New YorkSolar Incentives 2026: Tax Credits, Rebates & Net Metering

New York offers a 25% state income tax credit on residential solar installations, capped at $5,000. The credit applies to panels, inverters, mounting hardware, and labor. It is non-refundable but can typically be carried forward to subsequent tax years if your liability in the install year is too low to absorb the full credit.

The New York state credit stacks with the federal 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit. On a typical $24,000 installation, that combination returns roughly $12,200 in combined credits.

New York requires investor-owned utilities to offer net metering on residential solar systems. The credit rate is a modified rate (typically retail rate minus a small grid utilization fee).

In practice, this means a properly sized New York system can drive net annual electricity costs to within tens of dollars of zero. Top utilities operating under NY net metering rules include Con Edison, National Grid, NYSEG, PSEG LI.

New York credits exported solar at roughly ~70–90% of retail of the retail rate. See full New Yorknet metering rates & rollover rules →

Solar installs in New York average $3.10 per watt in 2026. A typical 8 kW system runs about $24,800 before incentives. After the 30% federal credit and the New York state credit, the net cost drops to roughly $12,360 — the real number most NY homeowners pay.

Your price moves with system size, roof complexity, and equipment tier. Run the New York savings calculator for a number matched to your actual electricity bill.

No — there is no government program handing out free solar in New York. “Free solar” and “no-cost solar program” ads are leases or power purchase agreements (PPAs): a company owns the panels, claims the 30% federal credit and the 25% state credit for itself, and bills you for the power.

Buying your system — with the incentives in your name — almost always wins on lifetime savings. Read the full breakdown of “free solar” offers →

4 major utilities operate in New York: Con Edison, National Grid, NYSEG, PSEG LI. Specific rebate availability varies year to year and is typically distributed first-come, first-served until annual budget caps are reached.

Before scheduling any installation, verify current rebate status directly with your utility — programs open and close throughout the year. Most New York installers will pull up-to-date rebate data during a site assessment.

New York excludes the added value of a residential solar system from property tax assessments. A homeowner whose property gains $15,000 in assessed value from a solar install pays no additional property tax on that increase, saving roughly $250 to $400 annually depending on local mill rates.

New York also exempts solar equipment from state sales tax, removing roughly 4% to 7% from the up-front cost of panels, inverters, and racking depending on local rate.

Compare New York's solar incentive package side-by-side with adjacent states to see whether you live in a relatively high- or low-incentive market.