Missouri power is cheap, about 14 cents per kWh, so the math here leans on strong net metering rather than upfront cash. A 7 kW system makes roughly 9,600 to 10,000 kWh a year. The old Ameren and Evergy rebates closed after 2023, and the federal 25D credit ended after 2025.
Missouri homeowners pay about 14.01 cents per kWh for electricity (EIA Electric Power Monthly, residential Missouri, period April 2026), well below the national average of about 18.4 cents. That is good news for your monthly bill, but it also means solar in Missouri wins on steady production and net metering, not on a pile of state cash. This page is straight about what Missouri actually offers in 2026, including the utility rebates that no longer exist, and how to tell if your home qualifies.
Why solar pays in Missouri
Production and net metering carry the math here. According to MySolarFY’s analysis (August 2026), a typical 7 kW Missouri system produces about 9,600 kWh a year in the St. Louis area and about 10,000 kWh a year in Kansas City, based on NREL PVWatts v8 modeling. At roughly 14 cents per kWh, that output offsets a real slice of your bill, and Missouri’s 1-to-1 net metering lets the power you send back to the grid credit the power you pull at night. Your actual output depends on your roof’s pitch, orientation, and shading, so estimate yours with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator. For how we build these figures, see our data and methodology. For what a system runs and how long it takes to pay back at Missouri’s rates, see Missouri solar panel cost and payback.
Missouri solar incentives at a glance
Missouri’s list is short, and being honest about it matters, because two programs that still rank at the top of search results are either closed or no longer enforceable. Here is what is real in 2026.
| Incentive | What it does | 2026 status | Who receives it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net metering | Credits the power you export against the power you use | Active statewide, retail 1-to-1 within a billing cycle; systems up to 100 kW | The utility account holder | DSIRE |
| Ameren and Evergy solar rebate | Former upfront cash per watt installed | Closed to new applicants after December 31, 2023, not renewed | No one now | Ameren Missouri |
| Columbia Water & Light rebate | A municipal solar rebate for Columbia customers only | Active, roughly $375 to $625 per kW on the first 10 kW, pre-approval required | Columbia Water & Light customers | DSIRE |
| Property-tax exemption | A 2013 law that excluded solar’s added value from assessment | Struck down as unconstitutional by the Missouri Supreme Court in 2022, so it cannot be relied on | No dependable benefit | MOST Policy Initiative |
| Federal residential (Section 25D) | A 30% homeowner credit | Ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025 | No 2026 homeowner-buyer | IRS |
The honest part first: the utility rebates are gone. Under the state’s renewable-energy standard, Ameren Missouri and Evergy used to pay a solar rebate that stepped down from $0.50 to $0.25 per watt, but that program closed to new applicants after December 31, 2023, and has not been renewed. Ameren’s own solar page no longer lists a current Missouri rebate (Ameren Missouri). Any quote that still promises that rebate is out of date, so leave it out of your math and confirm the current status with your utility before you count on anything.
Heads up, two catches: first, Missouri’s 2013 solar property-tax exemption was struck down by the state Supreme Court in 2022, so despite what many guides still say, there is no property-tax break a homeowner can rely on today. Second, Missouri has no broad sales-tax exemption for residential solar equipment. Confirm every figure against the linked source and your utility, and ask a tax professional about your own situation. MySolarFY does not provide tax advice.
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Net metering in Missouri, and how your utility credits you
This is the durable benefit in Missouri. Under the Net Metering and Easy Connection Act (RSMo 386.890), every electric utility in the state must offer net metering to residential systems up to 100 kW. Inside a billing cycle, the power you export offsets the power you import at the full retail rate, so a kilowatt-hour sent to the grid at noon cancels one you buy after dark. Any net excess left at the end of a billing period is credited at a lower avoided-cost rate, carried forward, and expires after 12 months, so the smart move is to size a system close to your own yearly usage (DSIRE). For the mechanics of how export credits work, see how net metering credits your solar exports.
How your surplus is valued depends on who serves you. Missouri’s two big investor-owned utilities split the state: Ameren Missouri covers the St. Louis area and much of eastern Missouri, and Evergy covers the Kansas City area and much of the west. Municipal utilities like Columbia Water & Light set their own terms. Confirm your provider’s exact credit rate before you size a system. If Ameren serves you, see how Ameren Missouri credits solar and net metering for the account-level details.
| Utility | Service area | Net-metering credit |
|---|---|---|
| Ameren Missouri | St. Louis and eastern Missouri | Retail offset within the billing cycle; monthly excess at avoided cost |
| Evergy | Kansas City and western Missouri | Retail offset within the billing cycle; monthly excess carried forward |
| Columbia Water & Light | City of Columbia (municipal) | Net metering plus a local solar rebate, its own terms |
To see how the credit lowers your monthly bill, read how solar lowers your electricity bill.
