Florida Solar Incentives in 2026: What Homeowners Should Know

Florida homeowners researching solar in 2026 still run into ads and older articles that describe a federal credit alongside state exemptions and net metering. The important update is that the federal residential credit ended for new expenditures after December 31, 2025. Florida's state tax exemptions and utility net-metering arrangements remain separate benefits with their own rules.

State-level incentives

Florida provides two tax exemptions relevant to qualifying solar equipment:

• Property tax treatment. Florida law excludes the just value attributable to a qualifying renewable-energy device when residential property is assessed. Your county property appraiser determines how the law applies to a parcel.
• Sales tax exemption. Florida exempts qualifying solar-energy systems and certified components from sales and use tax.

The most reliable references are the Florida solar sales-tax guidance, the state's renewable-energy property assessment statute, and your county property appraiser.

Net metering — utility-specific, not statewide

Net metering determines how exported energy is credited against electricity you draw from the grid. Florida's Rule 25-6.065 governs investor-owned utilities, while municipal and cooperative utilities publish their own terms. Monthly rollover, annual reconciliation, fixed charges, system-size limits, and interconnection requirements can all affect the economics, so verify the current tariff for the utility serving your address.

The federal residential credit ended for new 2026 expenditures

The IRS states that the Section 25D Residential Clean Energy Credit is not available for expenditures made after December 31, 2025. For installation-related expenditures, the timing rule generally looks to when the original installation is completed, not merely when a deposit is paid. See the current IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit guidance before relying on any proposal that shows a federal residential credit for a 2026 project.

Someone carrying forward unused credit from an eligible earlier year may be in a different position. That is a personal tax matter and should be checked against current IRS instructions or with a qualified tax professional.

Utility rebates: check before you assume

Some Florida utilities have offered rebate programs for solar or battery storage at various points, though availability changes and isn't universal across the state. Before budgeting around a rebate, confirm directly with your utility whether a program is currently active and what its requirements are.

How to actually use this information

The state exemptions and net-metering rules are worth understanding, but they are not a substitute for an accurate project estimate. A sensible order is:

1. Get a system sized and priced for your actual roof and usage.
2. Confirm whether the Florida sales- and property-tax exemptions apply.
3. Do not include a federal residential credit for new 2026 expenditures.
4. Confirm your utility's current net metering terms directly with the utility.

Any proposal should show the cash project price, financing costs if any, and utility assumptions separately so you can see which numbers are contractual and which are estimates.

Next step

If you want a starting estimate for your own roof, UnionGrid's solar savings calculator uses satellite imagery to provide a planning estimate, and the team can explain the assumptions used for your area. Browse Florida service-area planning pages, or request a free quote and confirm availability for your address.

Official sources checked

• Florida Department of Revenue: solar-energy-system sales-tax exemption
• Florida Statutes § 193.624: assessment of renewable-energy devices
• Florida Administrative Code Rule 25-6.065
• IRS Instructions for Form 5695

Sources reviewed August 20, 2026.