Skip to main content

    Independent information and referral site. Not a utility, contractor or government agency. How we make money

    California
    Rate Relief
    Inquiry

    California solar decisions

    Low-income solar in California: find the right application path

    By Updated 6 sources cited

    MethodologyHow we make moneyEditorial policy

    If the electric bill is urgent, start with bill assistance. If you want rooftop solar, check the property and program rules separately. One application does not automatically approve the other.

    This page is one part of our guide to solar tax credits and rebates.

    California Rate Relief is a private solar referral service.

    Start with your bill

    Two answers, no contact details. They carry into the full form, and nothing is sent until you finish it.

    Or tap a typical amount

    California Rate Relief is a referral service. We are not a licensed contractor. California Rate Relief is compensated by a solar provider when a homeowner we refer signs an agreement. How we make money

    Check bill discounts while you research solar

    CARE and FERA reduce eligible utility bills. They do not provide panels. FERA now includes eligible one- and two-person households; older advice limiting it to larger households is out of date. Use the current utility application and household-income schedule.

    Do not use a generic online income example to decide that you are excluded. Ask the utility which income sources count and which documents it accepts. Meeting a bill-discount rule does not automatically approve a separate solar application.

    Who should check DAC-SASH?

    The official handbook identifies several checks: PG&E, SCE or SDG&E service; a single-family primary residence owned and occupied by the applicant; household income meeting CARE or FERA income requirements; and a qualifying disadvantaged-community or California Indian Country location.

    The administrator also reviews the site and available funding. The handbook allows for funding gaps and possible applicant contributions. Ask for the approved project scope and any amount you would pay before treating an installation as fully funded. GRID Alternatives DAC-SASH handbook, sixth edition, sections 4.2.1–4.2.3; reviewed September 10, 2026.

    Build the application checklist

    1. Confirm the utility account and service address.
    2. Ask which household members and income sources the program includes.
    3. Use the administrator's location screening; do not assume an entire city qualifies.
    4. For rooftop solar, confirm ownership, occupancy, roof condition and who can authorize work.
    5. Request current funding status, any waitlist rules and any expected homeowner contribution.

    Keep sensitive income documents for the official program's application channel. This site's solar inquiry does not need tax returns, benefit statements or Social Security numbers.

    If one program does not fit

    Ask the utility about bill assistance and the official administrator about other eligible paths. A closed SASH application route is not proof that every program is closed. A denied rooftop application is not a reason to skip available bill discounts.

    For storage or solar-and-storage funding, check the SGIP category guide. If you are considering a private contract, review what a free-solar offer actually costs.

    Other routes when a rooftop project does not fit

    See what you may qualify for

    Start with the utility on your bill and what you pay in a typical month. Contact details come after that. Submitting is a referral request; it is not an application and it does not decide eligibility for any program.

    Step 1 of 2 — your bill

    No contact details on this step. Nothing is sent until you submit the second step.

    Submitting does not guarantee a quote, savings, program funding or eligibility.

    California Rate Relief is a referral service. We are not a licensed contractor. California Rate Relief is compensated by a solar provider when a homeowner we refer signs an agreement. How we make money

    Before you send anything

    What this is
    California Rate Relief is a private referral service. It is not a contractor, does not install or finance anything, and is not a utility, a government agency or an assistance program.
    What happens after the form
    Your project details are recorded for referral to a solar provider. The provider decides whether it can help and what it can offer; availability, design and price are determined after its own review.
    How you are contacted
    Read the consent wording before submitting. Your inquiry includes contact details for follow-up about the project; a provider decides whether it can serve it.
    Using the site without submitting
    The calculators, bill comparisons and checklists on this site work without contact details, and nothing on this page requires a submission.