Choosing an installer
How do I check a solar installer is licensed and accredited?
The short answer
Ask for the contractor and electrical licence numbers and the exact legal entity they are held under, then check them with the licensing authority in the state where the work will happen. Certification through an industry body such as NABCEP is a separate, voluntary credential held by individuals, and it is worth asking whether the certified person will be on your job.
The three things people confuse
- Contractor licensing. Set by each state, sometimes with a specific solar or electrical classification, sometimes under general contracting above a value threshold. There is no national register in either country.
- Electrical licensing, which governs the electrical work itself and is held by the individual or the business depending on the jurisdiction.
- Industry certification, such as NABCEP. It is a voluntary professional credential earned by individuals through examination and experience. It is a real signal and it is not a licence.
And two more worth asking about
- Insurance: general liability, and workers compensation for anyone on your roof. Ask for the certificate from the insurer rather than the contractor.
- Whether the company subcontracts the installation, and if so to whom, and who honours the workmanship warranty.
This site does not verify licences and does not claim to. What every listing here shows is measured: the full distribution of a business's ratings rather than the average, and the share that is one or two star. That is a different check and a complementary one.
Also asked
Is NABCEP certification required?
No. It is voluntary certification of individuals rather than a licence, and many competent installers hold it while some do not. The useful question is whether a certified person is designing and overseeing your specific installation, rather than whether the company can display a logo.
Does a manufacturer's installer program mean anything?
It can indicate training and it can unlock extended product warranties, which is a genuine benefit. It is a commercial program rather than a regulatory one, and it does not substitute for a licence or for insurance.
The long version
How to choose a solar installerThe company matters more than the panel. How to weigh a local track record against a national sales operation, and what to check before you sign.
General information about solar and about hiring, not advice about your roof or your tax affairs. Incentives, net metering and contractor licensing are set federally, by state, and by your utility, and all of them change. The authority that publishes the rule is the current answer.