But is the rent solar program as great as it seems? In some cases, yes, this program can be the perfect way to take advantage of solar without having to worry about a large financial expense. For many others, though, buying solar is a significantly better long-term investment.
What are the costs of renting solar?
Homeowners can choose one of four system sizes to rent:
- A small system, equal to 4.08 kilowatts (kW) in size
- A medium system, equal to 8.16 kW in size
- A large system, equal to 12.24 kW in size
- An extra large system, equal to 16.32 kW in size
The rental fee you pay each month depends on where you live and what size system you choose. The monthly payment covers the price of the panels and other hardware, installation, support, and system maintenance. But be aware, according to Tesla’s subscription agreement, these monthly rates are subject to change at any time.
The following table shows the monthly rates for each system size where solar rental is available:
| State |
Small Monthly
Rental Rate |
Medium Monthly
Rental Rate |
Large Monthly
Rental Rate |
Extra Large Monthly Rate |
| AZ |
$50 |
$100 |
$150 |
$200 |
| CA |
$65 |
$130 |
$195 |
$260 |
| CT |
$50 |
$100 |
$150 |
$200 |
| MA |
$50 |
$100 |
$150 |
$200 |
| NJ |
$50 |
$100 |
$150 |
$200 |
| NM |
$50 |
$100 |
$150 |
$200 |
The most unique feature of this program is the lack of a term contract; there is no minimum amount of time that solar panels have to be on your roof. If a renter decides a month after installation that they don’t like the solar panels, all they have to do is contact Tesla. You can cancel your subscription at no cost and leave the solar panels on your roof indefinitely. If you want the panels removed, Tesla will remove your system for a flat fee of $2,500.
If a renter loves having solar on their roof, Tesla offers the option to purchase the rental system after 5 years. Tesla has not provided much detail on this, so it is unclear what the cost would be to purchase the system after the rental period.
See how much it costs to buy solar panels in your area
![Tesla solar panels on a roof]()
Am I eligible for Tesla’s rent solar program?
Tesla’s rent solar program is only available in 6 states in the US: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New Mexico. Additionally, only residents who are serviced by certain utility companies can take advantage of renting solar. Qualifying utilities are listed on Tesla’s rent solar website. You must own your home in order to be able to rent solar.
How do incentives work with the Tesla solar rental program?
Even though solar panels are installed on your roof, Tesla owns the system. Because ownership of the system belongs to Tesla, not you, the homeowner, Tesla will receive the available solar incentives offered in your state and will retain the rights to any SRECs the system produces.
The good news is that homeowners can still take advantage of net metering. So if the system you rent produces more electricity than you use, you will receive a credit on your electric bill that will offset future energy usage costs.
Renting vs. buying Tesla solar
Renting gives homeowners added flexibility over buying solar panels in that they can remove the panels whenever they’d like. This option could allow homeowners to immediately enjoy the benefits of solar without having to incur large upfront costs.
While renting through Tesla is a good short-term option, it is not the most profitable way to go solar. If you take a closer look, you will see that with the amount spent on rent over time, you would be better off buying the system outright. Even the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, acknowledges that it is better to buy a system than to rent.
The tables below illustrate the estimated long-term savings for renting versus buying through Tesla. “Value generated per year" is taken from the low-end of Tesla’s approximations.
For the sake of simplicity, many factors such as O&M costs, rate inflation, module degradation, and value from SRECs are not taken into consideration. However, factoring these in would not substantially change the results.
Estimated 25-year savings by renting a small (4.08 kW) solar system
| State |
Annual Rent |
Value Generated
per Year |
25 Year Savings
(including cost of rent) |
| AZ |
$600 |
$760 |
$4,000 |
| CA |
$780 |
$1,080 |
$7,500 |
| CT |
$600 |
$760 |
$4,000 |
| MA |
$600 |
$760 |
$4,000 |
| NJ |
$600 |
$650 |
$1,250 |
| NM |
$600 |
$760 |
$4,000 |
Estimated 25-year savings by buying a small (4.08 kW) solar system
| State |
System Cost
after Tax Credits |
Value Generated
per Year |
25 Year Savings
(including system cost) |
| AZ |
$6,068 |
$760 |
$20,932 |
| CA |
$6,068 |
$1,080 |
$12,932 |
| CT |
$6,068 |
$760 |
$12,932 |
| MA |
$6,068 |
$760 |
$12,932 |
| NJ |
$6,068 |
$650 |
$10,182 |
| NM |
$6,068 |
$760 |
$12,932 |
It is clear that over time, the savings from buying a solar system are significantly greater than the savings from renting a system. In New Jersey, renting solar could potentially offer zero additional savings, as the value generated by the system would just cover the rental costs.
In other states, such as Connecticut, renting solar would provide savings, but the savings you would accumulate had the system been purchased are almost 5 times higher. If you plan on having a solar system on your home long-term, it would be best to purchase the system, as opposed to renting it.
See how much more you could save by owning your solar system
