How do I add solar to a new build or remodel in Florida?

No statewide rule we found requires it. The 2026 Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, adds rules for the construction documents only where a builder chooses to provide a solar-ready zone, and the code's appendices don't apply unless they're specifically adopted. The national model code has an optional solar-ready appendix, but it isn't Florida law unless a local government adopts it.

Some Florida places publish voluntary guidance. Charlotte County's solar-ready construction guidelines are meant to help builders design new homes for solar, and say that planning for it early in design keeps the added cost low. Some Florida builders now include rooftop solar in certain communities; see buying a home with solar.

1. 1

   Roof first

   Finish any new roof or reroof before panels go on, so you never pay to remove and reinstall them for a roof that was nearly due.

2. 2

   Size the electrical panel

   Ask the electrician to spec a main panel with room for solar and a battery now, rather than upgrading it later.

3. 3

   Run empty conduit

   Have a conduit run from the attic to the panel and battery location before drywall goes up.

4. 4

   Tell the truss designer

   Ask for the roof structure to be designed for the weight and wind load of panels on the planes you'll use.

5. 5

   Get the solar permit and utility approval

   Solar has its own permit, and on FPL the account holder must get approval before installation.

Each step has its own guide: removing and reinstalling panels for a new roof, electrical panel upgrades for solar and how long solar installation takes.

• Orientation: keep a large, unshaded roof plane facing south, southeast or southwest, free of vents and skylights. Florida's solar rights law lets an HOA pick the location only within 45° of due south and only if the system still works well. See Florida HOA solar rules.
• Pitch: Charlotte County's guidelines put the ideal pitch for Southwest Florida at about 25° to 28°, though orientation and shade matter more.
• Wind loads: Florida's code requires rooftop solar to be designed for wind loads under ASCE 7, so tell the truss designer panels are coming.
• Racking: ask for a mount with a Florida product approval, or a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance in Miami-Dade and Broward. Your building department can confirm what it accepts.
• Roof type: tile and metal roofs need their own mounts. See solar on a tile roof and solar on a metal roof.

The 9th edition building code takes effect December 31, 2026, and the code in force when you apply for the permit is the one that applies. See Florida's building code changes for solar.

The three utilities handle timing differently, so confirm with yours before the installer schedules the job.

• FPL: approval comes first. FPL's net metering FAQ says it must preapprove your system before installation, and its guidelines say the customer on the account must complete the application and interconnection agreement. Your installer can invite you to apply but can't start the application for you. The system can't run, except for testing and inspection, until FPL installs a bi-directional meter.
• Tampa Electric: its net metering page describes completing the application once the system is installed, and says approval can take up to 30 calendar days after it has a complete application. A passed inspection is followed by a new net meter.
• Duke Energy Florida: a 2026 Duke filing with the Florida PSC describes the customer or installer submitting an interconnection application for a proposed system, followed by a technical review and field inspection. Ask Duke whether it wants approval before the panels go in.

On a builder home, the electric account is usually in the builder's name until closing. That's a practical point rather than a written utility rule, but it means solar added before you own the home has to go through whoever holds the account. Many buyers wait until the account is in their name.

This is practical advice, not a utility rule: none of the three utilities publishes a method for sizing a new home with no bills. FPL still approves a system only if it's estimated to produce less than 115% of your yearly use, so the installer will need a reasonable estimate.

Start from the home's square footage and plans, the AC and appliance list, and your old home's bills if the household and habits are similar. A pool, EV or larger AC system adds load. Size conservatively, live with a year of bills, then add panels if you need them. FPL asks for a new application before you change an existing system. See adding panels to an existing system and how many solar panels you need.

Yes, the state breaks apply. Florida's property tax exclusion in s. 193.624 keeps the value a solar system adds out of a home's assessed value, and it applies to new and existing homes, so a builder-installed system shouldn't raise your assessment. Check your first TRIM notice. See solar and property taxes.

Solar equipment is also exempt from sales tax, including components that collect, convert or store solar energy. The Department of Revenue says general AC wiring that would be in the house anyway doesn't qualify. If solar is bundled into a builder contract, ask how the equipment is itemized.

The federal 25D credit ended for systems completed after 2025, so a home finished in 2026 gets no homeowner credit for buying solar; a lease can still use the 48E credit. See Florida solar incentives and solar lease vs. buy.

If backup power matters to you, it's easiest to plan now. With Florida's full-retail net metering, a battery is about keeping the lights on, not lowering your bill. FPL says a net metering system can run during a grid outage only if it has the right equipment, such as a specialized inverter or battery, and the battery's stored energy is for your own use, not export to the grid.

Florida's code limits how much battery storage can go in one place and where it can go, which affects garage and wall plans. See Florida's building code changes for solar, whole-home battery backup and generator vs. battery.