Contractors' Recovery Fund, which the ROC says can provide up to $30,000 to have work corrected or completed.
The Nevada State Contractors Board says a licensed contractor is required to construct, repair, maintain, restore, alter or improve solar systems on single-family homes, including replacing existing equipment. It advises checking that the contractor's license shows as Active on the board's website, and its contract rules include writing in at least 10-point type, a legible copy of everything you sign, and a down payment capped at $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract, whichever is less. The board also advises getting the contractor's name and license number before discussing the job, comparing other bids, not signing under pressure, and putting any change orders in writing.
Companies on this site that list panel removal and reinstall are on our removal and reinstall page.
Not under the San Diego area's ICC chapter policy, which does not recognize a C-39 roofing contractor as qualified for this work and gives C-46 solar and C-10 electrical contractors as examples of qualified personnel. CSLB says solar installation needs an A, B or C-46 license, with some specialty licenses limited to their own classification.
In the San Diego area, the ICC chapter policy describes removal and reinstallation under a permit issued by the building department, which then inspects the reinstallation. Arizona's ROC says work that requires a permit also requires a licensed contractor. Ask your own building department.
Yes. The Nevada State Contractors Board says a licensed contractor is required to construct, repair, maintain, restore, alter or improve solar systems on single-family homes, including replacing existing equipment.
Not necessarily. The San Diego-area policy says existing installations that don't comply with the current code may remain in use unless the building official finds an imminent danger, and its safety questions refer to the code in effect when the system was first permitted.
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