How you pay changes which benefits you keep
Missouri has little upfront state cash to capture, so the ownership question is simpler here than in high-incentive states, but it still decides who claims any rebate and who owns the system.
| How you pay | Up-front cost | Who owns the system | Any local rebate | Net metering |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | Full system price | You | You claim it | Yours |
| Solar loan | Little or none, financed over time | You | You claim it | Yours |
| Lease or PPA | $0-up-front where you qualify | A third-party company | The company claims it | Yours, credits follow the account |
If you own the system (cash or loan), you keep the net-metering credits and can apply for any local rebate your municipal utility offers. If you lease or sign a PPA, the company that owns the panels keeps any rebate, and your benefit is a lower or fixed power price with no up-front cost, while net-metering credits still apply to your account. Neither path gives a 2026 Missouri homeowner the federal residential credit, since that credit ended after December 31, 2025. For a deeper payback comparison, see the financial case for whether solar panels are worth it.
What changed federally, and what it means for Missouri
The federal homeowner credit is gone, and Missouri never had much state cash to replace it. 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 a Missouri homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS OBBB FAQ; SEIA). Missouri’s net metering was not affected, so the in-state value is unchanged even though the federal credit is gone. 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, and it runs for projects placed in service through 2027, with a begin-construction safe harbor by July 4, 2026 (IRS Clean Electricity Investment Credit). For a leased system in Missouri you do not file for a federal credit yourself; the company that owns the panels does. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025.
How to choose a solar installer in Missouri
Missouri has a solid market of licensed installers. Rather than chasing a “best” list, screen any installer against objective criteria:
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers.
- Proper Missouri licensing and any required local electrical and building permits.
- A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
- Real Missouri experience and verifiable reviews, plus help with your net-metering interconnection.
- A written production estimate and a transparent quote you can compare. For a checklist, see the right questions to ask a solar installer.
MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation. Learn more about how MySolarFY works, or browse solar guides for other states on our solar by state hub.
Frequently asked questions
What solar incentives does Missouri offer in 2026?
Missouri’s durable benefit is net metering: every utility must credit the power you export against the power you use, at the retail rate within a billing cycle, for systems up to 100 kW (DSIRE). The old Ameren and Evergy per-watt rebates closed to new applicants after December 31, 2023. A few municipal utilities, such as Columbia Water & Light, still offer their own local rebate. Missouri has no dependable statewide property-tax or sales-tax exemption for residential solar, so the value here is mostly bill savings plus net metering.
Do Ameren Missouri or Evergy still pay a solar rebate?
No. Under the state renewable-energy standard, Ameren Missouri and Evergy used to pay a solar rebate that stepped down from $0.50 to $0.25 per watt, but the program closed to new applicants after December 31, 2023, and has not been renewed (Ameren Missouri). Many guides still list it, so any quote that includes that rebate is out of date. Confirm the current status with your utility before you build it into your solar math.
How does net metering work in Missouri?
Under the Net Metering and Easy Connection Act (RSMo 386.890), the power you export offsets the power you import at the full retail rate within a billing cycle, for systems up to 100 kW. Any net surplus left at the end of a billing period is credited at a lower avoided-cost rate, carried forward, and expires after 12 months (DSIRE). Ameren Missouri serves the St. Louis area and Evergy serves the Kansas City area, so confirm your provider’s exact credit terms before sizing a system.
Does Missouri have a solar property-tax exemption?
Not one you can rely on. Missouri passed a solar property-tax exemption in 2013, but the Missouri Supreme Court struck it down as unconstitutional in 2022, and no replacement has passed since (MOST Policy Initiative). Many guides still list the exemption, so treat it with caution and confirm your local assessment treatment with your county assessor before counting on any property-tax break.
What happened to the federal solar tax credit?
The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. A Missouri homeowner who buys solar in 2026 with cash or a loan cannot claim it. A separate commercial credit (Section 48E) can apply to leased and PPA systems, but the business that owns the system claims it, not the homeowner. Missouri’s net metering was not affected. See our guide on what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
Do I qualify for Missouri solar benefits if I lease or sign a PPA?
Net metering follows the utility account, so you get the bill credits whether you own, lease, or sign a PPA. Any local rebate goes to the system owner, so on a lease or PPA the company usually keeps it, while your benefit is a lower or fixed power price with no up-front cost. Because Missouri has little upfront state cash to capture, the ownership question matters less here than in high-incentive states.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY team. Figures were verified against the linked Missouri (Ameren Missouri, DSIRE, MOST Policy Initiative), EIA, NREL PVWatts, and IRS sources as of August 2026; programs, tariffs, and rebates change, so confirm current terms with each source and your utility 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. 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.
