New Mexico · Tax exemption

NM Solar Property Tax Exemption

Removes a tax burden residential solar owners in New Mexico would otherwise carry -- see what it covers, eligibility, and payback impact below.

Full property tax ex…
stated benefit
Residential
eligible customers
10.3 yr
New Mexico baseline payback
3
other New Mexico programs

What it means

In New Mexico, a 6 kW system already pays back in about 10.3 years on ~$1,570/year of modeled savings, and the NM Solar Property Tax Exemption stacks on top of that, on top of any federal credit.

Full property …
stated benefit
10.3 yr
baseline payback (pre-incentive)
4
New Mexico programs that stack
full
net-metering policy

Payback and savings are modeled from public NREL/EIA data; the program benefit is summarized from DSIRE and may change.

Program description

Solar energy systems are fully exempt from New Mexico property taxes.

Program at a glance

Program type
Tax exemption
Eligible customers
Residential
Stated benefit
Full property tax exemption
State electricity rate
14¢/kWh
New Mexico solar score
57/100

How New Mexico compares to the U.S. average

Why this incentive matters more (or less) here - New Mexico's solar fundamentals against the national average.

Irradiance
New Mexico: 6.4 kWh/m²/day
U.S. avg: 4.82 kWh/m²/day
Electricity rate
New Mexico: 14¢/kWh
U.S. avg: 15.98¢/kWh
Modeled payback
New Mexico: 10.3 yr
U.S. avg: 14.2 yr

Source: NREL irradiance and U.S. EIA rates; payback modeled by PlainSolarData. Bars are scaled to the larger of the two values per metric.

Solar's trajectory in New Mexico

The market this incentive operates in: total installed solar capacity in New Mexico reported to the EIA.

-1000 MW0 MW1.0 GW2.0 GW3.0 GW 20102012201420162018202020222024 2.3 GW
New Mexico now has about 2.3 GW of installed solar, the backdrop programs like this one are built on.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, installed solar nameplate capacity As of 2024

New Mexico's solar incentive stack

How this tax exemption sits among New Mexico's 3 tracked programs, by type

programs

What this shows New Mexico tracks 3 incentive types; 1 are tax exemptions like this one, removing a cost solar owners would otherwise carry, on top of the state's other program types.

Source DSIRE incentives registry As of 2024

How this incentive fits New Mexico's solar picture

The NM Solar Property Tax Exemption removes a tax burden solar owners would otherwise carry, one of New Mexico's DSIRE-tracked solar incentive programs. Eligibility is scoped to residential customers, with a stated benefit of Full property tax exemption. DSIRE lists no scheduled sunset, though enabling legislation and appropriations can still be revised year to year.

That baseline is slower than most states, which raises the stakes for every incentive on the table. New Mexico averages 6.4 kWh/m²/day of usable sunlight and residential rates of 14¢/kWh, producing an estimated 11,213 kWh/year and $1,570 of annual utility offset on a typical 6 kW system costing $16,200. That baseline already implies a 10.3-year simple payback and a 25-year modeled net of roughly $23,050 before this incentive - every dollar this tax exemption delivers compresses that payback further.

A handful of other levers are worth checking alongside this one. New Mexico has 4 solar incentive programs indexed in DSIRE, including adjacent options like NM Net Metering, NM Solar Market Development Income Tax Credit. The state's net-metering policy is classified as full, which governs how excess generation is credited and often decides whether a given program is worth claiming for a specific household.

Your next step

  • See New Mexico's full solar profile, score, irradiance, rates, payback, and every program you can claim. New Mexico solar data
  • Run the savings calculator with your real bill to see how this incentive changes your own payback. ROI calculator
  • Read how state and federal solar credits work together. Tax-credit guide

Estimates here are modeled from public data and are not financial advice; confirm program terms and your own eligibility before relying on a dollar figure.

Frequently asked questions

What is the NM Solar Property Tax Exemption?
The NM Solar Property Tax Exemption is a tax exemption available to residential solar customers in New Mexico. The stated benefit is Full property tax exemption.
How does the NM Solar Property Tax Exemption work?
Solar energy systems are fully exempt from New Mexico property taxes.
Who is eligible for the NM Solar Property Tax Exemption?
The program is available to residential customers in New Mexico. Check the official program page for current eligibility requirements and deadlines.
How does this incentive affect solar ROI in New Mexico?
New Mexico has an estimated 10.3-year payback for a 6 kW system before incentives, with about $1,570/year in modeled savings. A tax exemption like this lowers upfront cost or raises annual return, shortening that payback. Run the calculator for a figure based on your own bill.
Are there other solar incentives in New Mexico?
Yes - New Mexico has 4 solar incentive programs tracked in DSIRE, including NM Net Metering, NM Solar Market Development Income Tax Credit. State programs are designed to stack on top of any available federal solar tax credit rather than replace it.

Incentive data from the DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency); state solar economics from NREL and the U.S. EIA. See our methodology.