WA · Solar

Solar Panel Cost in Washington (2026)

Compare quotes from vetted Washington solar installers - average ~$2.95/W before incentives. Free, no obligation, ~2 minutes.

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7 kW
Average system size
$2.95/W
Average cost (USD)
13 yrs
Average payback
200+
Local installers

Why solar in Washington

Washington solar has always been a difficult sell for an honest reason: hydro made electricity cheap, and cheap electricity makes a long payback. The state residential average was around 15 cents per kWh in mid-2026, roughly a fifth below the national average, and Seattle City Light customers pay closer to 11 cents. What has changed is the direction of travel. Seattle City Light has signalled increases approaching 10 percent a year for 2027 and 2028, Puget Sound Energy has proposed around 17 percent next year and close to 30 percent over three years, and Avista has proposed about 14 percent next year. Washington has no state income tax and therefore no state tax credit, and the 30 percent federal residential credit ended for property placed in service after December 31, 2025, so what remains is a full sales and use tax exemption through 2029 and retail-rate net metering with a hard April 30 forfeit.

Incentives & rebates

Net metering: Retail-rate net metering with an April 30 annual forfeit

Washington net metering under RCW 80.60 covers systems of up to 100 kW. The utility measures net electricity produced or consumed during the billing period, and excess kilowatt hours generated in a period are credited on the following period bill at the retail rate. The rule that should shape your system design is the annual reset. On April 30 of each calendar year, any remaining unused kilowatt hour credit accumulated during the previous year is granted to the electric utility without any compensation to the customer-generator. There is no payout, no rollover into the next year and no negotiation. April is also close to the worst possible month for a Washington household to be holding surplus, since it falls after a long dark winter has drawn credits down and just as spring production is recovering. The practical consequence is that a system sized to produce more than the household consumes across a year is a system that donates the difference. Build from your last twelve months of bills and ask your installer what the projection assumes happens to credit remaining on April 30.

Related Washington resources

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How payback works in Washington

System cost
$20,650
Estimated net cost
$20,650
Estimated payback
~12.7 years
25-year net savings
~$19,850

These figures are illustrative; your actual quote reflects your roof, sun exposure, and local utility rates.

Cities we serve in Washington

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Frequently asked questions

How much do solar panels cost in Washington?
Washington solar averages roughly $2.95 per watt installed, and the sales and use tax exemption under RCW 82.08.962 removes state and local sales tax from both the equipment and the installation labour. The 30 percent federal Residential Clean Energy Credit under Section 25D expired for property placed in service after December 31, 2025, so a cash or loan purchase no longer receives it.
What incentives are available in Washington?
Fewer than most states, and it is worth being direct about that. Washington has no state income tax and therefore no state solar tax credit. What exists is the full sales and use tax exemption for systems up to 100 kW AC, running through December 31, 2029, and retail-rate net metering under RCW 80.60. Some utilities run their own programmes, so ask yours.
Is solar worth it in Washington?
It depends heavily on your utility and on your view of where rates go. The state average was around 15 cents per kWh in mid-2026, which makes payback long. But Puget Sound Energy has proposed roughly 17 percent next year and close to 30 percent over three years, Seattle City Light has signalled close to 10 percent a year for 2027 and 2028, and Avista about 14 percent next year, so the avoided cost is rising.