Question: What is the status of the city catching up on electrical inspections for newly installed photovoltaic systems? I had mine installed last June and still no inspection. Last year, Kokua Line said the city was considering allowing private electrical contractors to do some inspections (see http://is.gd/Cto62u). Is this still under consideration?

Answer: There’s still a logjam of pending PV inspections, but homeowners will have the option of hiring a private inspector instead of waiting indefinitely.

But that option will come at an added cost.

Allowing homeowners to hire private inspectors to sign off on PV installations is expected to happen “within a few weeks,” said Timothy Hiu, Building Division chief for the Department of Planning and Permitting.

On Dec. 5, the City Council approved Bill 51, which amended the city’s electrical code, allowing third-party inspectors to perform the final inspection of a PV system. The bill was introduced by Councilman Ikaika Anderson.

The inspector must be a licensed electrician and may be hired if a city building official is not able to do the inspection within five working days of the required inspection date. The inspector can’t be connected to the contractor who did the work being inspected.

Hiu said his department is in the final stages of implementing the third-party inspection program, which will allow a private firm to submit “a special inspection form” to close the permit.

“This option for a third-party inspection will be at the owner’s expense and not covered by the normal permit fee,” he said. “We hope to activate this program within a few weeks.”

As for the status of city inspections, Hiu said DPP “is doing its best to keep up with the influx of building permits being issued” for PV systems islandwide.

It is asking for funding to hire four additional inspectors. For now, 17 inspectors are responsible not only for PV permits, but all building permits that require electrical inspections on Oahu. This includes for new homes, renovations and commercial projects — hotels, restaurants, condominiums and other businesses.

In 2012, DPP issued 26,399 building permits for electrical work.

Of that total, 16,650 were PV permits, with more than half (8,970) issued in the last three months of the year, Hiu said.

More than two-thirds of the 16,650 PV permits — 12,097 — were “closed” as of March 6, he said.

The surge in PV permits is attributed “to community concerns that the state may change the solar tax rebate program,” he said.

He also explained that inspectors are assigned by geographic areas to maximize the number of inspections that can be performed in a day.

Question: We installed a photovoltaic system last year on my father’s house (we live with him). We were told that whoever’s name the system was under would be able to claim the tax credit — it did not have to be the homeowner. But my father’s accountant says that should we get audited, the credit may be withdrawn, so it would be better for my father to claim it because he is the homeowner. Can you clarify this?

Answer: You and your husband, as the “economic owner(s) of the system,” can claim the renewable energy technologies income tax credit.

“Ownership of the property upon which the system is placed is not directly relevant for purposes of determining who may claim the tax credit,” said Mallory Fujitani, spokeswoman for the state Department of Taxation.

So if you claimed the credit and were audited, you may be asked to substantiate ownership of the system, but would not be asked if you own the property on which the system is situated, she said.

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Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.