How Do I Get My Solar Tax Rebate (or ITC)?

To receive a tax rebate, or Investment Tax Credit (ITC), on your solar system, you must be the owner of the solar system — meaning you personally paid for the system in full with cash or acquired funding via a loan. If your solar system is leased or you have a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), the solar financing provider will receive those tax benefits because they bore the initial installation costs. See more information on ITC eligibility.

Once you have determined whether or not you are eligible to receive a solar tax rebate, you will need to figure out how much you paid for the system up front. This will be the number (in dollars) that you use on the tax form to calculate how much tax credit you should receive. Follow the steps in the video below and use the IRS's instructions to populate your Form 5695: Residential Energy Credits.

See the current information on Form 5695 through the IRS.

Beginning January 1, 2020, the solar tax rebate has decreased from 30% to 26%.

If you have reached the end of these instructions and are still having difficulties filing for your solar ITC, we recommend contacting a professional tax preparer.