Los Angeles is the only major American city where two houses on the same street can have completely different solar economics. If your meter says LADWP, you still have full retail-rate net metering, one of the last 1-to-1 deals left in California, and a solar-only system pencils beautifully. If your meter says SCE, you are on NEM 3.0, your exports earn 5 to 8 cents while your evening imports cost up to 74 cents, and a system designed without a battery is leaving most of the value on the roof.
That split is the first thing I would tell any LA homeowner, and it is the test I now apply to every installer on this list: can they design correctly for both utilities, and do they know which one you are on before they price your roof? An installer running the same SCE-style battery pitch on a Los Feliz LADWP customer either does not know the market or does not care.
The second thing: the installer graveyard grew this year. Freedom Forever, which appeared on our own 2025 LA list, filed Chapter 11 in April 2026 and is moving toward Chapter 7 liquidation. It is off this list, and financial staying power now ranks ahead of star ratings in how we score every company. Every installer below holds a California contractor license you can verify in two minutes at the Contractors State License Board, and the numbers are in the table.
Quick answer: The best solar companies in Los Angeles in 2026 are NRG Clean Power, Ameco Solar, OC Solar, and Cali Energy among LA-based installers, with Semper Solaris, Sunrun, and Tesla Energy as the leading regional and national options. LA cash pricing runs roughly $2.30 to $2.90 per watt. Your utility decides your design: LADWP customers still get retail-rate net metering and solar-only works, while SCE customers are on NEM 3.0 and should pair solar with a battery. There is no federal tax credit on purchased systems in 2026.
Key takeaways
- Your utility matters more than your installer. LADWP keeps 1-to-1 retail net metering; SCE is on NEM 3.0 with 5 to 8 cent export credits. The right system design is different for each.
- Every ranked company holds an active CSLB license, listed below for verification. Freedom Forever was removed after its bankruptcy filing.
- LA cash pricing runs about $2.30 to $2.90 per watt. An 8 kW system lands between $18,400 and $23,200 with no federal credit to subtract, because Section 25D expired December 31, 2025.
- On SCE, a battery is central to the math. On LADWP, it is a resilience purchase, not a payback engine. Any installer who quotes the same design for both does not know Los Angeles.
- Older LA housing stock means main panel upgrades ($2,500 to $5,000) show up in a large share of quotes. Ask about yours before signing, not after.
Los Angeles solar market snapshot (August 2026)
| Market factor | LADWP territory | SCE territory |
|---|---|---|
| Who it covers | Most of the City of LA, plus parts of West Hollywood, Culver City, South Pasadena | Most of LA County outside city limits: the Westside edges, San Gabriel Valley, South Bay, Santa Clarita |
| Average residential rate | Effective 26 to 31 cents per kWh all-in; summer Tier 1 about 26.4 cents, Tier 3 up to about 41 cents | About 34 cents per kWh average; peak 58 to 74 cents, 4 to 9 p.m. |
| Net metering | Full retail-rate NEM rider, credits roll forward, systems up to 1 MW | NEM 3.0 Net Billing Tariff; exports credited at roughly 5 to 8 cents per kWh |
| Fixed monthly charge | $10 minimum charge | $24.15 Base Services Charge since November 2025 |
| Battery role | Backup and outage resilience | Core to the economics: stores midday solar for the 4 to 9 p.m. peak |
| Solar-only payback | Roughly 8 to 12 years | Often 9 to 13 years; solar plus battery typically shortens it |
Sources: LADWP Net Energy Metering rider and residential rates, CPUC Net Billing Tariff. LADWP zone note: Zone 2, covering most of the San Fernando Valley, gets a larger Tier 1 allowance (500 kWh vs 350 kWh) to account for cooling load.
Top 9 solar companies in Los Angeles: comparison table
Table 1: Best solar companies in Los Angeles, 2026, at a glance
| Rank | Company | CSLB license # | LA base | In business since | Price tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NRG Clean Power | 1026168 | Canoga Park (HQ) | 1988 | $$ | Best overall: LA-headquartered, price guarantee, full service |
| 2 | Ameco Solar | 1053172 | Valley Village | 1974 lineage | $$ | Oldest solar name in LA, roofing + solar |
| 3 | OC Solar | 1023627 | Hollywood office | 2016 | $$ | Fast timelines, works LADWP and SCE weekly |
| 4 | Cali Energy | 1032379 | Northridge | 2010s | $$ | Valley-local installer, on-schedule reputation |
| 5 | LA Solar Group | Verify at CSLB | Van Nuys | 2011 | $$ | High-volume competitive pricing |
| 6 | SunLux | Verify at CSLB | Corona + LA | 2015 | $$$ | Concierge-style project management |
| 7 | Semper Solaris | 978152 | Statewide, SoCal focus | 2012 | $$$ | Roof plus solar in one contract |
| 8 | Sunrun | 750184 | National | 2007 | $$ (TPO) | Leases and PPAs, the only federal-credit path |
| 9 | Tesla Energy | 255021 | National | 2016 (energy) | $ | Lowest hardware pricing, Powerwall ecosystem |
License numbers verified against CSLB records and company disclosures, August 2026. Confirm current status at cslb.ca.gov; California requires an active C-46 or C-10 classification for solar work, and the entity on the license must match the entity on your contract.
