Sunprint
At a glance
Every home solar system that connects to PG&E, SCE or SDG&E is filed with an interconnection application, and the installer reports the total cost. The state publishes those applications as California DG Stats. Looking at the 17,055 homeowner-owned systems without a battery approved from January to August 2026, all on net billing:
- $18,989median total cost
- 4.3 kWmedian system size
- $4.03median price per watt
- $2.80–$6.15middle half, per watt
These are prices before anything is taken off, and in 2026 there's little to take off: the federal tax credit ended with 2025. Systems with a battery are a different market; the median there was $37,559 (see solar batteries in California).
Cost by utility
SCE homes paid the least per watt and bought the smallest systems; SDG&E homes paid the most. The data shows the gap, not the reason, so treat the utility you're in as a rough guide to what's typical nearby.
Cost by system size
| System size | Median cost | Middle half | Per watt | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 to 4 kW | $10,388 | $8,426 to $16,160 | $3.35 | 6,873 |
| 4 to 6 kW | $16,700 | $12,000 to $30,157 | $3.50 | 4,859 |
| 6 to 8 kW | $36,000 | $26,116 to $47,836 | $5.27 | 2,124 |
| 8 to 10 kW | $45,480 | $33,975 to $57,732 | $5.12 | 1,328 |
| 10 to 15 kW | $56,070 | $42,896 to $70,683 | $4.73 | 1,208 |
Homeowner-owned net billing systems without a battery, January to August 2026. "Middle half" is the range from the 25th to the 75th percentile of total cost.
Bigger systems cost more in total, but not less per watt here: 6 to 10 kW systems had the highest median price per watt. And the spread inside one size is wider than the gap between sizes. For 4 to 6 kW systems, the middle half ran from $2.65 to $6.21 a watt.
Why systems got smaller
Home solar approved each year, and the median system size
Home solar approvals peaked in 2023, when most were still NEM 2.0 applications filed before the April 15, 2023 switch to net billing, then fell by close to half. Systems shrank too, from a median of 6.4 kW in 2023 to 4.2 kW in 2026. Under net billing, power you send to the grid earns much less than power you use, and the CPUC's consumer guide says it's generally not in your financial interest to install a system that makes more than you use in a year. Smaller systems are the main reason total costs fell while price per watt stayed in the same range.
Bought vs. leased
Nearly half of new home solar isn't owned by the homeowner: 49% of the net billing systems approved in 2026 were third-party owned, meaning a lease or a power purchase agreement, up from about a quarter in 2021 to 2023. Those systems have no purchase price in this data, so they aren't in the figures above. With a lease you pay monthly instead of up front, and the solar company owns the equipment.
What changed in 2026
The IRS says the 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit isn't available for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. A $18,989 system costs $18,989; finished in 2025, it could have qualified for a credit of up to about $5,700.
California's exclusion keeps solar out of your property tax assessment if the system is finished before January 1, 2027. See the property tax guide.
State law limits a city's or county's fee for a home solar permit to $450, plus $15 per kW above 15 kW, unless it adopts a written finding that its costs are higher.
Check a quote against these prices
Check a quote against 2026 prices
Compared with homeowner-owned solar without a battery on net billing, approved January to August 2026 (California DG Stats, cost as reported to the utility). A quote that includes a battery, roof work or a main panel upgrade isn't a like-for-like comparison. Nothing you enter leaves this page.
The checker divides the total price by the system's size in watts (DC): a $20,000 price for a 5 kW system is $4.00 a watt, right at the 2026 median. California law requires a solar energy system disclosure document, given before you sign, that lists the total cost and payments, including any financing. Our guide to checking a solar company covers the license and contract rules, and is solar worth it in California? turns a price into a payback time.
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
How much do solar panels cost in California in 2026?
The median homeowner-owned system without a battery approved in January to August 2026 cost $18,989 for 4.3 kW, or $4.03 a watt, in the state's DG Stats data. The middle half paid $2.80 to $6.15 a watt.
What is the cost per watt for solar in California?
$4.03 at the median in 2026: $4.30 at PG&E, $3.05 at SCE and $5.37 at SDG&E, for homeowner-owned systems without a battery.
How much does a 6 kW solar system cost in California?
Systems from 6 to 8 kW had a median cost of $36,000 in 2026, with the middle half between $26,116 and $47,836. Systems from 4 to 6 kW had a median of $16,700.
How much does solar with a battery cost in California?
The median homeowner-owned system with a battery cost $37,559 in January to August 2026, for 7.5 kW of solar and 13.5 kWh of storage, at PG&E and SCE.
How do I know if my solar quote is fair in California?
Divide the total price by the system size in watts to get price per watt, then compare it with what homes paid. For homeowner-owned systems without a battery approved in January to August 2026, the median was $4.03 a watt and the middle half paid $2.80 to $6.15. The checker on this page does the math for your utility. A quote with a battery, roof work or a panel upgrade costs more for reasons the comparison doesn't capture.
Is there still a tax credit for solar in California?
Not a federal one for systems finished in 2026: the IRS says the 30% credit isn't available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. California's property tax exclusion still applies to systems finished before January 1, 2027.
Related guides
- California solar calculator
- Is solar worth it in California?
- Solar batteries in California
- California solar incentives
- Check a solar company
- NEM 3.0 (net billing) in California
Costs are what installers reported on interconnection applications; they vary by home and installer and aren't a quote for yours. Sources: California DG Stats: interconnection data · IRS: Residential Clean Energy Credit · CPUC: net billing tariff · Government Code 66015. Reviewed October 2026.
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