Kern County
Kern County, California: solar permitting grade D (score 55/100, High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 55/100 |
| Population | 909,235 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Kern County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. California's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Kern County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Arvin city
- Bakersfield city
- California City city
- Delano city
- Maricopa city
- McFarland city
- Ridgecrest city
- Shafter city
- Taft city
- Tehachapi city
- Wasco city
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Tulare County · ≈61 miC44—
- Ventura County · ≈72 miC47—
- Kings County · ≈79 miC45—
- Los Angeles County · ≈84 miF72—
- Santa Barbara County · ≈93 miC47—
- San Luis Obispo County · ≈97 miD52—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Kern County ranks #47 of 58 ranked California counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in California: Colusa County (A · 23), Glenn County (A · 26), Siskiyou County (A · 29). See all California county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.