Clermont, FL Solar Panels

Verify the license

Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), through its Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), oversees contractor licensing. Paid rooftop solar installation generally requires an appropriate Florida contractor credential. CILB recognizes Certified Solar Contractor (CV) and Registered Solar Contractor (RV) classifications; certified credentials allow contracting statewide, while registered credentials are limited to the authorized jurisdiction. A separate solar credential is not always required: another Chapter 489 certified or registered contractor may perform solar work within the contractor’s authorized scope. Ask each bidder for the contracting company’s credential type and number, then confirm its status and scope with the state and your city or county before signing. Read Florida’s contractor-licensing statute.

Look for certified installers

Ask whether the people designing and installing your system hold NABCEP certification, and what training or experience it represents. Ask about manufacturer certifications, too: these can indicate product-specific training or authorization. Treat either as useful context—not a substitute for the required Florida contractor credential or a guarantee of workmanship. Request the names and roles of the people or companies doing the work, including subcontractors.

Compare quotes the same way

Put proposals side by side and check that they cover comparable equipment, work, and payment terms. Ask each installer to clarify anything missing or difficult to compare.

• System size in kW and total price per watt, using the same pricing basis.
• Panel and inverter brands and models, plus the estimated production in kWh per year and the assumptions behind it.
• Warranty coverage and duration for panel product and performance, inverter, workmanship, and roof penetrations.
• Who handles permits and utility interconnection, and whether those services are included.
• Total cost if paying upfront, or monthly payment and any escalator if financing or leasing; ask what the payment includes.

Permits, interconnection and your HOA

Building and electrical permits go through the local enforcement agency, usually the city or county building department serving your property; confirm who will submit them. You or your installer must apply to the electric utility serving the home for interconnection approval and any required agreement or metering. Depending on your address, the utility may be Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy Florida, Tampa Electric, or JEA. Programs differ, so ask your utility about its requirements. Florida Statute § 163.04 generally bars binding deed restrictions or association rules from prohibiting or effectively prohibiting solar devices. An association may specify a roof location within the statute’s stated south-facing orientation if that does not impair effective operation. Review the statute.

Red flags

• Pressure to sign the same day or before you can review the proposal.
• A contractor who cannot show an appropriate Florida credential, or out-of-state crews without a clearly identified, properly credentialed Florida contractor responsible for the work.
• Vague production estimates, unusually large upfront deposits, or promises that homeowners can claim federal tax credits for purchases in 2026; those credits ended December 31, 2025.

If you have a licensing or unlicensed-contracting concern, DBPR handles construction-industry complaints but cannot recover money for you in a civil case. For general business or contract complaints, FDACS accepts consumer complaints; it may offer mediation but cannot require a particular remedy.

Palmetto is one installer you can compare, with a lease option through LightReach.