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How much do solar panels cost in Virginia?

There is no single Virginia price. The cost depends on system size in kilowatts, the panels and inverters, roof and electrical work, permits and how you pay. Compare quotes on total price and cost per watt. The federal 30% residential credit is not available for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so question any quote that still subtracts it.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

This is a job for a licensed pro in Virginia

This page explains what the work involves, the permits, what a licensed pro does and what drives the cost. It does not give step-by-step instructions, because this work needs a licence, a permit or both, and doing it wrong can injure someone. Before you hire, check the licence on Virginia's DPOR record.

There is no reliable single price for solar in Virginia, because every system is sized and built for one house. What you pay comes down to how many kilowatts you install, the equipment, the condition of your roof and electrical service, permits and interconnection, and how you finance it. The fair way to compare offers is the total installed price and the cost per watt, with any incentives listed separately.

A two-storey grey clapboard house with two rows of solar panels across its roof and tall trees close behind it
Photo: Gray Watson User:E090, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What the price is made of

The U.S. Department of Energy splits the price of a solar system into hardware (the modules, the inverter, any battery, and the structural and electrical parts that mount and connect them) and soft costs (work on site, work in the office, and the installer's other costs and overhead).[1] Tariffs paid on imported hardware raise the market price,[1] so equipment costs move with trade policy as well as with the brand you pick.

For scale, the department's representative home system for 2025 is 8 kilowatts DC: twenty 400-watt panels, each with its own microinverter, giving 7.0 kilowatts of AC output, paired with a 13.5 kilowatt-hour battery.[1] Elsewhere, national lab analyses use an average residential system of 7.15 kilowatts DC within a 3 to 11 kilowatt range.[2] A quote should state both the DC rating of the panels and the AC rating of the inverters.

Size sets most of the bill

More panels cost more, so the first job is sizing the system to your use, not to the roof. Virginia caps it anyway: outside electric cooperative territory, a residential system can be no larger than 25 kilowatts,[7] and Dominion Energy limits a system to 150 percent of expected annual use.[8]

The U.S. Treasury's consumer advisory puts the two questions plainly: "How can I make sure that I am not buying more solar panels than I need? What is the cost per watt of this solar installation?"[4] Bring your last 12 months of bills to every estimate, so each installer sizes from the same numbers.

What can add to a quote

  • The roof. The Department of Energy notes panels usually perform best on south-facing roofs pitched between 15 and 40 degrees, and says to think about the age of your roof and how long until it needs replacing.[2] Removing and reinstalling panels for a reroof later is a separate job, so an old roof is often replaced first.
  • Shade and trees. Shade cuts production, which raises the cost of every kilowatt-hour the system makes. Trimming or a different layout may be priced in.
  • Your electrical service. Virginia's planned Smart Solar Permitting Platform is meant to process permits for residential rooftop solar, energy storage and main panel upgrades,[9] three jobs that often travel together. An older or full panel may need an upgrade by a licensed electrician.
  • A battery. Storage adds hardware and an inverter. Without storage and a transfer switch, a grid-tied system shuts off during an outage.[8]
  • Interconnection. Under Virginia law you bear the reasonable cost of any extra controls or tests the utility requires,[7] though Dominion says there are often no charges to interconnect small residential systems.[8] Dominion's residential customers with systems larger than 20 kilowatts AC pay a monthly standby charge.[8][7]
  • Permits. Your county or city charges building and electrical permit fees, which should be on the quote.

Tax credits and tax breaks

The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit was 30% of the cost of qualifying property installed from 2022 through December 31, 2025, and it is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025.[3] A quote for a new system that subtracts a federal credit is out of date. The Treasury advisory warns: "Be wary of anyone who says you can use tax credits to reduce the cost of the panels without confirming your eligibility."[4]

Virginia has a property tax break. Under Code of Virginia § 58.1-3661, a home solar facility of not more than 25 kilowatts DC, installed under the state's local solar zoning provisions, is wholly exempt from state and local taxation.[6] Localities may also exempt certified solar equipment from local tax by ordinance, after the local building department certifies it.[6]

Cash, loan, lease or power purchase agreement

The Department of Energy says a purchased solar system can be installed at a lower total cost than a system paid for with a solar loan, lease or power purchase agreement.[2] If you borrow, the Treasury advisory is direct: "You are not required to use the financing offered by the salesperson."[4] It also warns that a UCC-1 lien filed against the system can affect a future sale of the house, and that a PACE loan adds the balance to your property tax bill, and that tax lien takes priority over your mortgage.[4] Compare the total of all payments, not just the monthly figure.

