What Arizona still offers after the federal credit ended
Every incentive on this page is verified against Arizona government sources - and the expired ones salespeople still quote are called out.
The 30% federal solar tax credit ended for installations finished after December 31, 2025 - St. Johns systems completed in 2026 get $0 from it.
Under Arizona's export rules, compensation for surplus power decides the payback - which typically runs 10-14 years on unsubsidized 2026 math.
Installed home solar for St. Johns homeowners averages about $2.58 a watt across the U.S. marketplace - roughly $30,960 for a 12 kW system before incentives.
If a salesperson in St. Johns tells you a 30% federal tax credit applies to your 2026 installation, they are quoting a dead law. What may still exist: Arizona's own incentives and tax treatment, listed below, and lease/PPA arrangements where a company claims commercial credits - in which case the credit belongs to them, not you.
Leased and PPA systems deserve extra scrutiny in 2026: the sales pitch often bundles 'tax savings' that now accrue to the leasing company under separate commercial rules - not to you. Get every claimed saving in writing, attributed to a specific law, before signing a 20-25 year contract.
The 2026 numbers
| System size | Installed price (marketplace avg) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 kW | $15,480 | Small roof / low usage |
| 8 kW | $20,640 | Typical starter system |
| 10 kW | $25,800 | Family home with AC |
| 12 kW | $30,960 | Large home / EV charging |
| Home battery (optional) | $12,000-$16,000 | Backup power + self-consumption |
Get solar quotes for St. Johns
These platforms collect bids from licensed installers so you can compare against the same spec. Prices come from installers, not from this site.
Disclosure: this is an independent guide. If you request quotes through a link here, the platform may pay this site a referral fee. That fee never changes your quotes.
Arizona rules that decide your payback
| Rule | Arizona status |
|---|---|
| Export compensation (net metering) | Traditional retail net metering is CLOSED to new customers; exported energy is bought back under an avoided-cost export rate (Resource Comparison Proxy, RCP), set annually by the Arizona Corporation Commission, well below the retail rate. The rate in effect when a customer requests interconnection is locked in for 10 years, and the RCP may not fall more than 10% per year. Customers interconnected before the 2018 cutover were grandfathered on net metering for 20 years. |
| State incentive | Credit for Solar Energy Devices (Arizona Form 310, A.R.S. 43-1083) - a nonrefundable state income tax credit equal to 25% of the device cost, capped at $1,000, with unused amounts carried forward up to five consecutive tax years. |
| Sales tax on the system | Exempt |
| Property tax on added home value | Excluded |
A.R.S. 33-1816 says an HOA "shall not prohibit the installation or use of a solar energy device" and may only adopt placement rules that do not impair the device's function, cost or efficiency, with attorney's fees awarded to a homeowner who prevails; separately, Arizona's $156 million "Solar for All Arizonans" low-income rooftop solar program is suspended - the Governor's Office of Resiliency received an EPA grant termination notice on August 7, 2025 and states the program "is unavailable until further notice."
This guide is research, not advice: an independent summary of published prices and state rules. It is not an installer, lender or tax advisor - verify incentive eligibility with a licensed tax professional before relying on it.
What this means for St. Johns roofs
Beware of any 2026 payback estimate that looks as good as the 2025 ones: with the federal credit gone, a third of the old subsidy math vanished. If a sales projection has not gotten noticeably worse since 2025, it is hiding something - usually an inflated utility-rate escalation assumption.
This guide is research, not advice: an independent summary of published prices and state rules. It is not an installer, lender or tax advisor - verify incentive eligibility with a licensed tax professional before relying on it.
Getting St. Johns quotes
Before requesting quotes, have your last 12 months of electricity bills handy - system sizing should follow your real usage, not a salesperson's template. A bid sized far above your usage is a margin play, especially now that surplus export pays less in most states.
This guide is research, not advice: an independent summary of published prices and state rules. It is not an installer, lender or tax advisor - verify incentive eligibility with a licensed tax professional before relying on it.
Common questions
Is my roof even suitable for solar?
Three things decide it: orientation (south-facing is best in the U.S., east-west workable), shade (trees or taller buildings across midday hours can sink the math), and roof age (if the shingles have under 10 years left, reroof first - removing and reinstalling panels later costs thousands). Any honest installer assesses all three before quoting a number.
How much does home solar cost in 2026?
The U.S. marketplace average is about $2.58 per watt installed - roughly $15,500 for a 6 kW system and $31,000 for 12 kW, before any state incentives. Quotes meaningfully above that level deserve a written explanation of what justifies the premium.
What is net metering and why does it decide everything?
It is the rule for how your utility credits electricity you export. Full retail net metering credits exports at the same rate you pay - the grid works like a free battery. Net billing or avoided-cost rules pay far less per exported kWh, which lengthens payback and strengthens the case for a home battery.
Do I need a battery with my solar?
Not necessarily. Under full retail net metering, the grid effectively stores your surplus for free. Batteries earn their $12,000-16,000 price where export rates are low, outages are common, or time-of-use rates make evening self-consumption valuable.
Is there still a federal solar tax credit in 2026?
No. The 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit was repealed effective for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, per the IRS. Only systems finished by the end of 2025 qualified. State-level incentives are separate and some survive - check the state page in this guide.
Get solar quotes for St. Johns
These platforms collect bids from licensed installers so you can compare against the same spec. Prices come from installers, not from this site.
Disclosure: this is an independent guide. If you request quotes through a link here, the platform may pay this site a referral fee. That fee never changes your quotes.