Buying a house with solar panels: a checklist

Short answer. Before you buy a house with solar panels, find out who owns the system: the seller, a lender or a leasing company. Then collect the utility’s operating approval and the warranty records, search the title for solar filings, and ask the utility what changes at sale. Maryland home inspectors aren’t required to inspect the panels.¹

What order should you work through the paperwork in?

Panels add paperwork an ordinary purchase doesn’t have, and a few items (a lease, a fixture filing, a missing operating approval) can force the seller to act before closing. Start with who owns the system, then work down this list in order, because each step depends on the one before it:

1. Confirm the structure in writing. Is the system paid for, loan-financed, leased, or sold under a power purchase agreement (PPA)? A PPA is a contract to buy the electricity a third party’s system produces.
2. Get every solar document: the contract, the loan or lease, warranty papers and any payoff or transfer statement.
3. Have your title company search for solar filings.
4. Tell your mortgage lender about the panels early.
5. Collect the utility paperwork: operating approval, inspection record and interconnection agreement.
6. Get the utility’s answer, in writing, on what changes at sale.
7. Plan the solar renewable energy credit paperwork if the seller owns the credits.
8. Request warranty, monitoring and production records.
9. Arrange the right inspections, including a roof review.
10. Don’t price the house on a federal tax credit.

Who owns the panels?

Ask the seller, in writing, whether the panels were paid for in cash, bought with a loan, leased or sold under a PPA. The answer decides what transfers with the house. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) says owned or loan-financed systems should convey with the property, while third-party systems may need extra steps.²

Two details from the guides. The Maryland Energy Administration’s (MEA) 2018 consumer guide says a buyer who takes over a lease may have to pass a credit check.⁴ The District’s 2020 guide says a seller with a third-party system may have to buy it outright so the system can be removed at transfer.³ Both tell owners to read the transfer terms in their contracts. As a buyer, read those same terms before you commit.

Should you buy a house with solar panels?

It can be a good buy when the system is owned, paid off and has its utility approval on file. The DOE says a solar system will likely increase a home’s value, citing a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study in which buyers across the country were willing to pay a premium for an average-sized array.²

That study reflects national averages, not the house you’re looking at. Weigh the system’s age, since the DOE puts panel life at 20 to 25 years, and the roof under it, against the asking price.² Leased or PPA panels are a different deal: Fannie Mae doesn’t let a lender count their value in the appraisal (more on that below), so a lease adds monthly obligations without adding appraised value.⁵

Does the seller disclosure form cover solar?

No. The Maryland Real Estate Commission’s revised property disclosure form has no question that names solar equipment. It asks about roof type, roof age and leaks, and about electrical problems, and a seller may sign a disclaimer statement instead of a disclosure. Put your solar questions in writing.^6,7

Maryland’s Real Property Article, Section 10-702(c), says the vendor of single-family residential property must complete and deliver either a disclosure or a disclaimer statement on a form provided by the Commission. The section lists exceptions, such as foreclosure sales.⁶ The form says the disclosure reflects what the seller actually knows and is no substitute for an independent inspection.⁷ The Commission told brokers on September 4, 2026 to use the revised form.⁸

The closest the form comes is item 18a, which asks whether improvements made by the seller or a contractor had the required permits and passed all required inspections.⁷ The roof and electrical questions won’t tell you who owns the panels, who holds a lease, or whether the utility approved the system. Your agent or attorney can tell you how to get the seller’s written answers into the contract file.

What is a fixture filing, and why does it matter?

A fixture filing is a public notice, often a Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) form, that a solar owner or lender files to protect its claim on equipment attached to a building. The MEA’s 2018 guide says it “does not create a lien,” but it can make a refinance or transfer of the house more complicated.⁴

Fannie Mae adds that a properly filed fixture filing has priority over the lien of a mortgage recorded after it.⁵ Your title company can tell you how a filing you find affects the title.

Where it’s recorded depends on how it was filed. Maryland Commercial Law Section 9-501 names the office for filing a financing statement when Maryland law governs: the office where mortgages on the property are recorded, if the statement is filed as a fixture filing, and otherwise the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT).⁹ So a solar claim can sit in either place. Find out which searches your title company and attorney ran.

The MEA guide says third-party solar owners often file a UCC-1 statement so they can take the system back if the contract is breached, and that an owner may need the filing released by paying off the remaining contract or transferring the obligation.⁴ That’s reason enough to request the seller’s payoff or transfer paperwork well before closing.

