Permit sets

[California760]

Are structual review & stamps and electrical review & stamps required
In the state of CA for pv and battery installations

And what are the difference between those vs wet review & stamps since the price between is huge

[J.P.M.]

The short answer is probably.

The state relies on local municipalities and local building/municipal authorities and jurisdictions (collectively and usually referred to as "the AHJ" - as in "Authority Having Jurisdiction" for any required review/approval of any required design calculations (including wind and seismic), drawings, wet sealing or other required documentation as well as for inspection and enforcement of those code requirements.

Most jurisdictions follow the codes from the state pretty closely but there are some local deviations as provided for by state codes and some differences in the degree of enforcement and interpretation of those codes at the local level.
Your POCO (POwer COmpany) will most likely also be involved in design review and inspection.

It's usually best to contact both the AHJ and your POCO before you buy anything and also before you talk to any vendors or installers of equipment.
FWIW, the AHJ can be a help or a hinderance depending on how you approach them but often tend to be like a U.S. Marine in that they can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

More FWIW: Before any of that, if you haven't done so already, do yourself a big favor and download (a free online PDF) and read: "Solar Power Your Home for Dummies". It's a bit dated but it's a good primer on the basics of residential PV as well as a good review of how and why to get your home more energy efficient which is the usually neglected but more cost-effective half of reducing electric bills which are almost always the main driving force for getting residential PV in the first place.

Welcome to the neighborhood and the forum of few(er) illusions.

[SunEagle]

I would contact your local AHJ to find out what codes and drawing reviews are required for your area.

If you plan on a DIY system then be prepared to do a lot more then you thought. Especially in the state of CA.

[Ampster]

During the past twelve years in two different jurisdictions I have pulled two owner builder permits and I was able to use engineering drawings prepared by two different racking manufacturers without wet stamps. As mentioned the answer may depend on the jurisdiction. The hardes part for me was the single line diagram and I used a draftin service familiar with each utility. I have no experience with any other state than California so I do not know if California is more difficult than any other state. I did not have any particular issues and both were done over the counter. As mentioned most building departments that I have had experience with, are reluctant to assist with design and therefore you should familiarize yourself with the code and have a clear idea what you are designing. They will answer code clarification questions.

[fraser]

It does not cost much to get both. I got both and paid less than a $300. Use an appropriate offshore line design company and they will likely have an engineer licensed in your state that will review and sign off on it. Takes a couple of days sometimes.