Solar panels in Mary Esther, FL

Mary Esther is a small Okaloosa County city on FPL that recorded the region's heaviest rain in Hurricane Isaias.

Most homes in Mary Esther get their electricity from Florida Power & Light (FPL). FPL net meters under the Florida PSC's rule: power your panels send to the grid comes back as a kWh credit at the full retail rate, credits roll forward for up to 12 months, and anything left at year-end is paid out at only a few cents per kWh. So the best Mary Esther systems are sized to cover a year of use, not more. See the full FPL solar guide.

Solar can't take your bill below FPL's monthly minimum of about $30.

These estimates apply to homes with mailing addresses in Mary Esther, including ZIP code 32569.

Compare solar across nearby towns on the Okaloosa County solar page.

• You own the home. Rooftop solar requires owning the roof.
• Your roof gets sun for most of the day on its south, west or east side, without heavy tree shade.
• Your roof has years of life left. Replacing an aging shingle or tile roof before installing saves a removal and reinstall fee later.
• Your FPL bill is regularly over about $150 a month, or you're adding an EV or a pool pump.

Not sure? A specialist can check satellite imagery of your Mary Esther roof as part of your free quote.

Check these before you sign with any solar company serving Mary Esther:

• A Florida contractor license. Look up the company's license on the Florida DBPR license search and make sure it's active.
• Permits and utility paperwork included. The price should cover the permit with the City of Mary Esther or Okaloosa County, inspections and the FPL net metering application.
• Two or three quotes compared on price per watt, equipment and warranties. Our solar quote checker flags high prices and other red flags, and our guide to choosing a solar company covers the rest.

Or request a free quote for your Mary Esther home from one of our trusted Florida partners.

Yes. A battery stores your solar power and keeps chosen circuits running when the FPL grid goes down, which standard solar alone can't do: grid-tied panels shut off in an outage. After a storm, the panels recharge the battery each sunny day until the grid comes back. One 13.5 kWh battery runs about $13,000 installed at recent South Florida prices, with no utility or state rebate.

One battery usually covers essentials; running central air usually takes two or more. Because FPL already credits exported solar at the full rate, a battery's value is backup, not a lower bill. See solar battery backup for hurricanes.

• Most building permits in Mary Esther need a City of Mary Esther approval letter before Okaloosa County issues the permit, and the city inspects drainage, sidewalks and setbacks.
• The highest rain total the National Weather Service's Mobile office recorded in Hurricane Isaias (October 2026) was 11.65 inches, near Mary Esther. Coastal parts of the city were under a mandatory evacuation order.
• FPL lists the City of Mary Esther among the Northwest Florida communities it serves.

1. 1

   Building permit

   Your installer applies to the City of Mary Esther or Okaloosa County for the permit, with plans designed to Florida Building Code wind loads, and an inspector checks the finished work. Since July 2025, state law lets a private provider review residential solar and battery plans, with a decision due within 5 business days.

2. 2

   FPL net metering application

   Your installer applies to FPL to connect the system. Most home systems are Tier 1 (up to 10 kW), with no application fee.

3. 3

   Meter swap and permission to operate

   After the final inspection, FPL installs a net meter and gives permission to turn the system on.

4. 4

   Property tax

   Florida law keeps the value solar adds out of your home's assessment. If you're unsure whether anything needs to be filed, ask the Okaloosa County Property Appraiser.