A failed final costs a re-inspection fee, a crew revisit, and — the expensive part — days on the calendar while the interconnection application waits on the passed inspection. Most failures aren't craftsmanship; they're conformance: the install doesn't match the approved plans, or the labels aren't where the code says. That's fixable with a checklist and a photo habit.
Before the inspector arrives
- Approved plans on site (or in the portal, per city practice), and the install matches them. If anything changed in the field — inverter model, conduit route, breaker position — the plan of record needs to change too, before the inspection, not during it.
- Permit posted / inspection scheduled correctly. Cities differ on whether solar takes one final or separate electrical/building inspections. Know which, schedule both if needed.
- Self-inspect with the same checklist below, camera in hand. The photo set doubles as your utility submission (CenterPoint inspects from photos) and your defense if a claim ever surfaces.
What Texas inspectors actually check
Disconnects and access. A lockable AC disconnect, visible break, readily accessible, placed per the approved plans — and per the serving utility's spec, which can be stricter than code (CenterPoint's tariff wants it typically within 10 feet of the meter, or a placard within 10 feet pointing to it). Clear working space in front of equipment per NEC 110.26.
Labeling and placards. The full schedule from the plan set, installed: rapid shutdown label at the service equipment, DC circuit warnings, point-of-interconnection label, directory placards where multiple power sources exist. Labels must be permanent and legible — hand-written tape fails.
Rapid shutdown function. NEC 690.12 compliance consistent with the code edition the city enforces — equipment listed for the purpose, initiation device where the plans say.
Point of interconnection. The breaker or tap matches the one-line: right size, right position (load-side interconnection breakers positioned per the 120% rule assumptions), held down with a fastener where required.
Grounding and bonding. EGC sizing and continuity, rail/module bonding per the racking listing, grounding electrode connections as drawn.
Conductor protection and routing. Correct conduit type and support intervals, expansion fittings on long rooftop runs, wire management under the array (no dangling PV wire touching the roof), penetrations sealed.
Structural conformance. Attachment count and spacing per the approved layout; flashing per the racking manual. In structural-letter cities, the install must match the stamped detail exactly.
As-built = as-designed. The quiet failure mode behind half of the others. Inspectors compare the wall to the paper; every mismatch is a discussion you lose.
The Texas wrinkle: no city inspection doesn't mean no inspection
Outside city limits, there's often no municipal inspection at all — but the utility still verifies. TDU processes require the documentation regardless, CenterPoint performs visual inspections on everything it interconnects, and co-ops frequently do their own site checks. Build the same evidence pack for unincorporated jobs as for city jobs; where the AHJ is absent, the utility is your inspector. See Solar Outside City Limits.
Run it like an operation
The teams that rarely fail finals treat inspection readiness as a stage with an owner, not a hope: a standardized closeout photo set per job, a pre-inspection checklist signed by the lead, and failure reasons logged by category so patterns surface ("we've failed three times this quarter on labeling in Fort Worth" is actionable; "inspections are rough lately" isn't). TexPTO attaches the checklist and photo set to each job's inspection stage and tracks failure reasons across the portfolio — so the fix ships to every crew, not just the one that failed.
FAQ
How many inspections does residential solar need in Texas? Commonly one final; some cities split electrical and building inspections or add a rough-in for certain scopes. Confirm per city.
What's the most common reason for failing? Conformance gaps — the installation not matching approved plans, and labeling/placard deficiencies — rather than workmanship defects.
Does passing inspection mean the system can turn on? No. Passed inspection feeds the utility process; the system operates only after PTO.
Do unincorporated-area installs skip inspection entirely? They skip the city inspection where none exists — the utility's verification and the state electrical code still apply.
Sources
- CenterPoint DG Application FAQs (photo-based visual inspections; onsite for self-installs): https://www.centerpointenergy.com/en-us/Services/Pages/DGAP-FAQs.aspx?sa=ho&au=res
- CenterPoint DER Application Tariff (AC disconnect and placard requirements): https://www.centerpointenergy.com/en-us/Documents/CenterPoint%20Energy%20DER%20Application%20Tariff.pdf
- TDLR Electricians Compliance Guide (code applicability where no permit is required): https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/compliance-guide.htm
Checklist reflects common practice under recent NEC editions; the enforced edition and local amendments vary by AHJ. Verify locally.