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What does "free solar" really mean in Illinois?
Nobody hands out panels. When a salesperson says "free," they almost always mean "no money down." A company owns the panels, or a lender pays for them. You pay over time.
The state set a test for the word. The Illinois Power Agency's consumer protection handbook has been in force since June 1, 2026. It says approved solar companies may not call an offer "free," "no cost" or "$0" unless you are guaranteed to owe nothing. That means no lease payments, no power purchase payments, no subscription fees, no early-end fees and no tax bill. A company also may not dodge the rule by charging "unrelated" fees. A "free consultation" is fine. Free panels are not.
The same handbook lists "The ILSFA program gives out free solar panels" as a statement companies may not make. The Federal Trade Commission has a guide on the word "free." It asks the same of every seller: state each condition clearly at the start of the offer.
| Offer | What you pay | Who owns the panels | Is it free? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lease | A fixed monthly rent, often for 15 to 25 years. CUB says many leases let the company raise the price about 2.9% a year | The company | No |
| Power purchase agreement (PPA) | A set price for each kWh the panels make, which can also rise | The company | No |
| $0-down loan | The whole price plus interest, sometimes plus a dealer fee | You | No |
| Illinois Solar for All | No upfront cost. Any monthly payment is capped at half the value of the power | By contract | Closest, but not free panels |
| Community solar | A subscription fee for a share of a shared project. No panels on your roof | The project owner | No panels at all |
For the 25-year cost of each way to pay, see our lease or buy guide. A loan with a hidden markup is covered in solar loan dealer fees.
Is this "free" offer really free?
Type the numbers from the offer. The tool adds up everything you would pay and sets it beside the value of the power the panels make. The starting numbers are an example.
Type the numbers from the offer. The starting numbers are an example, not a quote.
This check could not start. Add up the monthly payments over the whole contract. If the total is more than $0, the offer is not free.
This is an estimate for comparing offers, not a quote. It trusts the numbers you type, so use the ones in the contract.
At 800 kWh a month, 10 cents a kWh, and 0.5% less output each year. Bars start at zero. Your numbers will differ.
Before you sign anything, ask for these five things in writing:
- 1The total.
Ask for the sum of every payment over the whole term, with the yearly increase written out.
- 2The Disclosure Form.
Companies in the state programs must give you a standard form that lists all costs, fees, the system design and the warranties. You must be able to read it before you sign.
- 3Proof the company is approved.
Look it up with our Approved Vendor check.
- 4The end of the contract.
Ask what happens when the term ends: removal, a buyout price, or renewal.
- 5What happens if you sell.
A lease or PPA must be taken over by the buyer or paid off. See selling a house with solar.
Who qualifies for Illinois Solar for All?
Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) is the state's income-qualified solar program. The test is gross household income at or below 80% of the area median income. That depends on your county and on how many people live in the home. The program posts new income lines each June.
| Where you live | 1 person | 2 people | 3 people | 4 people | 5 people | 6 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties | $68,050 | $77,800 | $87,500 | $97,200 | $105,000 | $112,800 |
| Kendall County | $74,800 | $85,450 | $96,150 | $106,800 | $115,350 | $123,900 |
| Grundy County | $65,050 | $74,350 | $83,650 | $92,900 | $100,350 | $107,800 |
| DeKalb County | $62,300 | $71,200 | $80,100 | $88,950 | $96,100 | $103,200 |
These come from the program's current income chart. Use the official lookup for your own county and for homes of 7 or more people, because the chart changes every year.
Income is only the first test. The home and roof must also fit:
- Single-family homeowners qualify on their own income. A landlord can apply if the tenants are income-eligible.
- Buildings with 2 to 4 units need at least two units lived in by income-eligible households.
- Buildings with 5 or more units need at least half the units lived in by income-eligible households.
- The roof matters. CUB says a rooftop home needs a roof in good shape, at least 15 years from replacement. It also needs a structure that can carry the panels, a modern electrical panel and little shade.
- Municipal and co-op customers may not be eligible, because some have limits on third-party owned solar. Ask your utility first.
- Renters cannot put panels on a landlord's roof, but Solar for All also has a community solar side with no panels.
Before a company starts the income check, it must get your consent. It may not decide that you qualify just because you live in an environmental justice community.
What does Solar for All promise you?
Solar for All is not a gift, but the rules around it are strong. These come from the state's handbook and the program's own pages.
- No upfront cost for homes with 1 to 4 units. Payments, if any, cannot start until the system is running.
- A cap on payments. Costs and fees may be no more than half the value of the power the system makes.
- A written warranty of at least 15 years at no extra cost, with parts and labor, and no more than 15% loss of output in the first 15 years.
- Routine maintenance at no cost for 15 years, the program says.
- A lease or PPA must let you choose at the end: removal at no cost, buying, or renewing.
- Loans cannot be secured by your home. If you fall behind with good cause, the lender must offer a pause or a lower rate.
- 14 business days to cancel after you sign.
- You do not keep the renewable energy credits. The state's payment goes to the company, not to you.
- Companies may not promise that you will "save 50%." The savings rule is not a 50% bill cut.
