Permission to Operate (PTO)

Permission to Operate (PTO) is the official authorization from your electric utility that allows you to turn on your solar system and begin feeding electricity to the grid. PTO is granted after all inspections have passed, the interconnection agreement is finalized, and any required meter upgrades are complete.

PTO is the final milestone in the solar installation process and the moment when your system goes “live.” Until you receive PTO, you should not operate your solar system — running your system before PTO approval can violate your interconnection agreement and may result in penalties. The timeline from installation completion to PTO varies significantly: some utilities issue PTO within a few business days, while others take 4–8 weeks or longer. Common delays include utility inspection scheduling, meter replacement (installing a bidirectional net meter), and administrative processing. Your solar installer typically manages the PTO process and will notify you when approval is received. Once PTO is granted, your system begins generating electricity, your meter starts tracking two-way power flow, and you begin earning net metering credits on your utility bill.