As of August 2026, FPL credits home solar under Florida’s net-metering rule: each month your exported kWh offset your bill at the full retail rate, and any unused credits roll forward for up to 12 months. Once a year FPL cashes out any leftover credits at its lower avoided-cost (COG-1) rate, not retail (Florida PSC Rule 25-6.065). This 1:1 monthly credit survived because Governor DeSantis vetoed the 2022 rollback bill, SB 1024.
If Florida Power & Light is your electric utility, this is how rooftop solar actually pays you back in 2026. FPL is America’s largest electric utility, with more than 6 million customer accounts across most of the state (FPL company profile), yet the way it credits solar is often misunderstood. The good news is that FPL still runs full monthly net metering at the retail rate. The honest catch is the once-a-year buy-back, which pays a much lower avoided-cost rate for any surplus you did not use. This page explains what FPL credits each month, how the annual settlement works, why net metering is still here after the 2022 SB 1024 fight, the system-size tiers, and how to tell if your home is a good fit.
FPL solar at a glance
FPL runs the net-metering and interconnection process across its Florida territory under statewide rules set by the Florida Public Service Commission, so the terms below are the same whether you are in Miami, West Palm Beach, or the Space Coast.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Service territory | Most of Florida, from Miami-Dade and the Treasure Coast to the Space Coast, Southwest Florida, and Northwest Florida |
| Electric customers | More than 6 million accounts, the largest electric utility in the United States |
| Monthly net metering | Exports credited as kWh at the full retail rate; unused credits roll forward up to 12 months |
| Annual buy-back | Leftover credits cashed out once a year at the lower COG-1 avoided-cost rate, not retail |
| System size tiers | Tier 1 up to 10 kW, Tier 2 up to 100 kW, Tier 3 up to 2 MW; sized to no more than 90% of your annual use |
| Base charge still applies | You keep paying FPL’s monthly customer charge even in a full-credit month |
| Source | Florida PSC Rule 25-6.065; FPL net-metering rule |
According to MySolarFY’s analysis (as of August 2026), a typical 6 kW rooftop system in FPL’s Miami territory produces about 9,489 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts v8, ZIP 33139), which offsets roughly $1,440 on your FPL bill at Florida’s 15.17 cents per kWh average residential rate (EIA, as of May 2026). Your own roof, shading, and usage will move that number.
How FPL pays you for solar: monthly credit, yearly buy-back
FPL credits your monthly exports at the retail rate, then buys back any year-end surplus at a much lower rate. Each month FPL bills you on your net usage: the power you pulled from the grid minus the power your solar sent back. If you export more than you use in a month, the extra becomes a kWh credit at the full retail rate that rolls forward to later months, for up to 12 months (Florida PSC Rule 25-6.065). The part people miss is the annual settlement. At the end of each calendar year, FPL pays you for any credits you never used, but at its COG-1 avoided-cost rate, which is well below retail. In practice that surplus is worth only a few cents per kWh instead of the full retail rate you earned during the year. For the mechanics of export credits, see how net metering credits your solar exports.
| What happens to your solar | How it is valued |
|---|---|
| Power you use as it is made | Avoids buying that kWh, worth the full retail rate |
| Monthly exported surplus | kWh credit at the retail rate, rolls forward up to 12 months |
| Leftover credits at year-end | Paid once a year at the COG-1 avoided-cost rate, well below retail |
| Monthly customer charge | Still owed every month, even when credits zero out your energy charge |
The practical takeaway: size your system to your own usage, not to chase a surplus. Because the year-end buy-back is worth so much less than retail, a system built to cover close to your annual use captures nearly all of net metering’s value, while an oversized system dumps its extra into that low annual payout. Rule 25-6.065 also caps a net-metered system at 90% of your utility service capacity, so oversizing is limited by design. Estimate your roof’s likely output with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator before you commit to a size. To weigh payback, see the financial case for whether solar panels are worth it.
See what solar programs are available in your ZIP code
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Why FPL net metering is still here: the SB 1024 veto
Net metering survived because Governor DeSantis vetoed the 2022 rollback bill. Florida almost cut it: in 2022 the Legislature passed SB 1024, a bill backed by FPL that would have phased down net-metering credits for new residential solar and eventually paid closer to avoided cost. Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed it on April 27, 2022, citing the strain on households during high inflation (Florida Governor veto message, April 27, 2022; Utility Dive). Because the bill never became law, today’s full-retail monthly net metering under Rule 25-6.065 stayed in place for FPL customers. The rule can still be revisited by the Legislature or the Public Service Commission in the future, so connecting under today’s terms is the safer bet, and you should confirm current terms before you commit. For a deeper look at the statewide rules, see how Florida net metering works in 2026.
System-size tiers and connecting solar to FPL
Florida sorts home and business solar into three interconnection tiers by AC size, and most homes fall in Tier 1. The AC size is your panels’ DC rating multiplied by 0.85 (Florida PSC Rule 25-6.065):
- Tier 1, 10 kW or less. Nearly all rooftop homes. No application fee and no separate liability-insurance requirement.
- Tier 2, more than 10 kW up to 100 kW. Larger homes and small businesses; a modest application fee and liability insurance up to $1 million may apply.
- Tier 3, more than 100 kW up to 2 MW. Commercial systems; may require an interconnection study and up to $2 million in liability coverage.
The connection path is straightforward: you or your installer file an interconnection application with FPL, sign the standard interconnection agreement, install the system, pass a local electrical inspection, and then FPL sets a bidirectional net meter and grants permission to operate. You cannot switch the system on to the grid until FPL grants that permission. A licensed installer normally handles this whole process for you. For the questions to ask, see the right questions to ask a solar installer.