How do lenders treat a house with solar panels?

Lender rules differ, so tell your lender about the panels early. Fannie Mae, a major buyer of home mortgages, applies its standard rules to owned panels. For leased or PPA systems, its Selling Guide requires the lender to review the agreement and keep the panels’ value out of the appraisal.⁵

The guide’s section on properties with solar panels, published October 7, 2026, sorts the cases this way:⁵

• Owned panels. Standard requirements apply. Panels count as owned if they were a cash purchase, were included in the purchase price, were financed and repaid in full, or are secured by the existing first mortgage.
• Separately financed panels. The lender must review the loan papers. A UCC fixture filing that sits ahead of the new mortgage in the land records must be subordinated.
• Leased or PPA panels. The lender must review the lease or PPA, and the panels’ value can’t be included in the appraised value. For these panels, a “precautionary” UCC filing (one a lessor files to put others on notice of its claimed ownership) is acceptable and a minor impediment to title when it describes only the solar equipment and the loan is underwritten under the guide’s solar rules.
• Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) loans. Panels financed this way aren’t eligible for delivery to Fannie Mae unless the PACE loan is paid in full before or at closing.

A common trap: assuming leased panels add appraised value. Under that guide they can’t, so don’t build your offer on the assumption that they do.

That’s one investor’s published policy, not a rule for every loan. Your own lender will tell you which rules it applies, and it’s worth asking early, because a lease or fixture filing may need seller action before closing.

Which utility papers show the system is approved to run?

Under Pepco’s Maryland agreement, the owner can’t operate the system until the utility gives final acceptance, so a system with no operating approval is a problem to settle before closing.^10,11 Ask the seller for these four items, and keep copies in the closing file, since a missing one is easier to chase before you own the house:

Permit offices differ by jurisdiction. Montgomery County’s Department of Permitting Services (DPS), for example, says solar work needs a building permit and a separate electrical permit, and inspections are scheduled with the department.¹³ Get the permit numbers from the seller, then ask the issuing office for the file.

Dates matter here. Pepco’s Maryland agreement is the version the utility published in December 2018, and its brochure carries a 2019 copyright.^10,11 Other utilities use their own documents, and forms get revised, so ask the utility which version it requires today.

Does the interconnection agreement survive a sale?

Not automatically. In Maryland’s standard interconnection forms, the agreement ends on transfer of ownership unless the new owner notifies the utility in writing and agrees to the original terms. The PSC form for a new account holder describes a “replacement” agreement. The 2026 net metering law doesn’t say whether that affects grandfathered net metering.^10,14,15

The clause appears in three Maryland documents: the PSC’s statewide change-notice form (version dated January 2011), Pepco’s December 2018 agreement and a Potomac Edison form (version dated April 2024).^10,14,16 It says the agreement shall terminate on transfer to a new owner or tenant unless that person gives written notice and agrees to the original terms, before or at the time electric service moves to them. If the agreement ends because the written agreement doesn’t arrive within 30 days, the utility must tell the PSC.¹⁴

The change-notice form is for a new utility account holder who adopts the standard terms for an existing solar system. By signing, the new holder agrees to apply for a Renewable Energy Facility Certificate at the PSC and to tell the PSC in writing within 30 days of any change to the information in the notice. The utility signs a “Notice of replacement Interconnection Agreement” at the bottom.¹⁴ None of these documents says whether the seller’s unused bill credits pass to the buyer, so put that question to the utility. For a house in Washington, DC, ask Pepco how a new owner takes over a DC net energy metering contract.

The table below separates what the law settles from what it leaves open, as of October 25, 2026.

What happens to solar renewable energy credits?

The MEA’s 2018 guide says a renewable energy credit (the SREC in Maryland) initially belongs to whoever owns the system, not the property owner. After a sale, the new owner amends the certificate record with the Maryland PSC and transfers the generator in the tracking system run by PJM Interconnection (PJM). Agree in writing who keeps credits earned before closing.^4,19,20

If the seller leases the system, there’s nothing to pass on. The MEA guide says a customer with a lease or PPA isn’t the owner and can’t register credits.⁴ For an owned system, three records move:

The PJM sheet also tells sellers to report a final meter reading as of the closing date, and says a seller may keep selling credits that remain in the seller’s account.²⁰ That’s why the sale contract should say who keeps credits earned before closing. The seller can give you the certificate number, the GATS account details and any aggregator contract. The MEA notes that some owners use an aggregator to register their credits.⁴

Treat the amendment steps as a starting point. The PSC’s portal guide says that during testing only the initial application is evaluated, and the 2023 process document is older, so confirm the current steps with the PSC before relying on either. Credit prices move, so this guide leaves them out. The Maryland SREC prices guide covers them.

