Short answer: Net metering rules are changing state by state and, in some states, utility by utility. Check your utility’s current tariff before using any national payback estimate.
What net metering is
The U.S. Energy Information Administration defines net metering as utility tariffs or billing programs that let certain customers reduce the volume of billed electricity from the grid, taking into account electricity they sold back during times when self-generation exceeded consumption.
Many states are replacing the original design with a successor program (often called net billing) that credits exports at a different, usually lower, rate. The details differ, so the terms in your own tariff matter more than the label.
What is changing in 2026
The NC Clean Energy Technology Center tracks state solar policy. Its quarterly reports show how much is in motion:
| Report | Actions cataloged | States with at least one action | Net-metering-related |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2026 (released Apr. 15, 2026) | 253 | 44, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico | 61 net metering actions |
| Q2 2026 (published July 2026) | 284 | 45, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico | 53 “DG compensation rules” actions in 24 states and Puerto Rico |
The two quarters use different categories, so the net-metering counts are not directly comparable. Examples named in the reports:
- Virginia: regulators partly approved Dominion Energy’s move to a net billing program.
- Maryland: H.B. 1532 requires a successor to the existing net metering program with a lower compensation rate.
- Connecticut: legislators ordered regulators to set up successor programs for net metering and community solar.
- California: an appellate court upheld Net Metering 3.0 (Q1 2026 report).
How to check yours
Your utility’s tariff sheet is the authoritative source, since rules can change mid-year after a commission ruling. Search “[your utility name] net metering tariff” and look for a document dated this year. Our export credit rates by utility page covers a number of utilities, and the Ohio and Colorado Springs articles show how a single change plays out.
Why the export rate matters
Annual bill savings from solar can be written as:
savings = (kWh used on site × retail rate) + (kWh exported × export credit rate)
An illustration with made-up round numbers, not any state’s actual rates: a home that exports 4,000 kWh a year, with a 20¢ retail rate. At a 20¢ export credit the exports are worth $800. At a 10¢ credit they are worth $400. The $400 a year gap comes entirely from the export rate. Confirm your own numbers before you compare quotes, and see solar payback without the federal tax credit for how the rest of the math fits.
Limits
State and utility rules change often. This page does not list every state’s current rule, and the policy counts above come from one tracker’s categories. See rates by state for our state pages.