How we ranked these companies
Six weighted factors, in order: financial staying power, because installer bankruptcies are the biggest risk an LA solar buyer faces in 2026; active CSLB standing and complaint history; dual-utility competence, meaning demonstrated work in both LADWP and SCE territory with designs that fit each; battery capability; verified review patterns across Google, Yelp, SolarReviews, BBB, and EnergySage; and price position against LA’s $2.30 to $2.90 per watt market. Companies serving LA only through dealer networks, where a sales brand subcontracts your install, were penalized: that structure is exactly what failed at Freedom Forever and Sunnova, and it is why Freedom Forever came off this list entirely.
1. NRG Clean Power: best overall in LA
Full transparency: this is our site. The factual case for the ranking is that Los Angeles is literally our home market. NRG Clean Power is headquartered in Canoga Park, has been operating since 1988 under CSLB license #1026168, and installs solar, batteries, roofing, and EV charging with in-house crews across LA County, on both LADWP and SCE meters. We are a Tesla Certified Installer, an EnergySage Elite installer, a CNN Underscored Editors’ Pick, and a CALSSA member, with a 4.5-star Google rating across 225+ reviews.
What that dual-utility experience means in practice: an SCE customer in Santa Clarita gets a self-consumption design with storage sized to the 4 to 9 p.m. peak, while an LADWP customer in Sherman Oaks gets an honest answer that solar-only still pencils and a battery is optional resilience, not a requirement. We also carry a best price guarantee: bring a competing itemized quote for the same equipment and we beat it. Start with our instant quote tool for a baseline in about two minutes.
Honest caveat: LA permitting and utility approval timelines create scheduling friction for every installer in this city, us included. What we control is communication through those windows, and it is where we put the effort.
2. Ameco Solar: LA’s oldest solar name
Ameco’s lineage runs to 1974, which makes it one of the oldest solar names in America and, in a year defined by installer bankruptcies, that half-century of survivorship is a signal almost nothing else in this market can match. Operating as Ameco Solar LLC (CSLB #1053172) out of Valley Village, it pairs solar with expert roofing across greater LA and Orange County, holds a 4.7-star SolarReviews rating, and is Tesla Powerwall certified.
The caveat is recent consistency. BBB reviews from the past two years include complaints about project delays and communication gaps after signing. The engineering reputation is earned; the project management currently gets mixed marks. If you bundle roofing, ask for the roof and solar as two line items, and negotiate milestone dates into the contract.
3. OC Solar: the speed and dual-utility pick
Despite the Orange County name, OC Solar (CSLB #1023627, founded 2016) runs a Hollywood office at 1800 N Vine and works LADWP and SCE roofs every week, which means LADBS paperwork and LADWP interconnection are routine rather than a learning experience on your project. It is a Tesla Powerwall Premier and Solar Roof certified installer, one of a dozen companies on Tesla’s national Pro Council, an Owens Corning roofing preferred contractor, and it publishes a 30-day median from signed contract to installation, which is genuinely fast for this county. Google rating runs 4.8 to 4.9 stars across 400+ reviews, and ConsumerAffairs named it a top California installer for 2026.
The honest note: it is a 2016-founded company, so it has not been through a full 25-year equipment lifecycle, and its scale is smaller than the national brands. For homeowners who rank speed, communication, and Tesla ecosystem expertise highest, it is a strong LA pick, and yes, we are ranking a direct competitor here because the list is only useful if it is honest.
4. Cali Energy: the Valley-local pick
Northridge-based Cali Energy (CSLB #1032379, classifications B, C-10, and C-39, so general building, electrical, and roofing under one license) is the kind of installer that makes LA lists worth reading: a genuinely local operation with a strong “price as quoted, done on schedule” review pattern and deep San Fernando Valley install history. The C-39 roofing classification on the same license matters for the Valley’s aging tile and comp roofs, because one contractor owns both the penetrations and the panels.
