Solar in Missouri: is it worth it in 2026?
Missouri is a slow-payback state: solar works, but it takes well over a decade to earn back what you paid. Three things decide that: electricity prices rank 39th of 51, its sun ranks 15th, and exported power earns retail credit within each month, with leftovers paid less. Of the 51 states and DC, Missouri has the 31st-fastest payback for a typical home.
The average home here pays about $138 a month for 1,037 kWh. An 8 kW system sized for that home would knock about $1,387 off the first year's bills, 84% of the total.
Checked November 12, 2026
What makes solar pay off in Missouri
- Size the system to cover your yearly use. With monthly netting, power you export is worth nearly as much as power you use, so aim for little leftover each month.
- Cheap power stretches payback. At 13.3¢ per kWh, the price you pay matters more than anything. At $3.34 per watt, the high end of what companies quote, payback for a typical system here stretches to 18 years.
Payback by system size
An average Missouri home uses about 12,444 kWh a year. Here's how systems sized to cover part or all of that work out, bought with cash at $2.57 per watt:
| Covers | Size | Price | Makes a year | Payback | 25-year savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52% | 4.5 kW | $11,565 | 6,449 kWh | 16 years | $10,769 |
| 75% | 6.5 kW | $16,705 | 9,315 kWh | 15 years | $16,722 |
| 98% | 8.5 kW | $21,845 | 12,181 kWh | 15 years | $22,675 |
| 127% | 11 kW | $28,270 | 15,763 kWh | 16 years | $23,178 |
The 6.5 kW system pays back fastest, but the 11 kW system saves the most over 25 years. Assumes exported power earns about 85% of the retail rate, prices rise 2.5% a year and one inverter replacement.
How Missouri credits power you send to the grid
Monthly netting
Net metering with monthly netting; excess power is credited at the utility's avoided-cost rate.
We haven't found a single published export rate for Missouri, so the calculators assume about 85% of the retail rate. Ask your utility for its rate and enter it.
By utility
- Ameren Missouri: Monthly net metering: exports offset usage within the month, and excess is credited at Ameren's avoided-cost rate, well below retail.
Before you sign in Missouri
Check the license. Missouri has no statewide contractor license; cities and counties license contractors and electricians.
Missouri has no solar-specific sales law that we know of, so its general consumer protection law applies.
In every state, the FTC Cooling-Off Rule lets you cancel a contract signed at your home until midnight of the third business day.
How to choose a solar company · Contract checklist · Before you sign
Missouri compared with its neighbors
| State | Electricity | kWh per kW | Typical payback | Exported power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 13.3¢ | 1,433 | 15 years | Monthly netting |
| Iowa | 13.6¢ | 1,367 | 14 years | Full credit (net metering) |
| Illinois | 17.7¢ | 1,308 | 16 years | Reduced credit (net billing) |
| Kentucky | 13.1¢ | 1,343 | 20 years | Reduced credit (net billing) |
| Tennessee | 13.2¢ | 1,338 | 24 years | No statewide rule |
| Arkansas | 12.9¢ | 1,373 | 22 years | Reduced credit (net billing) |
| Oklahoma | 13.2¢ | 1,542 | 14 years | Monthly netting |
| Kansas | 14.4¢ | 1,526 | 14 years | Monthly netting |
| Nebraska | 12.1¢ | 1,423 | 17 years | Monthly netting |
Questions about solar in Missouri
How long does solar take to pay for itself in Missouri?
About 15 years for a typical 8 kW system bought with cash at the 2026 median price of $2.57 per watt, with no federal tax credit and one inverter replacement. A bigger or smaller system, a different price, or your own usage will change that; the table above shows other sizes.
Does Missouri have net metering?
Partly. Net metering with monthly netting; excess power is credited at the utility's avoided-cost rate.
Is there a solar tax credit in Missouri in 2026?
Not from the federal government for buyers: the 30% homeowner credit ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. For a typical 8 kW system in Missouri, that credit was worth about $6,168 and brought payback down to 10 years, instead of 15 years now. Leasing companies can still claim a business credit, so ask for a lease or PPA price too. Your state energy office lists any state rebates.
Is a solar battery worth it in Missouri?
On bill savings alone, not quite: a 13.5 kWh battery at about $15,650 would move about 3,548 kWh of solar power a year from the grid to your evenings in a typical Missouri home, adding about $406 of savings over 15 years. That doesn't cover its price, so the system's payback goes from 15 years to 23 years; the rest is paying for backup during outages. Time-of-use rates, battery rebates and utility payments for sharing your battery can tip it; try your numbers in the payback calculator.
Is plug-in solar legal in Missouri?
There's no plug-in solar law yet in Missouri, so your utility may treat a kit like any rooftop system.
How do I check a solar company's license in Missouri?
Missouri has no statewide contractor license; cities and counties license contractors and electricians.
More guides: What changed for solar in 2026 · Lease or buy? · Plug-in solar · Is my solar system working?
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), final 2025 data: Annual State Historical Spreadsheets (Form EIA-861, released October 7, 2026) and Electric Power Annual (October 21, 2026); NREL PVWatts (National Solar Radiation Database), statewide averages; Solar Energy Nerds: net metering by state, 2026; EnergySage: median quoted price, first half of 2026.