The array is up, the inspection is booked, and the as-built set is waiting on a corrected equipment list because the crew swapped a model on site. Where the building department or utility asks for as-builts, the permit does not close and the system may not be switched on until the paperwork matches the roof. Baton exists so the equipment record is made on the roof, with the serial checked against the photo, not rebuilt at a desk.
Who asks for as-builts, and when
SurgePV’s as-built drawings guide says AHJs may ask for as-builts before closing the permit, and that utilities may request them before granting permission to operate (PTO). It notes the requirements vary by jurisdiction, so the building department’s own checklist and the utility’s interconnection packet are the real authority.
A second SurgePV page lists what a set can include: site plan, array layout, single-line diagram, string map, conduit routing, grounding and bonding, and an equipment schedule capturing installed models, ratings and serial numbers. It says the AHJ and the utility each decide which records and revisions they need.
What a solar as built plan actually is
People search for a “solar as built plan” and mean different things. SurgePV’s guide describes a residential as-built package as eight elements: the final array layout, the single-line diagram, conduit and wire routes, the equipment schedule, labels and placards, grounding details, the bill of materials, and photos. Most of that is drawings, made by a designer or drafter.
Baton covers two of those pieces only: the equipment schedule (installed models and serials) and the photo evidence of the equipment. It does not produce drawings, layouts or single-line diagrams.
The equipment schedule and the photos
The same guide advises photographing module and inverter serial stickers before the equipment is mounted, because they cannot be read from the ground afterwards.
The guide describes the equipment and labeling schedule as the final module and inverter models, serial numbers where needed, and label text and locations. It also says the package should include photo documentation of attic runs, junction boxes, connections and labels, with time stamps, and that some AHJs want photos of hidden work.
It names equipment model mismatch as a common cause of rejection: a field swap happens and the drawing is not updated. Its fix is to rebuild the schedule from the serial numbers of the installed equipment.
Where it goes wrong
The schedule is built from the design, the roof from whatever was on the truck. A different inverter, a panel model from a new pallet, a battery module added late: each is a mismatch waiting for an inspector. The serial numbers are the proof of what is actually installed, and by the time the as-built is drawn, the label is under a panel or behind a cover.
None of this is one national rule. SurgePV itself says to confirm with the AHJ and the utility which records they require, so read the checklist that applies to your job.
Install day with Baton: the crew opens a link
Your crew opens a link or scans a QR code and types the 6-digit job code. No account and no app to install, and it works with no signal in an attic or on a roof. For each unit they photograph the nameplate, take two photos of the unit, and record its condition and where it sits. Panels, inverters, batteries and any other equipment are separate lines.
Because the crew records what they actually installed, a field swap shows up in the register the same day, not at inspection.
The installed equipment schedule, checked
Two AI models read every nameplate separately and a person in your office checks manufacturer, model and serial against the photo. The register is saved as PDF, Excel and CSV in your own Google Drive with each unit’s nameplate photo in the PDF. That is a checked equipment schedule the drafter can use for the as-built.
The attachments index lists your as-built drawings, permit documents and utility correspondence, each with a reference and date, and the cover carries a sign-off block for the customer.
Baton does not draw as-builts, submit permits or request PTO. It supplies the part those documents depend on: what is installed, with proof.
Quick answers
- Do I need as-built drawings for solar permit closeout?
- SurgePV’s guide says AHJs may ask for them before closing the permit and utilities may request them before PTO, with requirements varying by jurisdiction. Check your building department and utility.
- What goes in a solar equipment schedule?
- SurgePV describes it as installed module and inverter models, ratings and serial numbers where needed, plus label text and locations. Your AHJ or utility may require specific fields.
- Why do as-built packages get rejected?
- One common reason in SurgePV’s guide is equipment model mismatch: a field swap with the drawing not updated. Its fix is to rebuild the schedule from the serial numbers of the installed equipment.
- How does Baton help with solar as-builts?
- Baton makes the installed-equipment record on site: nameplate and two unit photos per item, a person checks manufacturer, model and serial, and the register in your Google Drive has the photo for every line in the PDF for your drafter to use.
- Does Baton submit permit closeout or PTO paperwork?
- No. Baton does not submit paperwork to an AHJ or utility. It records the equipment and lets you attach your own drawings and documents to the handover.