The tradeoff is footprint. A smaller local firm means fewer total reviews than the big brands and tighter crew scheduling in peak summer. Ask for two or three recent installs in your ZIP code; a good local installer will hand you addresses.
5. LA Solar Group: the volume value play
Van Nuys-based LA Solar Group has installed across LA since 2011, self-performs solar, storage, and EV charger work, and appears among the most active residential storage developers in the state SGIP program data. Its pricing consistently lands below the LA average, which is why it stays on this list.
The concern is service reputation: its SolarReviews average sits near 3 stars, with post-install responsiveness the recurring theme. It earns the slot on price and volume, not on service. Verify its current license status and complaint disclosure at CSLB before signing, get the workmanship warranty in writing, and confirm who your single point of contact is from contract to PTO.
6. SunLux: concierge project management
SunLux runs offices in Corona and LA and built its reputation on communication: dedicated project managers, transparent timelines, and clean Tesla Powerwall installs. Its SolarReviews rating runs around 4.7 stars, among the best of any mid-size Southern California installer.
You pay for the experience, with quotes typically at $3.00 per watt and up, and some reviewers note that post-install support moves slower than the sales and install phases. Confirm which office services your project and how tickets are handled after activation.
7. Semper Solaris: roof and solar in one contract
Veteran-owned Semper Solaris (CSLB #978152) is the roof-first option: as an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor it can warranty a new roof for up to 50 years and sequence re-roof plus array under one contract. In a city where a large share of pre-1980 housing stock needs roof work before panels, that is a real advantage, and Semper was the top developer by allocation in SGIP’s most recent small residential storage step, so its battery volume is proven.
It is a high-volume statewide operation, and review patterns show service response can slow in peak season. Get committed timelines in writing, and if roofing is included, get the roof warranty terms as a separate document.
8. Sunrun: the lease path
Sunrun (CA license #750184) is the largest residential solar company in the country and the last national heavyweight standing after the 2026 shakeout. Its relevance in LA this year is structural: because the Section 48E commercial credit survived while the homeowner credit died, a Sunrun lease or PPA is one of the few ways federal incentive value still reaches an LA roof. Its CalReady program is also the nation’s largest residential virtual power plant.
The tradeoffs are the standard third-party-ownership ones: you do not own the system, escalators can raise payments annually, and the agreement complicates a home sale. Compare the 25-year total cost against a purchase before deciding; our California solar financing guide walks the math.
9. Tesla Energy: cheapest hardware, thinnest service
Tesla (CA license #255021) publishes the lowest per-watt pricing in the LA market and runs paid virtual power plant programs with SCE, and with PG&E further north. If you want a Powerwall 3 ecosystem at the lowest sticker, ordering direct is the budget path.
What you give up is project management. Remote site surveys, stretchy timelines, and ticket-based service. Many LA buyers get a better outcome having a Tesla Certified Installer, several of which are above on this list, install the same equipment with a human attached. On LADWP specifically, confirm the installer has done LADWP interconnections recently; the utility runs its own process and it is not interchangeable with SCE’s.
What solar costs in Los Angeles in 2026
LA cash pricing runs about $2.30 to $2.90 per watt installed in 2026, a touch below the statewide range because the market is dense and competitive. There is no federal tax credit on purchased systems, so these are real out-of-pocket numbers.
Table 2: Real Los Angeles solar prices, August 2026 (cash purchase)
| System size | Solar only | Solar + one 13.5 kWh battery | Typical home profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 kW | $13,800 to $17,400 | $26,800 to $33,900 | Smaller home, $150 to $200 bills |
| 8 kW | $18,400 to $23,200 | $31,400 to $39,700 | Typical 3-bedroom with AC, $250 to $350 bills |
| 10 kW | $23,000 to $29,000 | $36,000 to $45,500 | Larger home, EV, or Valley cooling load, $400+ bills |
Battery pricing reflects a single Tesla Powerwall 3 or FranklinWH aPower 2 at 2026 LA installed rates; see our solar battery cost guide for per-model numbers. No federal credit is included because Section 25D expired December 31, 2025. For statewide context, see how much solar panels cost in California.
What pushes an LA quote up, in rough order of frequency: a main panel upgrade ($2,500 to $5,000, common in pre-1980 housing stock and effectively mandatory for many battery installs), tile roofs and complex hillside geometry, long conduit runs on deep lots, and hillside or design-review neighborhoods where LADBS review adds weeks. A site visit before contract is not optional in this city; a quote priced off satellite imagery alone in Mount Washington or Woodland Hills is a change order waiting to happen.
