Federal tax credits for home electrical work: status in 2026

This page states what the IRS pages say as of October 30, 2026. It does not predict anything. Tax rules are specific to your situation, so a tax preparer should confirm what applies to you.

The short version

Credit	What it covered	Status on Oct 30, 2026
25D, residential clean energy	Rooftop solar, batteries of 3 kWh or more	Ended for property placed in service after Dec 31, 2025
25C, energy efficient home improvement	Heat pumps, qualifying panel work, other upgrades	Ended for property placed in service after Dec 31, 2025
30C, refueling property	Home EV chargers in eligible census tracts	Ended for property placed in service after June 30, 2026

“Placed in service” means installed and ready to use, not the date you signed or paid. That date decides everything.

25D: solar and batteries

The IRS says the residential clean energy credit is “not available for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025.” It had been a 30 percent credit for property installed from 2022 through 2025, and it covered battery storage of at least 3 kilowatt hours starting in 2023. So a battery, or solar, that is installed and working in 2026 does not qualify. The IRS page also contains a line about a phase-out in 2033, which does not match the end date above. Use the end date, and ask a tax preparer if your case is unusual.

If the installer went out of business after the work, the solar installer bankrupt guide lists the paperwork to collect.

If you finished an installation in 2025, you may still claim the credit on that year’s return. If you bought a system and it was not working until 2026, it does not qualify.

25C: panel upgrades and heat pumps

The IRS page for the energy efficient home improvement credit says it applies to property placed in service on or after January 1, 2023, and before December 31, 2025. For panel work, it had allowed up to $600 per item for electrical panels of at least 200 amps that meet the National Electrical Code and support qualifying energy property. Heat pumps and heat pump water heaters that met the efficiency tier fell under a separate $2,000 yearly limit. A panel or heat pump placed in service in 2026 does not get this credit. The electrification order guide explains the build order without counting on a credit.

30C: EV chargers

The IRS page for the alternative fuel vehicle refueling property credit lists home property “placed in service at your main home from January 1, 2023, to June 30, 2026.” The credit equaled 30 percent of cost, up to $1,000 per item, and the home had to sit in a low-income community or non-urban census tract. Form 8911 was used to claim it. Since June 30 has passed, a charger placed in service after that date is not covered. If your charger was in service by June 30, 2026, ask a tax preparer about claiming it on the return for that tax year.

What still pays

Federal credits are gone, but many utility programs are open. A few, as of October 2026:

• LADWP (open): a rebate of up to $1,000 for a qualifying home EV charger, plus $250 for a dedicated EV meter. Read the LADWP guide.
• SCE Charge Ready Home (open): up to $4,200 toward a 200 amp panel and a 240-volt outlet, or $1,000 for the outlet alone, for income-qualified households and homes in disadvantaged communities. See the SCE guide.
• City utilities: Pasadena, Burbank, Glendale and Riverside run their own programs; each page shows its own status. See the city utility guide.
• SDG&E: SDG&E does not list a single-family home charger rebate, see the SDG&E guide.

Programs have income rules, funding limits and apply-before-you-install steps. The rebate finder matches an address to the programs listed on this site. Check each program’s own page before you buy, because funds can run out.

Plan without a credit

Do the numbers as if no credit exists. Get itemized quotes, check the programs above, and treat any later credit as a bonus. For backup power, the generator vs battery guide shows the real cost without a tax offset.

Before you rely on any date

Check two things before you act on a credit that you think you qualify for. First, the date the equipment was placed in service, which is usually the date of final inspection or when the utility gave permission to operate, not the date on the invoice. Keep the inspection sign-off and the utility approval letter in a folder. Second, which tax year the credit belongs to. A credit for 2025 equipment goes on the 2025 return, even if you file late.

Contractors cannot give tax advice, and an electrician’s quote should not promise a credit. If a quote or ad says you will “get 30 percent back” for work finished in 2026, ask which section of the tax code it refers to and compare it with the IRS pages listed under sources. A promise of savings with no code section is a reason to slow down, and the license check guide lists other checks to run before signing.