State guide · facts checked July 2026
Florida is one of the cheapest states in the country to buy solar, still has full retail net metering at the big utilities, and is also one of the states with the most solar sales complaints. All three things are true at once, which is exactly why quotes here deserve a slow, careful read.
Here is the honest picture as of July 2026, with sources at the bottom.
The price
Competitive quotes in Florida average about $2.18 per watt before incentives (EnergySage marketplace data, June 2026), among the three to five cheapest states. A typical system lands well under $3.00 per watt cash.
The trap here is loan pricing: dealer fees of 25 to 40% get baked into the principal so the monthly payment looks like your electric bill while the effective price climbs past $3.50 per watt. Always ask for the cash price and the total amount you will repay, then compare.
Check your quote against this, freeExports
If you are with FPL, Duke Energy Florida, or TECO, your exports still net against your usage at the full retail rate under state rule, credits roll month to month, and only the year-end leftover pays out at a low avoided-cost rate (roughly 2 to 5 cents per kWh). The 2022 bill that would have cut export credits was vetoed and its step-down schedule never became law, so if a rep cites "60% credit in 2026," they are quoting a dead bill.
What did change: minimum bills. FPL's residential minimum rose to $30 a month in January 2026, and Duke Florida has had a $30 minimum since 2022. Solar cannot push your bill below that floor, so "your bill goes to zero" is arithmetic that fails on page one of the tariff.
Also note: the retail-rate rule binds the investor-owned utilities. Municipal utilities set their own terms, and some have already moved away from retail exports (Orlando's OUC did in 2025). If you are on a muni or co-op, check its specific policy before trusting any savings model.
Incentives
Ended December 31, 2025 under the July 2025 federal law. A system installed in 2026 gets $0 federal credit, and plenty of Florida ads simply have not been updated. If the quote's math includes it, the math is wrong.
Leasing companies can still capture a federal credit on systems they own, on a winding-down schedule. It is theirs, and passing it through is a pricing choice. With one major national lease provider having gone through bankruptcy in 2025, also ask who services your lease for the next 25 years.
Florida law excludes 100% of the value a residential solar system adds from your property tax assessment, in statute through 2037. The panels raise your home value, not your tax bill.
Solar equipment, including batteries integral to the system, is exempt from Florida's 6% state sales tax. Permanent since 2005. This should already be reflected in your quote, not pitched as a special discount.
Florida has no income tax, so there is no state solar tax credit and never was. The big utilities also offer no residential solar or battery rebates as of mid-2026; a few municipals (like OUC and Lakeland) have small battery rebates with strings attached.
What they gloss over
What you hear
"You still get 30% back from the government."
What's true
Not on a purchase installed in 2026 or later. It ended December 31, 2025. On a lease, the finance company gets a credit, not you.
What you hear
"Net metering is ending in Florida, lock in now."
What's true
Full retail net metering is in force at the investor-owned utilities with no pending change we could find as of July 2026. The step-down schedule reps sometimes cite comes from a bill that was vetoed in 2022 and never became law.
What you hear
"Your bill will be zero."
What's true
FPL and Duke Florida both have $30 monthly minimum bills that solar cannot offset. Low is realistic. Zero is not, and a rep who promises it is telling you they have not read the tariff.
What you hear
"The panels are hurricane-proof and your insurance won't change."
What's true
Panels are built to code wind loads, which is not the same as hurricane-proof, and hurricane damage falls under your separate, higher hurricane deductible. Some Florida insurers require a rider, a newer roof, or decline homes with rooftop solar entirely. Get written confirmation from your insurer BEFORE signing, not after.
What you hear
"It's a free solar program."
What's true
No free solar program exists in Florida; the state AG has a consumer alert about exactly this pitch. It is a 20 to 25 year lease or loan with the cost moved out of sight. And under Florida law you have until midnight of the third business day after signing to cancel a door-to-door sale, so no honest deal expires tonight.
Your city and utility
Permitting and interconnection are local. We keep a plain-English database of both for Florida:
Sources
Every claim above was checked against a primary source in July 2026. Policies change; if you spot something stale, trust the source over us and tell us.
Educational guidance for your own research, not financial, tax, or engineering advice. Verify current rates and program status with your utility and a licensed professional before signing anything.