LADWP Solar Rooftops program: what it pays, what you give up, and who qualifies

How the program works

1. You apply through your LADWP online account, or by mailing or emailing the PDF application.
2. LADWP inspects the home to confirm eligibility, check that the roof can support the system, and look for shading from nearby structures.
3. LADWP designs the system and pulls a permit from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS).
4. LADWP installs a 1 to 10 kW system; LADBS inspects and approves it; it is connected to LADWP’s grid.
5. LADWP receives all the energy, and you receive a check or bill credit for the use of your roof.

The payment does not depend on output: LADWP’s page says customers are paid for rooftop use “regardless of how much solar energy is produced.” LADWP·checked Sep 23, 2026 The guidelines add that there is no net energy meter and that no energy is delivered to the home from the system.

What LADWP pays, by system size

Source: LADWP Solar Rooftops Program Guidelines, Table 1, revised version posted January 2026; yearly column is the monthly rate times 12. LADWP·checked Sep 23, 2026

After installation and LADBS approval, the guidelines say you receive a prepayment for the first 12 months, prorated, and then a yearly prepayment or monthly bill credits at LADWP’s discretion. The revised guidelines also describe an optional battery add-on paying another $25 a month, but say no battery will be added until LADWP staff brief the Board of Water and Power Commissioners, which could change that payment. The revised guidelines take effect once the revised lease agreement is approved, so check the current version with LADWP before counting on the battery option.

Who qualifies

According to LADWP’s page, fact sheet and guidelines, you need:

• LADWP residential service on rate schedule R1-A (standard), R1-B (time-of-use), R1-D (low-income) or R1-E (lifeline).
• An owner-occupied home, with the same person as account holder and homeowner on the application.
• A home in the Los Angeles Basin part of LADWP’s service territory.
• No existing solar system and no past participation in LADWP’s Solar Incentive Program.
• A home that passes LADBS’s expedited solar permit criteria and LADWP’s own evaluation. The fact sheet specifies a single-family home with composite shingles.

LADWP’s on-site evaluation asks, among other things, whether the home is one or two stories, which way the roof faces (south or southwest preferred), whether it has one layer of roofing, whether the structure looks sound without sagging, the roof pitch and rafter spacing, shading from trees or buildings, and whether there is room for an extra meter near your electrical panel.

Space is limited. The guidelines cap the program at about one megawatt, estimated at 300 to 450 homes, and say applications are reviewed monthly in the order received, with selection at LADWP’s discretion to spread systems across the city and build on the most suitable homes. Applying does not guarantee a place. If you aren’t selected, or you rent or live in a condo, LADWP’s other solar programs include Shared Solar for apartment and condo households and SGIP funding for income-qualified customers.

What you give up

• The roof space, for up to 20 years. The agreement runs 20 years from LADBS approval, unless ended early.
• The electricity. None of it serves your home, and LADWP keeps the environmental attributes.
• Flexibility on the roof. The guidelines say the system can be removed twice at no expense to you: once for rooftop repairs and once at the end of the term.
• Hands-off equipment. You may not repair, open or disconnect any part of the system.

If your roof may need replacing during the term, that single no-cost removal matters. Get the roof looked at before you apply; our roof suitability guide explains what to check, and removal and reinstall costs covers what a removal involves on a system you own.

Maintenance, problems and safety

LADWP “has the sole responsibility for the operation” of the system, and all repairs are done by LADWP or people it authorizes, according to the guidelines. Report problems to LADWP’s solar line at 1-866-484-0433. The guidelines tell homeowners not to attempt repairs, open cabinets, touch exposed wiring or disconnect modules, because hazardous voltage can be present. If you notice a leak under the array, report it to LADWP and document it; what to do about a roof leak after solar lists the evidence to collect.

Selling your home, leaving early and the end of the term

If you sell, the buyer steps into your agreement. You must notify Community Solar staff at least 30 days before the transfer, and a buyer who doesn’t want the system can submit a termination notice. After the first year, either side may end the agreement with 60 days’ written notice; leaving before a prepaid year is up means paying back a prorated share of that prepayment. At early termination or the end of the term, LADWP removes the system within 60 days at its own cost. The guidelines say that if it doesn’t, the equipment is considered abandoned and what happens to it is up to you. LADWP·checked Sep 23, 2026

Solar Rooftops compared with owning or leasing solar

Which is better depends on your bill and your roof. If a high bill is the reason you are looking, start with why LADWP bills run high; for renting panels that serve your own home, see solar leases and PPAs; and for subscription options, see whether community solar is worth it. Tile-roofed homes don’t meet the fact sheet’s composite-shingle requirement, so solar on a tile roof is the route to read if that is your roof. If your home is outside LADWP’s service area, see how roof leases work outside Los Angeles and the contract terms to check before you sign one.

How to apply

• Online: log into or create an LADWP account and choose the Solar Rooftops application from the rebates and programs list.
• Mail or email: download the PDF application from LADWP’s program page and send it to the Solar Rooftops Program Manager address shown there.
• Phone: (866) 484-0433.

LADWP’s page also says the program “shall at all times be subject to change or termination without notice,” so read the lease agreement you are offered, not just this summary.