- If the contract is a lease or PPA, the company still owns the panels.
- Check your incomeUse the official lookup with your county and household size.
- Pick an approved companyOnly approved vendors can take part, and the program lists them.
- Read the Disclosure FormIt lists every cost, fee and warranty. You can review it before you sign.
- Sign, then waitYou have 14 business days to cancel.
- InstallPayments cannot begin until the system is making power.
The program has a fixed yearly budget. CUB says the 2021 climate law raised it from $10 million to $50 million a year. That is why project types fill up. A company must tell you when only a waitlist is open, and it may not say a payment is available right away.
What can you do if you earn too much?
Most Illinois homeowners are above the line. Here is what is left, with no sales pitch.
Cook County's Sun and Save program paid the full cost of panels for owner-occupied homes. It was for incomes above 80% and up to 120% of area median income. Its site says it closed in August 2026. Check with the county before you rely on a similar offer.
Solar is also a poor fit for some homes, whatever the price. A shaded roof, a roof that needs replacing within about 10 to 15 years, or a home you rent can all make the math fail. The 60-second house checker shows which of these apply to you. If you own a home with a sound roof and earn above the line, a roof check can show what solar would really do there. It will tell you plainly if it would not be worth it.
Is the federal Solar for All the same program?
No. Illinois Solar for All is a state program run by the Illinois Power Agency. The federal Solar for All was a $7 billion grant contest run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In April 2024 the EPA awarded Illinois $156 million of it, through the Illinois Finance Authority, to expand the state's solar programs.
The EPA later ended that grant program. On September 18 and September 22, 2026, two federal courts ruled that the end was unlawful and set it aside. Neither court ordered the money paid out. The EPA was still weighing its next step in mid-October (Columbia Law School's Climate Law Blog, October 12, 2026).
So if an ad says a federal Solar for All grant will pay for your panels, ask for the award in writing. The federal award went to the state, to expand its programs, not to pay homeowners directly. The state program keeps running under its own rules.
How do you spot a bad "free" offer?
A bad offer rarely says so. It leans on a few moves, and the state's rules ban several of them.
- It gives you a copy of the Disclosure Form and the contract to read at home.
- It shows an Approved Vendor ID you can look up.
- It says in plain words what you will pay, for how long, and what happens at the end.
- It calls itself a government, state or utility program. The handbook bars companies from describing the program as a "tax credit" or a "rebate." CUB says many door-to-door sellers are not in the solar business at all.
- It pushes you to sign today, gives you nothing to read later, or asks for cash. The FTC lists each of these as a sign to walk away.
- The numbers in the pitch do not match the Disclosure Form or the contract. The handbook says they must match.
- It promises "no more electric bill." You stay a utility customer. The handbook rejects "eliminate your electric bill" and "no more utility bills."
- It promises a set saving with no written guarantee. A company may not claim guaranteed savings unless the contract says so.
- It knocks at odd hours. Approved companies must follow local door-knocking hours, and where there is no local rule they may not knock before 9 a.m. or after 7 p.m.
| Contract | Time to cancel | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois Shines purchase, lease or PPA, system 25 kW or smaller | At least 3 calendar days after you sign | State handbook, contract rules |
| Illinois Solar for All, home solar | 14 business days after you sign | State handbook, contract rules |
| Any sale made at your home for $25 or more | Until midnight of the third business day, and the seller must tell you on paper and out loud | FTC Cooling-Off Rule, 16 CFR 429 |
For a full quote check, use our solar quote checklist.
Who do you call if you already signed?
Start with the company, in writing. If that fails, these places take complaints:
- Illinois Shines Consumer Complaint Center: (877) 708-3456, for any company approved for the state programs.
- Illinois Solar for All: (888) 970-4732, for Solar for All offers.
- Illinois Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division: Chicago (800) 386-5438, Springfield (800) 243-0618, Carbondale (800) 243-0607. This is the place for deceptive or fraudulent sales.
- Citizens Utility Board: (800) 669-5556, free help for utility customers.
The state also runs a Solar Restitution Program for customers harmed by an approved company. In its first phase it covers customers who were promised a direct payment from the state's clean-power credits (called RECs) and never got it. The cap is $30,000 for a system of 25 kW or smaller. The program plans to add more kinds of harm in later phases. If your installer has closed, see what to do when a solar company goes bankrupt.
Questions, answered
How do I get solar panels for free?
You can't get them truly free. The closest route is Illinois Solar for All, for households at or below 80% of area median income, with no upfront cost and payments capped at half the value of the power. Everyone else is offered a lease, a power purchase agreement or a loan.
Is it really free to get solar panels?
Not by the state's own test. A company may call an offer free only if you are guaranteed to owe nothing, including monthly payments, fees and taxes. A $0-down offer almost always has payments later.
Will the state of Illinois pay for solar panels?
Not by writing you a check. The state pays its incentives to approved solar companies, and for Solar for All it requires savings for the household. The handbook says the program does not pay incentives to households.
Is there a government program for free solar panels in Illinois?