And the design question that decides value: on SCE, the battery does the heavy lifting, storing midday production for the 58 to 74 cent peak window. On LADWP, retail net metering means the grid is effectively your battery, so storage is about outages and future-proofing, not payback. Insist your proposal states which utility it was modeled for.
How to choose a solar company in Los Angeles
Five checks, in order.
Identify your utility first. Look at your bill before you talk to anyone. LADWP versus SCE changes the right design, the right economics, and even the right installer, since not every company handles LADWP’s own interconnection process well. If an installer does not ask which utility you are on in the first conversation, end the conversation.
Verify the license. Search the exact business name at cslb.ca.gov. Active status, C-46 or C-10 classification, name matches the contract, clean complaint disclosure. Freedom Forever was on CSLB probation for eighteen months before it collapsed; the warning was public the whole time.
Test the quote for dead incentives. Any 2026 cash or loan proposal showing a 30% federal credit is wrong, and any proposal booking an SGIP rebate as guaranteed money is optimistic at best, since every residential SGIP budget is currently closed or waitlisted. LADWP’s own solar rebate program has been dead since 2018; if someone promises you an “LADWP rebate,” ask them to name the program in writing.
Ask who installs. In-house W-2 crews or subcontractors? The dealer model concentrates risk, and LA has more dealer-channel sales activity than anywhere in the state.
Compare three quotes on identical inputs. Same target offset, same equipment tier, same assumptions about your EV or future usage, and always the cash price disclosed even if you plan to finance, because dealer fees hide in financed pricing. Twelve months of kWh from your bill is the input that makes quotes comparable.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best solar company in Los Angeles? NRG Clean Power is our top pick for 2026, on the combination of LA headquarters, a 38-year history, dual-utility experience across LADWP and SCE, and a best price guarantee. OC Solar and Cali Energy are the strongest LA-based alternatives, and Ameco carries the longest lineage in the market. The honest answer depends on your utility, your roof, and whether you are buying or leasing.
How much does solar cost in Los Angeles in 2026? About $2.30 to $2.90 per watt for a cash purchase. A typical 8 kW system runs $18,400 to $23,200, and adding one 13.5 kWh battery brings the project to roughly $31,400 to $39,700. There is no federal tax credit on purchased systems in 2026.
Is solar worth it on LADWP? Yes, and differently than anywhere else in Southern California. LADWP still credits exports at your full retail rate under its net metering rider, so a solar-only system typically pays back in roughly 8 to 12 years, and you can size to 100% of annual usage without penalty. A battery adds outage protection but is not required for the economics.
Do I need a battery with solar in Los Angeles? On SCE, effectively yes: NEM 3.0 pays 5 to 8 cents for exports while evening power costs up to 74 cents, so storing your own solar is where the value sits. On LADWP, no: retail net metering makes the grid your storage, and a battery is a resilience choice.
Are there solar rebates in Los Angeles in 2026? Very few. The federal purchase credit expired December 31, 2025. LADWP’s Solar Incentive Program ran out of funds in 2018. SGIP battery rebates are closed or waitlisted statewide, with LADWP participating only in the income-qualified AB 209 equity pathway. California’s property tax exclusion for solar remains active, so your system does not raise your assessment. Leases and PPAs can still pass through Section 48E federal value.
How long does solar installation take in Los Angeles? Physical installation is one to three days. The full timeline, contract to permission to operate, commonly runs six weeks to a few months depending on the permit office and utility. LADBS handles City of LA permits; hillside and design-review neighborhoods take longer, and LADWP interconnection runs on its own clock separate from SCE’s. Be suspicious of anyone guaranteeing a fast turnaround on steps they do not control.
The bottom line
Los Angeles is still one of the best solar cities in America: strong sun, heavy cooling loads, rising rates, and, for the LADWP half of the city, the most valuable net metering deal left in California. What changed in 2026 is the margin for error. The federal credit is gone, the growth-at-all-costs installers are gone, and the difference between a good outcome and a bad one now comes down to whether your installer designed for your actual utility and will still exist in year ten.
Get three quotes, verify three licenses, and make every proposal name your utility. If you want one of those quotes from the company that has been installing in this city since 1988, get an instant quote in two minutes or book a virtual consultation. You can also compare our statewide rankings in the best solar companies in California guide or browse our Los Angeles service area.