Quick Facts — Hillsborough County (Tampa metro)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Authority Having Jurisdiction | Hillsborough County Development Services |
| Phone | (813) 272-5600 |
| Portal / Address | https://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/residents/home-property/building-and-construction |
| Estimated Permit Fee | $200–$550 |
| Typical Approval Timeline | 7–15 business days |
| Required Inspections | Structural rough, electrical rough, final |
| Primary Utility | Tampa Electric (TECO) or Duke Energy Florida |
| PTO Timeline (post-final) | 15–30 business days |
County-Specific Requirement
Hillsborough County is NOT in the HVHZ (High Velocity Hurricane Zone) — standard Florida Building Code requirements apply, without the Miami-Dade NOA requirement. Racking still must meet wind load requirements per the Florida Building Code 8th Edition. Tampa Electric (TECO) interconnection at tampaelectric.com; Duke Energy Florida in portions of the county at duke-energy.com. Confirm your utility from your bill before submitting.
Required Permit Documents
- Completed permit application — from Hillsborough County Development Services
- Site plan / plot plan — overhead drawing showing panel placement, setbacks, north arrow, to-scale
- Roof plan with panel layout — IFC fire setback dimensions (18-inch perimeter; 36-inch hip-to-ridge on hip roofs)
- Single-line electrical diagram (SLD) — from installer, identifying all equipment by model number
- Equipment specification sheets — panels, inverter, racking
- Structural engineering letter — typically required for systems over 10kW
- Permit fee — $200–$550 (verify current rate with AHJ)
Utility Interconnection — Tampa Electric (TECO) or Duke Energy Florida
Tampa Electric (TECO) interconnection: submit the TECO Distributed Generation application at tampaelectric.com. TECO offers retail-rate net metering per Florida PSC requirements. Timeline: 15–25 business days post-final. Submit TECO application simultaneously with county permit for fastest total timeline.
Filing your Tampa Electric (TECO) or Duke Energy Florida interconnection application on the same day as your county permit application saves 3–6 weeks by running both reviews in parallel. Most utilities accept applications before installation begins.
Full interconnection guide: Solar Interconnection Application Steps.
Inspection Schedule
Required inspections: Structural rough, electrical rough, final. Schedule through the Hillsborough County Development Services portal or by calling (813) 272-5600. Your installer typically schedules inspections on your behalf — confirm dates in advance and ensure someone is available to provide access to the electrical panel and roof.
Full inspection guide: Solar Permit Inspection: What to Expect.
HOA Solar Rights — Florida
For Florida HOA solar rights law and a template approval request letter, see our HOA Solar Rights by State guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ask your installer for the permit application number. With that number, look up the permit status at the Hillsborough County Development Services online portal or call (813) 272-5600. You want to see the permit as "issued" and eventually as "finaled" (final inspection passed). A permit that is issued but not finaled means the installation is incomplete from a permitting standpoint — your utility will not issue PTO until the permit is finaled.
Unpermitted solar carries significant risks: insurance claim denial on fire or weather damage, resale disclosure liability, and inability to obtain utility PTO (which means your system can't legally export power). Retroactive permitting is available at Hillsborough County Development Services — contact them at (813) 272-5600 to ask about the as-built permit process. Expect a penalty fee of 2–3x the standard permit fee for unpermitted work. Full guide: What Happens If You Install Solar Without a Permit.
Requirements vary by jurisdiction. Some AHJs issue a single combined building/electrical permit for solar PV. Others require separate applications. Contact Hillsborough County Development Services at (813) 272-5600 or check their permit portal to confirm whether you need one application or two. Your installer should know this for your specific county — ask them before they submit.