How to Choose a Solar Company in Idaho: A 2026 Checklist

Idaho Code 54-5204 makes it unlawful to work as a contractor in Idaho, or to advertise as one, without being registered with the state. Registration and licensing are handled by the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL).

Look up any company you are considering with DOPL's free online license and registration search at dopl.idaho.gov. Confirm the business name on the registration matches the name on your proposal and contract.

Solar and battery wiring is electrical work. Ask which licensed electrical contractor will do it and who will pull the state electrical permit, then look that license up too.

• Contractor registration: active, and in the same business name as your contract.
• Electrical license: held by the company or the electrical contractor doing the wiring.
• Battery installs: if you want a Tesla Powerwall, Tesla works with trained Certified Installers and lists them by zip code on its website.
• Idahome Energy's Idaho contractor registration is RCE 65198, so you can check us the same way.

Your utility decides what exported solar is worth, so a proposal that ignores your utility's rules is not a real estimate. Here is what to look for with each Idaho utility.

Utility approval comes before installation. Under Idaho Power's Schedule 68, the customer submits an application with a $100 non-refundable fee, Idaho Power reviews it and sends an Approval to Proceed, and after installation Idaho Power inspects the system, within 10 business days for systems of 100 kVA or less. Ask every company who handles the application and when.

Idaho's Residential Solar Energy System Disclosure Act (Idaho Code Title 48, Chapter 18) requires solar sellers to give you a separate written disclosure statement, in at least 12-point type, before you enter a solar purchase or lease agreement. Read it before you sign, and compare it across bids.

• A written estimate of your savings, with its assumptions spelled out: utility rate changes, tax credits, system production, your utility's tariff, your usage and equipment replacement costs.
• The system design: panels, inverters, system size, where the panels go, and the estimated energy production.
• Any production guarantee, roof penetration warranty and other warranties.
• The installation timeline, and who is responsible for connecting the system to your utility.
• Whether operations and maintenance are included, and who provides them.
• Your rights to cancel, and a statement that the company is not affiliated with your utility or any government agency.
• For a purchase, the price and any loan terms. For a lease, the transfer terms and what happens at the end of the lease.

The law also requires the statement to say, in capital letters, that the savings figure is an estimate, that incentives vary, and that legislative or regulatory action may change how you are credited for solar. If a company is reluctant to hand over this document, that tells you something.

The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit, the 30% credit homeowners used for years, is not available for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025, according to the IRS. A 2026 proposal for a cash or loan purchase should not include it.

Idaho's state income tax deduction under Idaho Code 63-3022C still applies to the system's owner: 40% of the cost in the year of installation and 20% in each of the next three years, up to $5,000 per year. It is a deduction, not a credit. Ask a tax professional how it applies to you.

With a lease or prepaid lease, a third-party company owns the system, so the incentives go to that owner. Make sure the proposal says plainly who owns the system and who claims each incentive.

Read reviews on more than one site, such as Google, the Better Business Bureau, EnergySage and SolarReviews. Look at how recent the reviews are, whether they mention your area, and how the company responds to problems.

• Workmanship warranty: what it covers and for how long, in writing.
• Roof penetration warranty: who fixes a leak around the mounts.
• Manufacturer warranties on panels, inverters and batteries, and who files the claim for you.
• Who services the system after installation, and how you reach them.
• If the company uses installer partners, who manages the work and stands behind it.

The Idaho Attorney General's office has warned homeowners to be skeptical of promises that sound too good, to check licensing with DOPL, to read reviews, and to shop around and compare bids from several companies.

• A promise to eliminate your power bill entirely.
• A salesperson who claims to represent Idaho Power, Avista or another utility without written authorization.
• Rebates or tax benefits that are promised but not documented in writing.
• Pressure to sign the same day, or a refusal to leave the disclosure statement and contract with you.

If you sign at home, the Federal Trade Commission's Cooling-Off Rule generally gives you until midnight of the third business day to cancel sales of $25 or more made at your home, and the seller must give you a cancellation form. Saturday counts as a business day. If you suspect a deceptive practice, contact the Idaho Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at ag.idaho.gov.