No program gives out free panels. Illinois Solar for All is the state's income-qualified program. The federal Solar for All grant program was a separate pot of money. It went to the state to expand its programs.
What are the Illinois solar incentives for 2026?
The state pays for the clean power through Illinois Shines, ComEd and Ameren offer rebates and bill credits, and Illinois has no state solar tax credit. The 30% federal credit for buyers ended December 31, 2025. See our Illinois solar incentives guide.
Is there free solar for low-income households or seniors?
Low-income households can use Illinois Solar for All. The rules we read use income, home type and roof, not age. Seniors who earn above the line have the same options as everyone else.
Does ComEd give out free solar panels?
No. ComEd's solar programs pay credits and a rebate on a system you or a company installs. See our ComEd solar guide for what it pays.
Are there free solar panels in Chicago?
Chicago uses the same state programs as the rest of Illinois. Cook County's Sun and Save program closed in August 2026. Check the income table above for Cook County.
Why are people getting rid of their solar panels?
We found no Illinois count. The causes we can document are a roof that needs replacing, a home sale with a lease the buyer will not take, and an installer that closed. See roof requirements, selling with solar and solar company bankruptcies.
How much would solar panels cost for a 2000 square foot home?
Square feet do not set the size. Your electric use does. Run your numbers in our panel count calculator, then see typical prices in the cost guide.
What do you want to do next?
Over the income line? Check what your roof would really do.
It is the one part that can honestly be free: a check of your roof, with real numbers instead of a "free" pitch. If solar is not a fit, it says so.
Free eligibility check · ComEd & Ameren · No obligationThe Day Company is an independent solar, battery and electricity information resource. Information you submit may be used by our review team and authorized partners to contact you about your request. Checking eligibility creates no obligation.
Sources and updates
Sources (16)
- Illinois Power Agency, Consumer Protection Handbook for Illinois Shines and Illinois Solar for All, Appendix H-2 (published April 2026, in force June 1, 2026): The rule on the words "free," "no cost" and "$0," the statement that the program gives out no free panels, savings claims, cancel windows, the Solar for All warranty, end-of-lease options, loan rules, door-to-door hours and the Solar Restitution Program caps. Read October 25, 2026.
- Illinois Solar for All, Income-Eligibility Lookup Tool: The 80% of area median income test and the link to the 2026-2027 chart. Read October 25, 2026.
- Illinois Solar for All, 2026-2027 Income Eligibility Thresholds (effective June 1, 2026): The county income lines in the table. Read October 25, 2026.
- Illinois Solar for All, Residential Solar: Who can apply, no upfront cost for 1 to 4 units, 14-day cancel wording, 15 years of routine maintenance, and the 2025 capacity note. Read October 25, 2026.
- Illinois Solar for All, Consumer protections: The payment caps, Disclosure Form and loan limits. Read October 25, 2026.
- Ameren Illinois, Solar for All: The 50% cap on costs and fees, building rules and the example bill. Read October 25, 2026.
- Citizens Utility Board, Free solar panels? Breaking down solar offers for Illinois consumers (October 15, 2025): How leases and PPAs work, the 15 to 25 year terms, the 2.9% yearly increase and the end of the buyer credit. Read October 25, 2026.
- Citizens Utility Board, CUB's Guide to Illinois Solar for All: Roof readiness, municipal and co-op caution, the program's budget and the Attorney General phone numbers. Read October 25, 2026.
- Citizens Utility Board, Solar tips if a sales rep knocks on your door (August 29, 2024): "Free" pitches, door-to-door sellers outside solar, and the Illinois Shines complaint line. Read October 25, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission, Solar Power for Your Home: Leases, PPAs, loans, and the signs of a pressure sale. Read October 25, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission, Guide Concerning Use of the Word "Free," 16 CFR 251.1: The rule to set out every condition clearly at the start. Read October 25, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission, Cooling-Off Rule, 16 CFR 429.0 and 429.1: The three-business-day right to cancel and the notice the seller must give. Read October 25, 2026.
- Cook County Sun and Save (SEDAC and the University of Illinois), Sun and Save: The 80% to 120% income band and the August 2026 closing notice. Read October 25, 2026.
- Illinois Power Agency, U.S. EPA awards $156 million (April 25, 2024): The federal award to Illinois and what it was for. Read October 25, 2026.
- Columbia Law School Climate Law Blog, Two courts, one conclusion: EPA unlawfully terminated Solar for All (October 12, 2026): The September 18 and 22, 2026 rulings and what they did not order. Read October 25, 2026.
- Illinois Shines, Illinois Shines: The state program, its vendor lookup and its consumer protection hub. Read October 25, 2026.
Changelog · last updated October 25, 2026 · 1 update
- October 25, 2026: Guide published.
How to cite this page: The Day Company, "Are there really free solar panels in Illinois?", updated October 25, 2026, https://theday.company/answers/free-solar-panels-illinois.
We are not Illinois Solar for All, the Illinois Power Agency, the Federal Trade Commission or any government program, and none of them reviews this page. Program rules, funding and income lines change, so check the official page before you decide. This page is information, not legal or financial advice.