Oregon · Tax exemption

OR Residential Solar Property Tax Exemption

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

Full property tax ex…
stated benefit
Residential
eligible customers
16.9 yr
Oregon baseline payback
3
other Oregon programs

What it means

In Oregon, a 6 kW system already pays back in about 16.9 years on ~$1,009/year of modeled savings, and the OR Residential Solar Property Tax Exemption stacks on top of that, on top of any federal credit.

Full property …
stated benefit
16.9 yr
baseline payback (pre-incentive)
4
Oregon 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

Oregon provides a full property tax exemption for residential solar systems.

Program at a glance

Program type
Tax exemption
Eligible customers
Residential
Stated benefit
Full property tax exemption
State electricity rate
12.8¢/kWh
Oregon solar score
24/100

How Oregon compares to the U.S. average

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

Irradiance
Oregon: 4.5 kWh/m²/day
U.S. avg: 4.82 kWh/m²/day
Electricity rate
Oregon: 12.8¢/kWh
U.S. avg: 15.98¢/kWh
Modeled payback
Oregon: 16.9 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 Oregon

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

-500 MW0 MW500 MW1.0 GW1.5 GW 20112013201520172019202120232024 1.1 GW
Oregon now has about 1.1 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

Oregon's solar incentive stack

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

programs

What this shows Oregon 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 Oregon's solar picture

The OR Residential Solar Property Tax Exemption removes a tax burden solar owners would otherwise carry, one of Oregon'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. Oregon averages 4.5 kWh/m²/day of usable sunlight and residential rates of 12.8¢/kWh, producing an estimated 7,884 kWh/year and $1,009 of annual utility offset on a typical 6 kW system costing $17,100. That baseline already implies a 16.9-year simple payback and a 25-year modeled net of roughly $8,125 before this incentive - every dollar this tax exemption delivers compresses that payback further.

A handful of other levers are worth checking alongside this one. Oregon has 4 solar incentive programs indexed in DSIRE, including adjacent options like OR Net Metering, Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate. 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 Oregon's full solar profile, score, irradiance, rates, payback, and every program you can claim. Oregon 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 OR Residential Solar Property Tax Exemption?
The OR Residential Solar Property Tax Exemption is a tax exemption available to residential solar customers in Oregon. The stated benefit is Full property tax exemption.
How does the OR Residential Solar Property Tax Exemption work?
Oregon provides a full property tax exemption for residential solar systems.
Who is eligible for the OR Residential Solar Property Tax Exemption?
The program is available to residential customers in Oregon. Check the official program page for current eligibility requirements and deadlines.
How does this incentive affect solar ROI in Oregon?
Oregon has an estimated 16.9-year payback for a 6 kW system before incentives, with about $1,009/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 Oregon?
Yes - Oregon has 4 solar incentive programs tracked in DSIRE, including OR Net Metering, Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate. 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.