Local permitting adds a step that varies by city and county. In Miami-Dade, rooftop mounting must meet the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) rules, which set stricter wind-load and product-approval standards for panels and racking. For city-specific guidance on an FPL account, see our guides to solar in Fort Lauderdale, Hialeah, Pensacola, and Port St. Lucie.
Florida’s other solar benefits on an FPL account
Beyond FPL net metering, Florida gives every homeowner two statewide tax breaks, and skips one kind of incentive entirely:
- Sales-tax exemption: solar equipment is 100% exempt from Florida’s 6% state sales tax (DSIRE).
- Property-tax exemption: the added home value from a residential solar system is excluded from your property assessment, so going solar does not raise your property tax (DSIRE).
- No state solar tax credit: Florida has no state income tax, so there is no state income-tax credit to claim. That is not a gap in the deal; it is just how Florida’s tax system works.
These exemptions follow the property and the system owner, so on a lease or PPA the company that owns the panels typically keeps the net-metering bill credits, while your benefit is a lower or fixed power price with no up-front cost.
What changed federally, and what it means for FPL customers
The federal homeowner credit is gone; Florida’s sun and net metering are not. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so an FPL customer who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS OBBB FAQ; SEIA). Net metering and Florida’s solar property-tax and sales-tax exemptions were not affected, and at Florida’s sunshine the bill offset alone is substantial. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
One federal exception exists, and it is not yours to claim. A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, is claimed by the business that owns a leased or PPA system, not by the homeowner. For a leased system on an FPL account you do not file for a federal credit yourself; the company that owns the panels does, and on that lease or PPA the net-metering credits often go to that company too, while your benefit is a lower or fixed power price with no up-front cost. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025.
How to choose a solar installer in FPL territory
Florida is a deep solar market, so you have many licensed installers to compare. Rather than chasing a “best” list, screen any installer against objective criteria:
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers.
- Proper Florida licensing and the required local electrical and building permits.
- A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
- Real experience with FPL interconnection, so the paperwork and permission to operate go smoothly.
- A written production estimate and a quote that is honest about the low year-end buy-back and the ongoing monthly customer charge.
MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation. If you are comparing utilities or nearby metros, see Duke Energy Florida solar, Tampa Electric (TECO) solar, solar in Miami, and solar in Orlando, or start at the Florida solar guide.
Frequently asked questions
How does FPL pay you for solar?
FPL credits your exported power as kWh at the full retail rate each month, and any unused credits roll forward for up to 12 months. Once a year FPL cashes out any leftover credits, but at its COG-1 avoided-cost rate, which is well below retail (Florida PSC Rule 25-6.065). Because that annual buy-back is low, sizing a system close to your yearly usage gives the best result. You also keep paying FPL’s monthly customer charge even in a full-credit month.
Does FPL have net metering?
Yes. FPL offers full monthly net metering under Florida Public Service Commission Rule 25-6.065, crediting your exported solar at the retail rate. This survived because Governor DeSantis vetoed SB 1024, the 2022 bill that would have phased net metering down. The rule could still be revisited by lawmakers or the Commission in the future, so confirm current terms before you commit.
What is the FPL buy-back rate for solar?
Monthly, FPL credits exports at the full retail rate as kWh that roll forward. The lower rate applies only once a year: at the end of each calendar year, FPL pays cash for any credits you never used at its COG-1 avoided-cost rate, which is worth only a few cents per kWh rather than the full retail rate. That is why oversizing a system to chase a big year-end surplus does not pay off.
Did Florida end net metering?
No. Florida kept full-retail net metering. The Legislature passed SB 1024 in 2022 to phase it down, but Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed the bill on April 27, 2022, so today’s rules under 25-6.065 stayed in place for FPL and the other investor-owned utilities. A future change is always possible, so connecting under today’s terms is the safer bet.
How big a solar system can I install with FPL?
Home systems are grouped into tiers by AC size: Tier 1 is 10 kW or less, Tier 2 runs above 10 kW to 100 kW, and Tier 3 runs above 100 kW to 2 MW. Rule 25-6.065 also limits a net-metered system to no more than 90% of your utility service capacity, so it is meant to offset your own use rather than to sell power to FPL.
Do I qualify for FPL solar credit if I lease or sign a PPA?
Net-metering credits normally follow the FPL account, but on a lease or PPA the company that owns the panels often keeps the bill credits, depending on the contract, while your benefit is a lower or fixed power price with no up-front cost. If you want the net-metering value in your own name, owning the system through cash or a loan is the path that captures it. Solar is never free, and monthly payments apply on a lease or PPA.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY team. Figures were verified against the linked Florida (Florida Public Service Commission Rule 25-6.065, FPL), EIA, NREL PVWatts, and IRS sources as of August 2026; the COG-1 avoided-cost buy-back rate and net-metering rules can change over time, so confirm current terms with FPL and the Florida PSC before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about the MySolarFY team and how we work.
MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, financing company, or government program. “No up-front cost” refers to qualifying lease or PPA financing, where eligible homeowners may have no out-of-pocket cost at installation. Lease and PPA terms typically run 20 to 25 years, may include an annual price escalator, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase; on a lease or PPA the bill credits often go to the company that owns the system, not the homeowner. Homeowners do not get the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025. Solar panels are not free and monthly payments apply. Eligibility, savings, incentives, and rates vary and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.
