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Fairfax City, Virginia · Tax exemption

Solar Energy Equipment Tax Exemption (City of Fairfax)

Run by City of Fairfax Real Estate Assessment Office

The City of Fairfax credits the installed cost of solar equipment against your real estate tax every year for 10 years. Installations finished on or after January 1, 2022 qualify.

Open Checked Oct 20, 2026

Amounts

How much you get

The documented installed cost (equipment plus labor) is the exemption value; solar panels and hot water systems count at 100% of cost. It's converted to a tax credit at the year's real estate rate and deducted from the bill every year for 10 years. City example: $20,000 at $1.075 per $100 saves $215 a year.

Eligibility

Do I qualify?

You need to meet all 5 of these.

  • Your home is in Fairfax City, Virginia.

  • Owner of residential or commercial property in the City of Fairfax.

  • Passive solar space heat, active solar water heat, active solar space heat, thermal electricity or photovoltaics.

  • Installations completed before January 1, 2022 are not eligible.

  • Permits under the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and approved inspections before the Code Administration Office certifies the application.

    What to doHave your installer get permits and pass inspection, then send the application to Code Administration.

Applying

How to apply

You apply online. No deadline published; installations must be completed on or after January 1, 2022.

  1. Send the permit applications, certification application and documents to Code Administration.

    By email. Include plans, a narrative with rated capacity, intended performance and estimated energy and cost savings, and cost documentation.

  2. Pass all required inspections.

    Code Administration sends the certified application to the Real Estate Assessment Office.

  3. Receive the Real Estate Assessment Office's letter.

    It explains the credit amount and the years it applies.

What you'll need

  • Certification application

  • Plans

  • specifications and drawings

  • Narrative description

  • Cost documentation

  • Permit applications

Questions about applying703-385-7840

Your address

Next steps

Check that it covers your address. Then, if you want, ask for a contractor quote.

FAQ

Questions

How much does Solar Energy Equipment Tax Exemption (City of Fairfax) pay?

The documented installed cost (equipment plus labor) is the exemption value; solar panels and hot water systems count at 100% of cost. It's converted to a tax credit at the year's real estate rate and deducted from the bill every year for 10 years. City example: $20,000 at $1.075 per $100 saves $215 a year.

Do renters qualify?

Owner of residential or commercial property in the City of Fairfax.

Do I need approval before I buy?

Permits under the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and approved inspections before the Code Administration Office certifies the application. Have your installer get permits and pass inspection, then send the application to Code Administration.

What’s the deadline?

No fixed deadline. Apply any time while it’s open.

Is it still available?

Yes. It was open when we last checked, on October 20, 2026.

References

Sources

This page is built from these official pages, run by the program itself.

  1. Solar Energy Equipment Tax Exemption (City of Fairfax)fairfaxva.gov · Read Oct 20, 2026 · Re-checked weekly

When one of these pages changes, we re-check this page against it.

Report a problem with this page

Nearby

More in Virginia

  • All of Virginia

    Exemption for solar facilities of 25 kW or less (Va. Code § 58.1-3661 A)

    Amount varies

    Statewide, a home or farm solar system of 25 kW DC or less, installed as Virginia's solar zoning law allows on residential or agricultural property, is wholly exempt from state and local taxes, including property tax on the equipment.

    Checked Oct 20, 2026

  • Arlington County, Virginia

    Arlington County Solar Exemption Tax Credit Program

    Amount varies

    Arlington County credits the assessed value of certified solar equipment against your real estate tax bill every year for five years, starting January 1 after approval.

    Checked Oct 21, 2026

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    ElecTel Energy Efficient Loan (Mecklenburg and Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperatives)

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