Which warranty, monitoring and production records should you get?

Warranties don’t always move on their own. The MEA’s 2018 guide advises a home seller to complete each manufacturer’s change-of-ownership form so the warranty transfers to the new owner.⁴ Collect the papers, the monitoring login and the production history, then contact each manufacturer before closing.²

Warranties are only as strong as the companies behind them. If a manufacturer goes out of business, the MEA’s guide says its warranty coverage may cease.⁴ If the original installer has closed, the DOE says to identify the panel and inverter makers and ask local installers whether they know the make and can inspect the system.² Our guide on what to do if your solar installer went out of business covers that, and solar panel warranties explained covers how warranties work in general.

Will a home inspection cover the panels?

Probably not. Maryland’s home inspector standards say an inspector isn’t required to inspect solar panels. Where an alternative energy system is present, they do require the inspector to describe it, including disconnect locations. That means your report may mention the system without testing it.¹

The standards are in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR), chapter 09.36.07, revised effective December 22, 2025. The roof section lists “Solar panels” among items an inspector isn’t required to inspect, and says the inspector isn’t required to walk on or access a roof where that could damage the roofing or be unsafe for the inspector. The electrical section says that, if applicable, the inspector shall describe “Alternative energy systems, including disconnect locations.”¹

So a clean inspection report tells you little about the array. If you want the equipment checked, that’s a separate job for a solar service provider, and a roofer can look at the roof beneath the panels. The DOE notes that certified local installers can be asked to inspect a system.² Arrange access to the roof and equipment with the seller before the visit.

On the roof itself, the DOE says panels in residential systems usually last 20 to 25 years and suggests comparing the system’s age with the roof’s age.² The MEA’s 2018 guide says removing and reinstalling panels during a roof replacement may cost 20 percent or more of the original installation cost.⁴ The disclosure form asks about roof type, age and leaks, so treat those answers as a starting point.⁷

Does the federal solar tax credit transfer to the buyer?

No. The DOE says the federal solar tax credit can only be claimed on the “original installation” of the equipment, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says used, previously owned clean energy property isn’t eligible. A buyer of an existing system therefore can’t claim it for that system.^2,21

The Residential Clean Energy Credit in the tax code doesn’t apply to expenditures made after December 31, 2025, and an expenditure is treated as made when the original installation is completed.²² The IRS page, last reviewed July 4, 2026, says the credit isn’t available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025.²¹ So don’t price a house on the expectation that a credit rides along. Whether a state or local program applies to an existing system depends on the program, so check with its administrator.

What does each finding mean for your purchase?

Owned, paid-off panels with a complete utility record leave fewer open questions than a lease, an unpaid loan or no operating approval. Each finding below sends you to a different party: the seller, the title company, the lender or the utility.

Example (hypothetical, not a real house). You’re under contract on a house where the seller leases the panels. The lease allows transfer to an approved buyer, a fixture filing is recorded, and the seller can’t find the operating-approval email. Your next steps:

1. Get the lease owner’s written approval of you as the new party.
2. Have the title company confirm the filing and who releases or keeps it.
3. Tell your lender the system is leased.
4. Get the utility’s written confirmation of operating approval before closing.

The lease text and the utility’s answers decide how it ends.

What isn’t covered here?

This checklist can’t read your contract or speak for every utility, lender and jurisdiction. The points below stay open until you hear from the party that controls each one: your utility, your lender, the county permit office, your attorney or title company.

• Other utilities. The agreement clause above appears in Pepco, PSC and Potomac Edison documents. BGE and other Maryland utilities use their own forms and may word transfer terms differently, so request your utility’s current document.
• County permit offices. Montgomery County is the only permit office described above. Other counties’ offices keep their own solar permit files, so find out from the seller which office issued the permit.
• The District of Columbia and Virginia. DC buyers should check with Pepco and the DC regulator. In Virginia, the Dominion page and the PJM transfer sheet above are the starting points.
• Lender rules. Fannie Mae’s guide is one investor’s policy. Other loan programs may differ.
• Contract text. A lease, PPA or loan contract controls its own transfer terms.
• Community solar subscriptions. These work differently from rooftop systems and aren’t covered here.
• Taxes and fees on the purchase. Your attorney or title company can speak to property and transfer taxes.

