2026 solar prices
How Much Does Solar Cost in Northern Virginia?
Rooftop solar installs for $2.40–$2.85/W cash in Northern Virginia. A typical 8 to 12 kW array is $19,000–$34,000, with the panel, battery, and EV charger itemized on the same proposal by the electricians who do that work every day.
Published bands, cash installed. No commissioned sales team and no subcontracted electrical inside the number. A master electrician is on site for every solar project.
Content reviewed 2026-09-05
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Since 1996
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Answer first
The 2026 number, before anyone asks for your phone
Solar in Northern Virginia costs $2.40–$2.85/W installed for cash in 2026. A typical 8 to 12 kW rooftop array is $19,000–$34,000. That price covers modules, racking, inverter, and the interconnection labor, and it is the number AJ Long Electric puts on the written proposal.
- An 8 kW array installs for $19,200–$22,800, 10 kW for $24,000–$28,500, and 12 kW for $28,800–$34,200.
- A panel upgrade, when the house needs one, is itemized separately at the published $3,500–$7,500 range. Batteries, EV chargers, and roof work are itemized too.
- The federal homeowner credit does not apply to systems installed after December 31, 2025. Nothing in these prices assumes it.
| System size | Modeled annual production | Installed price, cash |
|---|---|---|
| 8 kW | About 10,000 kWh | $19,200–$22,800 |
| 10 kW | About 12,500 kWh | $24,000–$28,500 |
| 12 kW | About 15,000 kWh | $28,800–$34,200 |
Modeled estimate: production assumes about 1,250 kWh per kW per year for a typical Northern Virginia roof. Your bill and your roof set the real number, and the free quote sizes the array to both.
Included
What the price includes
Every proposal itemizes the array the same way, so the number you compare is the number you pay for the array.
- Modules, racking, and attachments for an asphalt shingle roof
- Inverter or microinverters, rapid shutdown, and the production monitoring app
- AC disconnect, the interconnection at the panel, and the labor to wire it
- Permit, plan review, inspection, and the Dominion or NOVEC interconnection application
- A master electrician on site for the installation, and the same crew for any panel, battery, or EV work
- Workmanship warranty on the installation, with the manufacturer warranties on the equipment
Itemized
What changes the price
Six things move a solar price in Northern Virginia. Each one is itemized on the proposal so you can see it.
- 01
Roof type and condition
Asphalt shingle with a south or west face is the base price. Metal, tile, slate, flat, and low-slope roofs need different attachments, and a roof with fewer than ten years left is replaced before the array goes on.
- 02
Panel upgrade
A 100A or 150A service usually needs a heavy-up before it can accept a backfed solar breaker. It is priced on the same proposal at the published $3,500–$7,500 range, and it is work we already do every week.
- 03
Battery
Whole-home battery integration runs $6,000–$15,000+ on top of the array, with the transfer equipment and the backed-up-load panel. A standard grid-tied array shuts off in an outage, so a battery is the reason to bundle.
- 04
Ground mount
A ground-mounted array adds the racking foundation, the trench, and the conduit run to the house, and it needs open ground with sun. It is quoted per site after the visit.
- 05
Tree work
Shade is the biggest production loss in Fairfax County. We run a shade analysis before quoting, and any tree removal or trimming is quoted by the arborist, not hidden in the array price.
- 06
HOA and design review
Virginia Code 55.1-1820.1 limits what an HOA can ban, and we prepare the HOA package. A review that requires all-black modules, a specific layout, or a setback changes the equipment and the size, so it changes the price.
Compared
How the number compares
EnergySage lists the Virginia marketplace average at $2.53/W as of September 2026, with a typical quoted system in the $30,000 to $40,000 range before incentives. Our $2.40–$2.85/W band starts below that average because there is no commissioned sales team and no subcontracted electrical inside it, and a Level 2 charger at $1,200–$3,500 or a heavy-up is itemized instead of rolled in.
Source: EnergySage, Virginia solar panel cost, September 2026. EnergySage's Virginia marketplace average, quoted before incentives.
2026 incentives
Fairfax County incentives in 2026
The federal residential credit is gone. What is left still lowers the real cost, and we build it into the proposal.
- Dominion one-to-one net metering and customer-owned SRECs, kept by the State Corporation Commission's final order on April 30, 2026. New customers pay $1 per month.
- Fairfax County waives the residential solar permit fee and exempts the equipment from property tax for five years. The City of Fairfax exempts it for ten.
- NOVEC net metering for Centreville, Chantilly, Clifton, Fairfax Station, and western Burke addresses, confirmed from your bill.
Straight answers
Solar cost questions
- How much does solar cost in Virginia?
- In Northern Virginia, rooftop solar installs for $2.40–$2.85/W cash. A typical 8 to 12 kW array is $19,000–$34,000: $19,200–$22,800 for 8 kW, $24,000–$28,500 for 10 kW, and $28,800–$34,200 for 12 kW. A panel upgrade, when the house needs one, is itemized at $3,500–$7,500.
- How much do solar batteries cost in Virginia?
- A whole-home battery integrated with the array runs $6,000–$15,000+ installed, with the transfer equipment and the backed-up-load panel. A portable power station or wall pack with its hookup runs $2,500–$6,000. Either one is itemized on the same proposal as the array.
- How much does a solar roof cost in Fairfax, VA?
- Rooftop solar in Fairfax County installs for $2.40–$2.85/W cash, $19,000–$34,000 for a typical 8 to 12 kW array. Fairfax County waives the solar permit fee, and the equipment is exempt from real estate tax for five years.
- How much does a 10 kW solar system cost in Virginia?
- A 10 kW rooftop array installs for $24,000–$28,500 cash in Northern Virginia at $2.40–$2.85/W. Modeled production is about 12,500 kWh a year on a typical roof.
- What is the price per watt for solar in Northern Virginia?
- $2.40–$2.85/W installed, cash, for modules, racking, inverter, and interconnection labor. EnergySage lists the Virginia marketplace average at $2.53/W as of September 2026.
- Do I need a panel upgrade for solar?
- Homes on 100A or 150A service usually do, because the panel needs busbar room for the backfed solar breaker. A 200A upgrade is priced on the same proposal at $3,500–$7,500, and many 200A homes need nothing.
- Is the federal tax credit still available in 2026?
- No. The homeowner credit, Section 25D, does not apply to systems installed after December 31, 2025. Our prices do not assume it. Net metering, SRECs, and the Fairfax County exemptions still apply.
- How do I get a solar quote?
- Send a recent electric bill and the address. A preliminary system size and price range comes back first, then a site visit with a master electrician turns it into a written proposal. Estimates are free.
Next step
Get your number
Send a recent electric bill and the address. A preliminary system size and price range comes back first, then a site visit turns it into a written proposal. Estimates are free.
Solar energy company
AJ Long Electric Solar
AJ Long Electric
7138 Little River Turnpike #305
Annandale, VA 22003
Serving Annandale, Fairfax County, and Northern Virginia.