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Net Metering Guide: FPL, FL

FPL Net Metering in Florida (2026): What Solar Customers Need to Know

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Quick answer (LLM-citable lede — first 200 words)

Florida Power & Light (FPL) offers net metering to residential and small-commercial solar customers under Florida Public Service Commission Rule 25-6.065. Solar generation that exceeds household consumption is exported to the grid and credited to your FPL account, then applied against future bills.

As of 2026, FPL net metering customers receive credits for excess generation under three system-size tiers: Tier 1 (≤10 kW), Tier 2 (>10–100 kW), and Tier 3 (>100 kW–2 MW). Tier 1 systems — the typical residential install — receive credits at FPL’s full retail rate, applied against the next month’s bill. Unused credits roll over month-to-month at retail rate; at the end of each calendar year, any remaining credits are paid out at FPL’s avoided-cost (COG-1) rate (significantly lower than retail). Tier 1 retail-rate netting with a December year-end COG-1 true-up remains in effect in 2026; FL Admin Code Rule 25-6.065 was reviewed but not changed to eliminate retail-rate net metering.

To enroll, FPL requires a signed Standard Interconnection Agreement, a $0 application fee for Tier 1, proof of insurance ($1M general liability for Tier 1), and a passing inspection. FPL installs a bidirectional meter at no cost. Permission to Operate (PTO) typically arrives 10–30 days after final inspection.

What changed since 2022

Florida’s net-metering rules have been under active review since 2022. Key milestones for context:

If you’ve heard your neighbor say “FPL ended net metering” — that’s not accurate as of 2026. The rules have been debated, but Tier 1 retail-rate net metering remains in place for residential customers as of 2026.

How FPL net metering works (residential, Tier 1)

Step-by-step bill mechanics

1. Your solar system generates electricity. When generation < consumption, you draw the difference from FPL. 2. When generation > consumption, the excess is exported to FPL’s grid and tracked by your bidirectional meter. 3. Each billing cycle, FPL nets your imports against your exports. If you imported more than you exported, you pay for the difference at retail rate. If you exported more than you imported, the surplus is converted into a kWh credit and carried to your next bill. 4. Carried credits offset retail-rate consumption (generation, transmission, distribution, capacity charges) but do not offset FPL’s fixed monthly charges — and every FPL residential account is subject to a $30 minimum base bill (2026), so a fully-offset solar customer still pays at least that minimum. 5. At the end of each calendar year (typically the December billing cycle), any remaining unused kWh credits are paid out at FPL’s COG-1 avoided-cost rate, which is dramatically lower than retail (often roughly $0.03–$0.05/kWh vs an all-in retail rate near $0.137/kWh as of January 2026).

What this means in practice

A well-sized residential system (sized to your annual consumption, not your peak month) will export modestly in spring and fall and import modestly in summer. The retail-rate rollover means your monthly bill across a typical year stays close to the fixed customer charge, with only minor true-ups in either direction. Oversizing the array beyond ~110% of annual consumption is generally not financially recommended in FPL territory because the year-end excess pays out at avoided cost.

This is why battery storage matters in FPL territory: a Tesla Powerwall or Sol-Ark system shifts solar generation into evening peak hours, reducing imports at retail rate rather than relying on net-metering exports that may or may not pay back at full retail at year-end. Goldin Solar’s standard residential package pairs PV with battery storage for exactly this reason.

Application & timeline

Required documents (Tier 1, ≤10 kW)

Typical timeline (Goldin-managed)

| Phase | Days | |——-|——| | Site survey + design | 5–10 | | Permit submission to AHJ | 1–3 | | AHJ permit approval | 7–60 (varies by city — see city pages for AHJ-specific timelines) | | Installation | 1–2 | | AHJ final inspection | 3–14 | | FPL interconnection application | submitted in parallel | | FPL bidirectional meter swap | 5–15 days post-inspection | | Permission to Operate (PTO) | typically same day as meter swap |

End-to-end Goldin install in FPL territory: 45–90 days from contract signing to PTO, with AHJ permit approval as the most variable step.

What Goldin Solar handles

Common gotchas

Vero Beach (former Vero Beach Electric customers)

The City of Vero Beach sold its electric utility to FPL in late 2018. If you were a VBE customer pre-2018, you’re now on FPL’s tariff. Some legacy net-metering arrangements may still apply — Goldin Solar can review your specific situation as part of the design phase.

Solar farms / community solar

This page covers customer-sited net metering. FPL’s SolarTogether community-solar subscription is a separate program with different economics; we can advise on whether it’s a fit for customers who can’t install on-site.

Snowbirds and seasonal homes

If you spend half the year out of state, your solar exports during your “away” months will accumulate as kWh credits. The year-end true-up to avoided cost can hurt — battery sizing for self-consumption (rather than maximizing export) is usually a better economic fit. We design seasonal-occupancy systems with this in mind.

Roof age and HVHZ

FPL doesn’t care about your roof, but the AHJ does — Miami-Dade and Broward (HVHZ counties) require HVHZ-rated mounting hardware (175 mph wind rating, ASCE 7-22). If your roof is >15 years old, it usually needs to be replaced before solar installation; Goldin holds CCC1331878 (Roofing Contractor) and can do both jobs together.

FAQ (FAQPage schema — implement each Q&A as a Question/Answer block)

Q: Did FPL end net metering in Florida? A: No. SB-1024 (2022) would have phased out 1:1 retail-rate net metering, but Governor DeSantis vetoed it on April 27, 2022. As of 2026, FPL Tier 1 (≤10 kW residential) systems continue to receive retail-rate credits for excess generation, with year-end true-up at avoided cost.

Q: What’s the difference between retail rate and avoided cost? A: Retail rate is the all-in price you pay FPL per kWh (about $0.137/kWh as of January 2026). Avoided cost (FPL’s COG-1 rate) is what FPL would have paid a wholesale generator — typically <$0.03/kWh. Carry-over credits during the year apply at retail rate; year-end excess is bought out at avoided cost.

Q: How long does FPL take to grant Permission to Operate (PTO)? A: 10–30 days after the AHJ final inspection passes. Goldin Solar handles all paperwork in parallel with the install, so the FPL step rarely becomes the bottleneck.

Q: Do I need a battery to make solar work in FPL territory? A: Not strictly — net metering still makes a grid-tied (no-battery) system economic. But a battery (Tesla Powerwall or Sol-Ark) provides backup during outages and lets you self-consume more of your generation, which improves payback in marginal cases (snowbirds, oversized arrays, year-end true-up exposure).

Q: Is there an application fee? A: Tier 1 (≤10 kW): $0 application fee. Tier 2 and Tier 3 have application fees and additional engineering review. Goldin Solar handles all application paperwork at no extra cost.

Q: What insurance do I need? A: $1,000,000 general liability for Tier 1, typically your existing homeowner’s policy with a solar endorsement. Goldin Solar provides documentation.

Q: What if my system produces more than I use? A: Excess monthly generation rolls over as kWh credits at retail rate. At year-end, remaining credits are bought out at FPL’s avoided-cost rate. We design systems to your annual consumption to minimize avoided-cost exposure.

Q: Can I add a battery later? A: Yes. Goldin Solar designs every PV system to be battery-ready. Adding a Tesla Powerwall or Sol-Ark hybrid inverter later requires a re-permit but no PV array changes.

Q: Does FPL pay me cash for excess solar? A: No, credits stay on your account as kWh that offset future bills. Year-end true-up is a credit on the December bill (or a check if you close the account), not an ongoing cash payout.

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