State solar guide
Florida has strong solar fundamentals in 2026. The federal residential credit expired December 31, 2025, but state incentives and net-metering rules still support solid payback timelines for qualified homeowners.
Sources: ElectricChoice June 2026 | NREL PVWatts (verify at your assessment) | EnergySage May 2026 | Federal residential credit: Section 25D expired December 31, 2025, H.R.1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act).
Net metering
Florida investor-owned utilities (FPL, Duke Energy Florida, TECO, and Gulf Power) provide full 1-to-1 retail net metering for residential customers, as of June 2026. Excess generation credits roll forward monthly and unused annual balances are paid at the wholesale avoided-cost rate rather than retail. The Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) changed its policy for new applicants after July 1, 2025, crediting exports at approximately 4.6 cents per kWh under a community solar rate rather than full retail. OUC customers grandfathered before that date retain full retail net metering for a 20-year period. Verify your utility and service territory before contracting.
FPL (Florida Power and Light): full retail 1-to-1 net metering, credits roll monthly. Duke Energy Florida: full retail net metering. TECO (Tampa Electric): full retail net metering. Gulf Power: full retail net metering. Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC): new applicants after July 1, 2025 receive approximately 4.6 cents per kWh export credit under community solar rate; pre-July 2025 customers are grandfathered at full retail for 20 years. JEA (Jacksonville): verify current net metering terms with JEA directly.
Program: NM1_full_retail. Last verified: June 1, 2026. DSIRE source (opens in new tab).
Verify with your utility
Net-metering rules change by utility and program cycle. Confirm current export credit rates and eligibility with your specific Florida utility before contracting. Current program details at DSIRE (opens in new tab).
State incentive stack
The federal residential credit expired December 31, 2025. The programs below are what remains for Florida homeowners. Amounts and availability change; every program is date-stamped and linked to its DSIRE source.
Federal residential solar credit (Section 25D): expired. The Section 25D residential investment tax credit expired December 31, 2025. The residential credit rate is 0%. State and local incentives below may still significantly reduce your net system cost. Commercial systems still qualify for Section 48E (30%).
| Program | Benefit | Eligibility | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Solar Incentives State and local programs Incentive amounts and availability change frequently. Verify at dsireusa.org before relying on any program. | See description No statewide cash rebate program for residential solar as of June 2026. FPL, Duke Energy Florida, and TECO do not offer broad residential solar rebates. Some utility-specific demand-response and time-of-use incentives exist but are not universal. No SREC income (Florida has no Renewable Portfolio Standard). | Florida homeowners. Verify current programs at dsireusa.org. | Limited | DSIRE (opens in new tab) |
| Florida Solar Property Tax Exemption Property tax exemption Confirm exemption filing requirements with your county assessor. | Exemption on solar-added home value (amount varies by local tax rate and system size) Florida exempts 100% of the added assessed home value from solar PV and battery storage systems from property taxes. The exemption is automatic and requires no application. Statute: Florida Statute 193.624. | Florida residential property owners with qualifying solar installations. | Active | DSIRE (opens in new tab) |
| Florida Solar Sales Tax Exemption Sales tax exemption Verify that your specific installation and municipality qualify for the Florida sales tax exemption. | State sales tax savings on system equipment and installation Florida provides a full exemption on solar energy equipment including panels, inverters, racking, batteries, and installation labor from state sales tax. Statute: Florida Statute 212.08(7)(hh). | Florida homeowners purchasing qualifying solar energy systems. | Active | DSIRE (opens in new tab) |
Data last verified June 1, 2026. Incentive programs change; verify current amounts and availability at dsireusa.org (opens in new tab) before committing to a project.
Savings example
This example uses real Florida market data. No federal residential credit is applied. Figures are illustrative; your in-home assessment uses your actual utility bills and the current rate schedule for your specific utility.
An 8 kW system at the EnergySage May 2026 Florida average of $2.17 per watt costs approximately $17,360 before any incentives. The federal residential credit is zero (Section 25D expired December 31, 2025). Florida's property tax and sales tax exemptions reduce upfront and ongoing costs but do not apply as a direct dollar deduction from system cost. At 5.48 peak sun hours per day and full retail FPL net metering at 15.80 cents per kWh, estimated annual electricity bill savings are $1,700 to $2,100, producing an illustrative payback of 8 to 10 years. Figures are illustrative. Your in-home assessment will use your actual utility bill, rate schedule, and roof configuration.
Florida homeowner savings example (illustrative)
Illustrative example. Federal residential credit: $0 (Section 25D expired December 31, 2025). Your estimate will use your actual utility bills and current rate schedule.
Permitting
Permit requirements in Florida vary by municipality. Verify permit timelines and fees with your installer and local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).
Commercial solar in Florida
The commercial solar credit (Section 48E, 30 percent) remains available for qualifying commercial projects. Construction must begin by July 4, 2026 to qualify for the full placed-in-service window. Combined with MACRS accelerated depreciation and 100 percent first-year bonus depreciation, the combined first-year federal benefit can reach 45 to 55 percent of project cost for many Florida business owners. Direct Pay is also available for nonprofits, municipalities, and other tax-exempt entities.
Commercial solar overviewCommercial solar projects must begin construction by July 4, 2026 to qualify for the 30 percent Section 48E federal tax credit. After that date, the system must be placed in service by December 31, 2027.
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Frequently asked
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