Who can service the system after closing?

Soleil Energy services solar systems it didn’t install. Its monitoring and maintenance work covers fault diagnosis and repair of inverter faults, string failures and communication dropouts, and a buyer with an existing system can request a system assessment. Contract, title, lending and tax questions belong with your attorney, title company, lender and tax professional.^23,24

Soleil Energy’s monitoring and maintenance service takes on systems other firms installed, and the residential solar page describes the same service afterward. The service area page lists the counties Soleil Energy serves, so check it before you call.^23,24,25

Request a system assessment or call (301) 953-4140. Solar savings and incentive eligibility depend on your roof, your usage, your utility, and your tax situation. Incentive programs change and some have limited funding. We are not tax advisors — we will review your bill with you and tell you what you may qualify for. Confirm any tax credit with a qualified tax professional.

Sources (25)

1. Maryland Department of Labor, Minimum Standards of Practice for home inspectors (COMAR 09.36.07), labor.maryland.gov, chapter revised effective December 22, 2025; read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. U.S. Department of Energy, A Consumer’s Guide to Buying a House with Solar Panels, energy.gov, current page (undated), read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷

3. District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment, District Solar Consumer Financing Guide, PDF, October 2020; read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

4. Maryland Energy Administration, A Maryland Consumer’s Guide to Solar, PDF, January 2018 edition; read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷

5. Fannie Mae, Selling Guide, Special Property Eligibility Considerations (topic B2-3-04, Properties with Solar Panels), selling-guide.fanniemae.com, Selling Guide published October 7, 2026; read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

6. Maryland General Assembly, Real Property Section 10-702, statute text, current online statute (undated); read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩²

7. Maryland Real Estate Commission, Maryland Residential Property Disclosure and Disclaimer Statement (revised form), PDF, attached to a bulletin of September 4, 2026; read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

8. Maryland Department of Labor, Attention Brokers: Updated Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement, bulletin, September 4, 2026; read October 24, 2026. ↩

9. Maryland General Assembly, Commercial Law Section 9-501, statute text, current online statute (undated); read October 24, 2026. ↩

10. Pepco, Maryland Level 1 Interconnection Application/Agreement, PDF, form dated December 2018; read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

11. Pepco, Connecting Solar Energy Systems Maryland brochure, PDF, copyright 2019; read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³

12. Maryland Public Service Commission, Solar PV certification process, PDF, file created July 2023; read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩²

13. Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, eSolar residential rooftop solar panels, montgomerycountymd.gov, current page (undated), read October 25, 2026. ↩

14. Maryland Public Service Commission, Maryland Level 1 Interconnection Agreement Change Notice, PDF, form version 1-4-2011; read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

15. Maryland General Assembly, House Bill 1532 (Utility RELIEF Act), enrolled bill, PDF, approved May 12, 2026 as Chapter 353 per the bill page; read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

16. Potomac Edison, Maryland Interconnection Agreement Change Notice, PDF, form version 04-2024; read October 24, 2026. ↩

17. Maryland Public Service Commission, Rulemaking RM56 docket index, docket, latest entry dated October 13, 2026, read October 25, 2026; and proposed regulations, PDF, posted June 2026; read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩²

18. Dominion Energy Virginia, Net Metering, dominionenergy.com, current page (undated), read October 24, 2026. ↩

19. Maryland Public Service Commission, SREC Portal User Guide, PDF, undated PDF (file properties show it was created January 2026); read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩²

20. PJM Environmental Information Services, Transfer Ownership Information Sheet, PDF, undated PDF (file properties show it was created August 2025); read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

21. Internal Revenue Service, Residential Clean Energy Credit, irs.gov, page last reviewed July 4, 2026; read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩²

22. U.S. Code, 26 U.S.C. section 25D(e)(8)(A) and (h), as amended by Public Law 119-21 section 70506 (July 4, 2025), Cornell Legal Information Institute, current text (undated page), read October 25, 2026; IRS, FS-2025-05 (August 21, 2025), question 7, irs.gov, read October 25, 2026. ↩

23. Soleil Energy, Monitoring & O&M, soleilenergycorp.com, current page (undated), read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩²

24. Soleil Energy, Residential solar, soleilenergycorp.com, current page (undated), read October 24, 2026. ↩ ↩²

25. Soleil Energy, Service area, soleilenergycorp.com, current page (undated), read October 24, 2026. ↩