Costs
What solar panels cost in 2026, and what changed
We are not going to open this page with a single big savings number, because any site that does is guessing. What we can do is set out the components of the cost honestly, and be specific about the one thing that changed this year.
The change that matters
Until the end of 2025, the standard way US solar was priced to a homeowner was gross cost minus a 30 percent federal tax credit. That credit no longer exists for anyone buying a system. On a typical installation that is a swing of several thousand dollars, and it means every payback calculation produced before 2026 is wrong.
| Component | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Gross system cost | Set by size and complexity | Unchanged |
| Federal credit, cash or loan | 30% of installed cost | None |
| Federal credit, lease or PPA | Claimed by the owner | Still claimed by the owner, priced into your payment |
| State incentives | Varies by state | Varies by state, and several rates have moved. See the state pages |
| Sales tax | Exempt in all four states | Exempt in all four states |
What actually drives your number
- How much power you use. The system is sized to your consumption, and in New York it is capped relative to your annual use.
- Usable roof area, pitch and orientation. South-facing and unshaded is the benchmark; everything else costs efficiency.
- Shading between 9am and 3pm. The only shade that really matters.
- Roof condition and material. Tile costs more to mount than asphalt shingle. A roof near end of life needs dealing with first.
- Electrical service and panel capacity. An upgrade is a real line item.
- Your utility. Interconnection requirements and export arrangements differ, sometimes within the same county.
- The financing structure. On a loan, the dealer fee can add 10 to 30 percent to the price you are quoted. How to find it.
Savings are not guaranteed. Any figures shown are illustrative examples only and are not a quote, offer or estimate for your property. Actual savings depend on your energy use, utility rates and rate changes, roof orientation, shading, system size and performance, local weather, applicable tariffs and the terms of your contract. Eligibility and savings are determined by your utility, roof condition and roof space, azimuth, tree location, shading, weather and other factors.
FAQs
Cost questions
What does a residential solar system cost in 2026?
It depends on system size, roof complexity, your utility and your state, and any site that gives you one national number is guessing. What we can tell you is what changed: a system that cost $22,000 before the federal credit used to net out around $15,400 after it. In 2026 the net cost for a cash buyer is the gross cost, because there is no federal credit. That is a roughly $6,600 swing on a typical system and it is the single biggest change to solar economics in a decade.
Why will you not give me a price on this page?
Because we would be making it up. Your price depends on roof pitch, orientation, shading, electrical service, your utility's interconnection requirements, whether the roof needs work first, and how much power you actually use. Anyone quoting you a firm price before looking at your roof is quoting a number they intend to revise. We would rather tell you that than pretend.
Does the roof need replacing first?
If it is near the end of its life, yes, and it is better to know that now. Taking an array off and putting it back to re-roof is expensive. A survey will assess roof condition and remaining life before a system is designed, and some financing routes will decline a roof in poor condition outright.