Sunprint
At a glance
For most California homes, solar isn't free. If a door-to-door or phone pitch says it is, the CPUC lists that as a false claim. Real no-cost solar exists, but only through a few government-funded programs for income-qualified households, mainly DAC-SASH for homeowners in disadvantaged communities. Everyone else pays, either up front or over time.
What "$0 down" usually means
A solar company owns the panels on your roof. You pay it every month, for the equipment or for the power, for the length of the contract. 49% of the net billing home solar approved in 2026 at PG&E, SCE and SDG&E was owned this way.
You own the panels and pay a lender every month. The CPUC notes this is a separate bill on top of your smaller electric bill.
The cost is added to your property tax bill and paid once or twice a year, or monthly through your mortgage.
None of these is free; each moves the cost into payments. Whether one saves you money depends on the payment against what solar cuts from your bill. Our solar cost guide shows what California homes paid in 2026.
Claims the CPUC tells you to watch for
The CPUC's Solar Consumer Protection Guide says not to do business with a salesperson who makes one of these claims:
"You can get solar at no cost to you."
The CPUC lists this as a false claim. Solar is rarely free; the exception is a few government-funded programs for low-income households, covered below.
Check: the CPUC: "Please beware of a solar provider who tells you solar is free – it is not."
"You'll never pay an electric bill again."
The CPUC says you'll typically still pay a smaller monthly bill, and possibly a larger one at the yearly true-up. A loan, lease or power purchase agreement adds a monthly bill from the lender or solar company.
Check: With PACE financing, you also pay with your property taxes or mortgage
"Time is running out. Sign on the tablet now."
The CPUC says an honest salesperson never rushes you, and California law requires showing you the contract terms before you sign. You can ask for printed copies of every form.
Check: You also have days to cancel after signing: see how to cancel
Inflated savings estimates
Savings estimates depend on how fast the company assumes electric rates will rise. The CPUC caps that assumption at 10% a year, as of 2025.
Check: Ask what yearly increase the estimate uses
Programs that really are no-cost or low-cost
The CPUC's list of low-income solar programs, plus two local ones. Only the first two install solar at no cost to the homeowner.
Rooftop solar installed at no cost to you, plus energy efficiency training. The program pays $3 a watt toward systems of 1 kW or more.
Single-family homeowners in a disadvantaged community (a census tract in the top 25% of CalEnviroScreen, plus some others) who are eligible for CARE or FERA, or who live in San Joaquin Valley pilot communities. PG&E, SCE and SDG&E areas.
The CPUC says it's accepting applications. GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit, runs it statewide, with $10 million a year through 2030.
Energy efficiency upgrades and rooftop solar installed at no cost.
Eligible farmworker households in the 18 California counties with the most farmworkers.
Run by the state's Low-Income Weatherization Program and administered by La Cooperativa Campesina de California.
$1,100 per kWh of battery and $3,100 per kW of solar, for paired solar and batteries.
Low-income homes: for example, single-family homes with income at or below 80% of the area median, or on CARE, FERA or ESA.
On October 29, 2026, SGIP's tracker showed these budgets closed or waitlisted, except one. See solar batteries.
LADWP builds, owns and maintains a 1 to 10 kW system on your roof and keeps all the power. You get up to $900 a year for 20 years, by check or bill credit.
LADWP customers in owner-occupied single-family homes with composite shingle roofs, on residential rates R1A, R1B, R1D or R1E.
Your electric bill is otherwise unchanged, because the solar power goes to LADWP, not your home.
Help paying for rooftop solar, funded by SDG&E under its franchise agreement with the City of San Diego: $10 million over 10 years.
Income-qualified homeowners in the City of San Diego. A separate County pilot covers up to 22 single-family and 6 two-to-four-unit homes in disadvantaged unincorporated areas.
See California solar incentives for more.
What no-cost solar saved
Through mid-2025, DAC-SASH had completed 3,407 systems out of 3,778 applications. The CPUC's independent evaluation, published in April 2026, calculated what those systems saved their owners in 2024:
What DAC-SASH solar saved, 2024
PG&E412 homes
SCE305 homes
SDG&E7 homes (small sample)
Across all three utilities, the program's no-cost systems saved $140 a month on average, about two-thirds of the bill. The evaluation notes NEM 2.0 was in effect for many of these homes; solar installed now goes on net billing, where the CPUC says export credits are usually lower than the price you pay.
Bill discounts without panels
If you can't put solar on your roof, two CPUC programs give a 20% bill discount backed by solar built elsewhere. DAC-GT is for customers in disadvantaged communities who qualify for CARE or FERA; the CPUC says you may already be enrolled, so check your bill for the discount. Community Solar Green Tariff (CSGT) gave the same discount through local projects, but the CPUC discontinued most of it in 2024; legacy projects and Clean Power Alliance's program continue. Our community solar guide covers what's left.
What a free quote call gets you
- One verified local installer
- The installed price for your roof
- Your payback years from that price
- Free, with no obligation
See what solar could save you
About a minute, and no phone number needed. If the number looks good, a free quote call gets you the exact price.
Common questions
Is free solar real in California?
Only through a few government-funded programs for income-qualified households, such as DAC-SASH, which installs rooftop solar at no cost for eligible homeowners in disadvantaged communities. The CPUC warns that a solar company telling you solar is free is making a false claim.
Who qualifies for free solar in California?
For DAC-SASH: single-family homeowners in a disadvantaged community who are eligible for CARE or FERA, or who live in San Joaquin Valley pilot communities, in PG&E, SCE or SDG&E areas. Eligible farmworker households in 18 counties can get no-cost solar through the state's Farmworker Housing program.
Is $0-down solar free?
No. With a lease or power purchase agreement you pay the solar company every month; with a loan you pay a lender. The cost is spread out, not removed.
Does California have a government solar program for everyone?
Not one that pays for panels. The federal tax credit ended for systems placed in service after 2025, and SGIP's general battery budgets are closed. The statewide benefit left is the property tax exclusion for systems finished before January 1, 2027.
How much does no-cost solar save?
The CPUC's evaluation found DAC-SASH systems saved an average of $140 a month in 2024: $163 at PG&E, $110 at SCE and $108 at SDG&E, where the sample was only seven homes.
Related guides
- California solar calculator
- California solar incentives
- Check a solar company
- Cancel a solar contract
- Solar panel cost in California
- Solar batteries in California
Program rules, budgets and openings change; check the program's own page for current status. Bill savings are averages from the CPUC's evaluation, not a promise for your home. Sources: CPUC: Solar Consumer Protection Guide · CPUC: Low Income Solar Programs · CPUC: Solar in Disadvantaged Communities · DAC-SASH 2022-2024 Evaluation (April 2026) · SGIP incentive step tracker · San Diego Solar Equity Program · California DG Stats. Reviewed October 2026.
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