DC incentive guide
Washington, D.C. solar incentives in 2026
Last updated · every DC or Washington DC program below is verifiable against the sources at the foot of this page.
The most valuable solar incentive in Washington, D.C. right now is The most valuable SREC market in the country. Overall, the state's incentive stack rates as strong compared with the rest of the country.
The federal credit is gone — start here
The 30% federal residential clean energy credit (Section 25D) ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. If you are buying a system in Washington, D.C. this year, there is no federal credit. That is a roughly $8,520 swing on an $28,400 system compared with 2025 pricing, and it is why state programs matter more now than they did a year ago.
What Washington, D.C. offers at a glance
| Incentive | Available? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax credit | No | — |
| Rebate or performance payment | Yes | Solar for All serves income-qualified households |
| SREC market | Yes | Washington, D.C. has a solar renewable energy certificate market you can sell into. |
| Sales tax exemption | No | — |
| Property tax exemption | Yes | The value solar adds to the home is excluded from property tax assessment. |
| Federal tax credit | No | Section 25D ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. |
Reviewed September 2026. Incentive programs change frequently and several are funding-capped — verify current status with the administering agency or DSIRE before relying on any figure.
Washington, D.C. solar tax credit
There is no Washington, D.C. solar tax credit in 2026, and no federal one either — Section 25D ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. What Washington, D.C. does offer on the tax side is property tax exemption, covered below.
Washington, D.C. solar rebates and grants
Solar for All serves income-qualified households. Rebate and grant programs are funding-limited and have opened and closed mid-year before, so confirm the current round is open before counting on it. Washington, D.C. does have a solar renewable energy certificate (SREC) market, which pays per megawatt-hour your system generates rather than up front.
D.C. SRECs have traded in the hundreds of dollars per MWh — a typical home system can earn thousands per year — and Solar for All serves income-qualified households. Verify current SREC prices.
Net metering and export rates in Washington, D.C.
The District requires full retail net metering with credits that roll over indefinitely.
Compare this with net metering in every other state.
Export rules deserve to be read as an incentive. In a retail net metering state, every exported kilowatt-hour is worth the full retail rate; under net billing or avoided-cost compensation, the same kilowatt-hour can be worth a third of that. For a Washington, D.C. home at an assumed $0.18/kWh, that difference compounds across a 25-year system life.
What this means for your numbers
A typical 8 kW system in Washington, D.C. costs roughly $21,600–$28,400 installed before incentives, producing about 10,400 kWh a year and saving around $1,543 in year one — a simple payback near 14–18 years with no incentives applied. Anything in the table above shortens that.
Frequently asked questions
What are Washington, D.C. solar tax credits worth in 2026?
Washington, D.C. offers no residential solar income tax credit in 2026, and the 30% federal credit ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. What remains on the tax side is property tax exemption, which lower cost indirectly rather than paying you back.
Does Washington, D.C. have solar rebates?
Yes. Solar for All serves income-qualified households. Rebate programs in DC are funding-limited and have historically opened and closed mid-year, so confirm the current round is still accepting applications before you count the money.
Is there a Washington, D.C. solar property tax exemption?
Yes. Washington, D.C. excludes the value solar adds to a home from property tax assessment, so a system that raises your home's value does not raise your annual tax bill.
What solar incentives are available in Washington, D.C. in 2026?
D.C. SRECs have traded in the hundreds of dollars per MWh — a typical home system can earn thousands per year — and Solar for All serves income-qualified households. Verify current SREC prices. Because the federal Section 25D credit ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025, these state, local and utility programs are now the entire incentive picture for a purchased system.
Is there still a 30% federal solar tax credit in Washington, D.C.?
No. The 30% federal residential clean energy credit (Section 25D) ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Any quote or website still applying 30% to a 2026 purchased installation is out of date. Leased and PPA systems can still benefit indirectly, because the third party that owns the system may claim the commercial 48E credit through 2027 and pass some of the value through in pricing.
Does Washington, D.C. have net metering?
The District requires full retail net metering with credits that roll over indefinitely. Export rules are effectively an incentive — often the largest one — because they set what every kilowatt-hour you do not use on site is worth.
How much do incentives change the cost of solar in Washington, D.C.?
Before incentives, a typical 8 kW system in Washington, D.C. runs roughly $21,600–$28,400. Solar for All serves income-qualified households — the value depends on current funding. See our full Washington, D.C. cost breakdown for payback math.
Verify before you rely on any of this
Incentive programs open, close, deplete their funding and change their caps — often mid-year. This page is a starting point reviewed September 2026, not tax advice. Confirm with: