Climate First Bank cannot issue solar loans unless the property is a completed, habitable residence with a final Certificate of Occupancy (CO). Temporary or conditional COs (TCOs) are not accepted.
What “completed” means
A property is considered complete when:
The local jurisdiction has issued a final CO for the specific address/unit.
Permanent electrical service is active (not temporary power).
No open conditions remain that would prevent lawful occupancy.
How the CO is collected
Do not upload the CO to the OneEthos portal.
The loan officer (LO) will request the CO directly from the homeowner via email.
Please remind homeowners to monitor and promptly respond to LO emails (check spam/junk for bank messages).
Acceptable documentation
Accepted:
Final Certificate of Occupancy (CO) showing the address, issue date, and issuing authority (PDF or full-page permitting-portal screenshot).
Not accepted:
TCO / Temporary or Conditional CO
Permits or “final inspections” without the CO document
Builder/contractor letters
Utility turn-on confirmations without a final CO
Installer actions (checklist)
Set expectations at sale/NTP: a final CO is required before loan documents can be issued.
If the home is newly built, tell the homeowner to watch for an email from their loan officer and reply with the final CO attached.
If the homeowner can’t find the email, confirm their email address and ask the LO to resend.