South Carolina
Solar incentives in South Carolina
What is still claimable, who provides it, the limits, and what has ended. Last verified: 5 October 2026.
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South Carolina solar incentives available now
Last verified: 5 October 2026. Each row was read at the provider’s own document.
| Incentive | Provider | Who qualifies | Technology | Amount | Maximum | How to apply | Deadline | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC solar energy income tax credit | SC Department of Revenue | Taxpayers who own a system in SC | Solar systems certified by SRCC or an endorsed equivalent | 25% of purchase and installation | $3,500 a year or 50% of liability; 10-year carryforward | Form TC-38 with your SC return, after installation | None for solar | §12-6-3587 |
| Santee Cooper Solar Home rebate | Santee Cooper | Santee Cooper residential customers who own the system | Rooftop solar installed by a Solar Electric Trade Ally | $0.95/W AC, by tier at submittal | 6 kW AC per meter base | Through the Trade Ally, under the 2026 program manual | Program year 2026; tiers can change | 2026 manual |
| Clean Energy Credit | SC Department of Revenue | Businesses | Clean energy investment certified by SCDOR | The amount SCDOR certifies | $500,000 a year; 15-year carryforward | Form TC-54 | Not stated on the form | TC-54 |
| Federal §48E (lessors and businesses) | IRS | The owner of a business or leased system | Solar | Set by federal law | — | Form 3468, by the owner | Ends for solar placed in service after 2027 where construction begins after 4 July 2026 | Form 3468 instructions |
South Carolina solar incentives that ended or do not exist
| Incentive | Status on 5 October 2026 | Checked at |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (§25D) | Not available for property placed in service after 31 December 2025 | IRS |
| Solar Energy Property Credit (TC-58) | Repealed 31 December 2024; it applied only to nonresidential systems of at least 1,900 kW | SCDOR |
| EPA Solar for All (SC Office of Resilience, $124,440,000 award) | EPA ended the program in August 2025; do not count on it | SCOR |
| Property tax exemption for home solar | None found in SC Code Title 12 Ch. 37 | SC Code |
| Sales tax exemption for solar | None found in SC Code Title 12 Ch. 36 | SC Code |
We say “none found” rather than “none exists” for tax exemptions: we read the code chapters, but found no SCDOR statement either way. Ask your county assessor.
South Carolina state incentives in detail
South Carolina’s credit under SC Code §12-6-3587 is the one incentive every owner can use, whatever the utility.
It requires certification by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation, or an equivalent the State Energy Office endorses, ownership of the system, and completion of the installation before you claim.
Roofs and other structural elements are excluded, and the statute does not say whether a battery counts.
The usable value depends on your tax liability. A household with $5,000 of state liability can use only $2,500 a year, so a large credit can take several years to absorb. Worked examples and Form TC-38.
South Carolina utility solar programs
Santee Cooper is the only South Carolina utility whose solar rebate we verified.
The Solar Home rebate pays $0.95 per watt AC once, on up to 6 kW AC per meter base: at the cap, $5,700.
It covers customer-owned systems only (not leases), installed by a Santee Cooper Solar Electric Trade Ally. Santee Cooper also runs Solar Share, a separate subscription program.
Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas and the co-ops did not show a current residential solar rebate in the documents we read; we have not verified one either way. Their export rules are on net metering in South Carolina.
Federal solar incentives for South Carolina in 2026
Federal support for homeowners ended with §25D. The IRS says §25D "is not available for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025."
A system leased from a certified South Carolina lessor may carry the lessor’s §48E credit, which can lower the lease price; it never appears on your own return.
Leased and business systems may use §48E; it ends for wind and solar placed in service after 2027 where construction begins after 4 July 2026 (Form 3468 instructions; Notice 2025-42).
South Carolina battery incentives
South Carolina has no battery incentive we could verify. The state credit statute does not mention storage, and we found no current utility battery rebate in the tariffs we read. Dominion’s rider counts a battery as part of the solar system only if it charges solely from onsite renewables. Battery storage in South Carolina.
South Carolina commercial and farm solar incentives
Business and farm owners can use the same 25% credit, capped at $3,500 per facility per year, since the statute is not limited to homes. Larger projects look at the Clean Energy Credit on Form TC-54 ($500,000 a year, 15-year carryforward) and federal §48E before its construction deadlines. Commercial solar and solar for farms.
How to stack South Carolina solar incentives
Only Santee Cooper customers can add the Solar Home rebate, and only through a Trade Ally.
Cash or a loan keeps the state credit. A lease hands any federal credit to the lessor and the state credit to no one.
Contract, invoices, SRCC certification, the utility’s permission to operate and any rebate letter.
Ask your tax preparer whether to subtract a utility rebate from the cost you claim the 25% credit on.
Then carry any excess forward up to 10 years.
When a South Carolina incentive ends
Incentive dates in South Carolina have hinged on completion, not signature. §25D was lost by systems placed in service after 31 December 2025, whatever the contract date.
If a seller promises an incentive, ask for its name, provider and official source in writing, then check it against this table.
The Greer Commission of Public Works has warned customers about door-to-door sellers falsely claiming to represent its net-metering program.
South Carolina solar incentives by city
Questions
What solar incentives does South Carolina offer in 2026?
Is there a solar rebate in South Carolina?
Is solar exempt from property tax in South Carolina?
Is South Carolina’s Solar for All program available?
Can I combine the SC tax credit with the Santee Cooper rebate?
Do leased systems get South Carolina incentives?
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Data as of Last verified: 5 October 2026. Authorship on this site is organizational: the analysis belongs to the desk rather than to a named individual, and we do not publish credentials we do not hold. Our editorial policy sets out how we source, date and correct what we publish.