Florida solar guide
DIY solar in Florida: incentives, sizing, and the off-grid angle
Florida has full retail net metering at most major utilities (FPL, Duke, TECO), sales tax exemption on solar equipment, and property tax exemption on PV systems. Combined with the federal 26% credit, the economics are solid even without a state-level credit.
The dominant Florida consideration isn't incentives — it's hurricane survivability. Roof-mounted arrays need to survive 130+ mph wind events. Battery and inverter siting needs to handle flood risk. Backup power capability is now table stakes after Helene, Milton, and Idalia.
Incentive snapshot
As of mid-2026. Verify on your state's energy website before relying on the dollar figures.
- Federal Residential Clean Energy Credit
- 26%
- State tax credit
- —
- Sales tax exemption on solar equipment
- Yes
- Property tax exemption
- Yes
- Net metering
- Full retail (1:1)
- SREC market
- None
- Average peak sun hours
- 5.5 hrs/day
- DIY-permit friendly
- Yes
Phases down: 30% through 2025 → 26% in 2026 → 22% in 2027 → 0% under current law. Dwellings only — vehicle/RV systems don't qualify.
Your panels, batteries, and controllers ship sales-tax-free.
Adding solar doesn't bump your assessed value.
Full retail net metering at most investor-owned utilities (FPL, Duke, TECO). Municipal utilities vary — confirm with your provider.
No SREC revenue available in this state.
Used to size your array — more sun hours = fewer panels needed for the same output.
Most jurisdictions allow homeowner permits for own-occupancy installs.
DIY install angle in Florida
Florida allows homeowner permits in most counties. Miami-Dade and Broward have stricter hurricane code (HVHZ — High-Velocity Hurricane Zone) that requires specific wind-rated racking and roof attachment patterns. Most of the rest of the state is "regular" Florida code which is still strict compared to inland states.
Permit-required hardware in HVHZ counties: all racking must be NOA (Notice of Acceptance) approved. UniRac SolarMount HD, IronRidge XR-100/XR-1000, and S-5! standing-seam clips all have HVHZ NOAs. Generic import racking does not.
Battery siting after hurricane experience: raised battery enclosures (above expected flood level) are now standard practice in coastal Florida. The Pylontech US3000, EG4-LL-S, and Battle Born Battery enclosures all have IP54+ ratings appropriate for garage installs well above grade.
Sizing for Florida sun
Florida averages 5.5 peak sun hours/day statewide. South Florida (Miami, Naples, Keys) hits 5.8+. The Panhandle and northern Florida average closer to 5.2.
The cloud-cover factor: Florida summers have daily thunderstorms — most days produce 4-6 hours of peak sun broken by 2-3 hours of heavy clouds. This means a 5.5 average masks a more variable daily production pattern than the same average in Arizona. Oversize your array by ~15% to maintain consistent production through summer.
Hurricane backup sizing: if you're sizing for hurricane autonomy, target at least 3 days of essentials load (fridge, lights, fans, charging) in battery storage — typically 15-25 kWh for a Florida home. Many Florida DIY builders are now installing 30+ kWh banks specifically for multi-day grid-down survival.
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