Trade license requirements · 51 jurisdictions
Solar Installer · narrow-license lane (#20/20 by licensing breadth)
Installs photovoltaic systems, solar panels, and related electrical equipment Licensing breadth 49% (#20/20 by licensing breadth) places this trade in the narrow-license lane. Open-data from state boards, NCSL, and NASCLA; verify live status before you hire.
- 25
- States require license
- 49%
- Of all jurisdictions
- 0
- Surety bond mandates
- 26
- No state license
Solar Installer licensing-breadth posture
Solar Installer is in the narrow-license lane (#20/20 by licensing breadth): only 25 of 51 jurisdictions require a statewide license (49%), and 25 of those licensing states also mandate an exam.
- 25
- states require a license
- 25
- of those also mandate an exam
- 0
- also require a surety bond
- #20
- of 20 trades by breadth
Source: state licensing boards · NCSL · NASCLA · snapshot 2026-06-27. Specialty or local credentials may still apply where no statewide license is listed.
Solar Installer · narrow-license lane
According to state licensing boards, NCSL, and NASCLA, Solar Installer requires a state license in 25 of 51 jurisdictions (49%), rank #20 of 20 by licensing breadth; #20/20 by licensing breadth.
According to the same board-sourced directory (snapshot 2026-06-27), solar installer sits in the narrow-license lane. Of the 25 licensing states, 25 also mandate an exam and 0 list a surety-bond requirement. This is a requirements directory, not a live credential check - confirm status on the board roster before you hire.
Among 25 licensing states
NASCLA trade screen folio
Solar Installer board screens in this snapshot
Entity-varying counts from state licensing boards, NCSL, and NASCLA: how many jurisdictions stamp exam, bond, and insurance requirements on this trade.
- 25/51 jurisdictions require a license 49% coverage
- 25 licensing states mandate an exam 100% of licensed rows
- 0 licensing states list a surety bond 0% of licensed rows
- 25 licensing states set a liability floor 100% of licensed rows
- #20 of 20 trades by breadth
Exam-mandate neighbourhood
Among licensing states, how many also mandate an exam; nearest trades by exam count (snapshot 2026-06-27).
Peer placement
Licensing breadth across all 20 tracked trades
Highlighted bar is Solar Installer: share of jurisdictions requiring a state license in this snapshot (#20/20 by licensing breadth).
Same board as the distribution above (state licensing boards · NCSL · NASCLA · 2026-06-27).
States Requiring a Solar Installer License (25)
The Exam, Bond, Insur., and Fee columns below reflect an industry-typical baseline for solar installer licensing, per-state statutory research for this trade is still in progress, so these are not yet confirmed dollar figures for each individual state. Confirm the exact current requirement with the state licensing board (link on each state's page) before relying on a specific number.
| State | License Type | Exam | Bond | Insur. | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| California | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Colorado | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Connecticut | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| District of Columbia | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Florida | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Georgia | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Hawaii | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Maryland | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Massachusetts | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Michigan | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Minnesota | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Nevada | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| New Hampshire | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| New Jersey | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| New Mexico | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| New York | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| North Carolina | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Oregon | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Rhode Island | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| South Carolina | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Tennessee | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Utah | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Virginia | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
| Washington | Solar Contractor License (+ Electrical) | Yes | No | $500K | $150-$400 |
States Without State Solar Installer License (26)
In these states, solar installer contractors do not require a state license. Local permits and municipal registration may still apply.
Breadth peers
Trades whose statewide licensing share sits nearest to Solar Installer's 49% - not a fixed guide strip.
- Pool Contractor 49% · Δ0
- Roofer 54.9% · Δ5.9
- Fire Protection 62.7% · Δ13.7
- Carpenter 70.6% · Δ21.6
- Demolition 70.6% · Δ21.6
Disclaimer: Requirements shown are from state licensing boards, NCSL, and NASCLA data. Always verify current requirements directly with your state's licensing board.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Nationwide trades with similar licensing breadth
Peer sets for Solar Installer lead with jurisdiction licensing share (49% here), then exam-mandate count, distinct from the sidebar ABS(%) peers.
Similar licensing breadth
Nearest nationwide trades by share of jurisdictions requiring a license (49% here).
- Pool Contractor · 49% licensed
- Roofer · 54.9% licensed
- Fire Protection · 62.7% licensed
- Carpenter · 70.6% licensed
Similar exam-mandate stack
Nearest nationwide trades by count of licensing states that also mandate an exam (25 here).
- Pool Contractor · 25 exam states
- General Contractor · 21 exam states
- Fire Protection · 32 exam states
- Elevator Mechanic · 36 exam states
| Publisher | PlainHireCheck |
| Sources | Public state contractor licensing board records |