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Solar · Washington, DC · 2026 cost guide
How much does solar panels cost in Washington, DC?
In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area, a typical 8 kW system before incentives runs about $22,000 to $30,800 in 2026, about 10% above the national range. Contractor labor here is indexed at 1.10 against the U.S. average, and that is what moves the numbers; equipment and materials cost about the same everywhere.
- Cost per watt
- $2.75–$3.85installed, before incentives
- 8 kW system
- $22,000–$30,800before incentives, about a $150 to $200 monthly bill
- 10 kW system
- $27,500–$38,500before incentives, about a $200 to $250 monthly bill
- Battery add-on
- $11,000–$19,800one 10 to 15 kWh battery, installed
Solar panels in Washington, DC cost about $22,000 to $30,800 for an 8 kW system before incentives, and the District is one of the best places in the country to own them. The sun is average at 4.4 peak hours a day, but DC's solar renewable energy credits are the most valuable in the country, net metering is intact, and Pepco rates run about $0.18 per kWh. Payback inside the District beats what a Maryland or Virginia address a few miles away gets.
What's different in Washington
The SREC is the whole story in the District. DC's renewable portfolio standard gives credits from systems inside the District a protected market, and because the supply of rooftops is small, each credit sells for far more than in any other state. A typical home system generates several credits a year, and that income, on top of the bill savings at Pepco's rate of about $0.18 per kWh, gives DC homeowners one of the shortest paybacks in the country even with modest sun. Ask the installer which SREC market your address can register in and how the credits are sold.
Cross the line and the math changes. Maryland customers of Pepco in Montgomery and Prince George's counties have net metering, a state solar grant from the Maryland Energy Administration, and a Maryland SREC market that pays far less than DC's. Dominion customers in Fairfax, Arlington, and Loudoun have net metering but no state grant, and the export credit is where their savings come from. All three are worth doing at about $0.18 per kWh, but a Bethesda or Arlington system will take several years longer to pay back than the same panels on a Petworth roof. DC SREC values can change with legislation, so model payback with and without them.
Roof and permit details matter. Many District homes are rowhouses with flat or low-slope roofs, which take ballasted or tilt racks well but need a roof in good condition first, and heavy spring pollen and ice storms both argue for a rack that sheds. DC DOB permits solar in the District; Montgomery, Fairfax, and Prince George's counties permit separately, and the interconnection application goes to Pepco or Dominion depending on the address. Batteries are a resilience buy here, not a payback play, since full net metering means the grid already stores your surplus at retail value.
Solar Panel prices in Washington vs. the national guide
These are the ranges from our national solar panels cost guide next to the same items scaled by the Washington, DC labor index of 1.10. Rows marked fixed are materials only and do not move with local labor.
| Item | National range | Washington, DC |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per watt | $2.50–$3.50 | $2.75–$3.85 |
| 8 kW system | $20,000–$28,000 | $22,000–$30,800 |
| 10 kW system | $25,000–$35,000 | $27,500–$38,500 |
| Battery add-on | $10,000–$18,000 | $11,000–$19,800 |
Local tip: If you live in the District, ask installers to price the system with the SREC income modeled separately from bill savings, then compare the cash price; the credits alone can cover a large share of the cost over the first decade.
Washington at a glance
- Climate zone
- 4Amixed-humid
- Labor index
- 1.10vs. U.S. average 1.00
- Electricity
- $0.18/kWhPepco in DC and Maryland suburbs
- Peak sun hours
- 4.4kWh/m²/day, annual average
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How much are SRECs worth in Washington, DC?
More than anywhere else in the country. Each credit represents one megawatt-hour of solar production, and DC's small rooftop supply against its renewable standard keeps prices far above Maryland's or any other state's. An 8 kW system in the District produces roughly eight to ten credits a year. Values move with legislation and the market, so ask your installer for a current price and a conservative payback that assumes they fall.
Does Pepco offer net metering for solar in the DC area?
Yes, in both the District and its Maryland territory, and Dominion offers net metering in Northern Virginia. Exports are credited against your bill at retail value, which at about $0.18 per kWh is most of the savings. The difference between the three jurisdictions is the incentive on top: DC SRECs, the Maryland state grant, or, in Virginia, nothing beyond the bill credit.
Is solar worth it in Northern Virginia compared with DC?
It is worth it, just slower. Dominion net metering and rates near $0.18 per kWh give a Fairfax or Arlington system a solid payback, but without the District's SREC income it lands several years behind the same system a few miles east. Virginia homes tend to have larger, simpler roofs than DC rowhouses, which lowers the installed cost per watt and narrows the gap.
Can I put solar on a flat rowhouse roof in Washington?
Yes, and many District rowhouses do. Flat and low-slope roofs use tilted or ballasted racks, which cost a little more per watt but can be angled south regardless of which way the house faces. The roof membrane should have ten or more years of life left, and neighboring parapets and chimneys need a shade study. DC DOB reviews the structural attachment as part of the permit.
Solar Panel costs in nearby metros
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Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD. Labor index 1.05, climate zone 4A.
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