What it saves depends on your rate

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported in October 2026 that the average residential price in Virginia was 17.64 cents per kilowatt-hour in August 2026, up from 15.85 cents in August 2025.[5] Your own rate is on your bill. The Department of Energy says savings depend on how much electricity you use, the size of the system, whether you buy or lease, how much sun the panels get, your utility's rates and how it credits power you send back.[2] Dominion says the energy you produce and use can be valued at what you would pay for your next kilowatt-hour.[8] Our answer on how net metering works in Virginia explains the credits.

What a written quote should show

  • System size in kilowatts DC and AC, with panel and inverter brand and model
  • Estimated production in kilowatt-hours per year, and the shade and roof assumptions behind it
  • Total price, cost per watt, and every fee: permits, interconnection, roof or electrical work
  • Battery, monitoring and any panel upgrade priced as separate lines
  • Warranties on panels, inverters and the installer's workmanship
  • The payment schedule

DPOR's guide to hiring a contractor advises: "Solicit at least three bids for the work you need."[10] It also gives a rule of thumb of a down payment of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less.[10] Under Virginia law, a contractor needs a Virginia licence for any single job over $1,000, and a Class B or Class A licence once a single contract reaches $30,000.[11]

When to call a licensed pro

Pricing a system needs a site visit: roof, shade, panel capacity and your bills. Get quotes only from licensed contractors whose crew includes a licensed electrician, and check each licence on DPOR's record. Before signing, read what to check in a solar contract.

Browse solar installers on Loclis, look up electricians in Blacksburg, or read more electrical answers.

Describe your solar project and licensed local installers quote it.

Common questions

Can I still get the 30% federal solar tax credit?
Not for a new home system. The IRS says the Residential Clean Energy Credit is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. If a 2026 quote shows a net price after a federal credit, ask the installer to remove it and show the full price.
Do solar panels raise my property taxes in Virginia?
A home system of up to 25 kilowatts DC installed under Virginia's local solar zoning provisions is wholly exempt from state and local taxation under Code of Virginia § 58.1-3661. Ask your local assessor or building department how it applies to your system.
What is cost per watt and why does it matter?
It is the total installed price divided by the system's rated size in watts. Because systems differ in size, it is the fairest way to compare two quotes. The U.S. Treasury's solar buying advisory lists it among the questions to ask before you buy.
Is it cheaper to lease solar panels or buy them?
The U.S. Department of Energy says a purchased system generally costs less overall than one paid for with a loan, lease or power purchase agreement. A lease or PPA can mean little or no money down, but you do not own the system, so read the term, escalator and transfer rules closely.
How much will solar save on my electric bill?
It depends on your use, system size, roof orientation and shade, your utility's rate and how net metering credits your surplus. Ask each installer for estimated yearly production in kilowatt-hours and compare it with your last 12 months of bills.

Sources

  1. [1] Solar Photovoltaic System Cost Benchmarks, U.S. Department of Energy. Checked October 27, 2026.
  2. [2] Homeowner's Guide to Going Solar, U.S. Department of Energy. Checked October 27, 2026.
  3. [3] Residential Clean Energy Credit, Internal Revenue Service. Checked October 27, 2026.
  4. [4] Consumer Advisory: Before You Purchase and Finance Solar Panels, U.S. Department of the Treasury. Checked October 27, 2026.
  5. [5] Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State, U.S. Energy Information Administration. Checked October 27, 2026.
  6. [6] Code of Virginia § 58.1-3661, Certified solar energy equipment, facilities, or devices, Code of Virginia, Legislative Information System. Checked October 27, 2026.
  7. [7] Code of Virginia § 56-594, Net energy metering provisions, Code of Virginia, Legislative Information System. Checked October 27, 2026.
  8. [8] Net Metering (Virginia), Dominion Energy. Checked October 27, 2026.
  9. [9] Solar Power, Virginia Department of Energy. Checked October 27, 2026.
  10. [10] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor, Virginia Board for Contractors, DPOR. Checked October 27, 2026.
  11. [11] Code of Virginia § 54.1-1100, Definitions (contractors), Code of Virginia, Legislative Information System. Checked October 27, 2026.

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