Solar panels cost in NZ (2026)

Updated 11 November 2026. Prices are published NZ figures, linked to their source. Your tradie quotes after seeing the job.

A typical NZ home solar system, fully installed and including GST, costs about $11,500 for 5kW and $13,000 for 6kW (MySolarQuotes, November 2026). A bigger 10kW system is about $19,500. Batteries are extra and cost thousands more.

Sources do not agree on every number, and some quote prices without GST. Treat the figures here as a guide, then get a written quote for your roof.

The quick answer

MySolarQuotes is a quote-comparison site that says its figures come from small survey samples. CheckMyBuilder is a vendor guide that says its numbers are 2026 estimates for guidance only. Consumer NZ and the Ministry for Regulation are independent.

What changes the price

System size. MySolarQuotes calls size the biggest factor. Its average is $2.04 a watt installed, with the middle half of installs between $1.82 and $2.23. Systems under 6kW average about $2.35 a watt, while 10kW systems average about $1.97. CheckMyBuilder gives $1,700 to $2,300 per kW before batteries.

Equipment. MySolarQuotes says premium panels or microinverters push the average to around $2.23 a watt. CheckMyBuilder lists $1,000 to $4,000 extra for the inverter type.

Your roof. MySolarQuotes says tile and shingle roofs usually cost more than metal, and that scaffolding is needed for two-storey homes or steep roofs. CheckMyBuilder gives $500 to $3,000 for roof type and pitch, and says roof repairs needed before mounting are usually extra. Consumer NZ says the roof should be in good condition so the panels do not have to come off for repairs later.

The switchboard. CheckMyBuilder lists $500 to $2,500 where the switchboard needs work. MySolarQuotes also lists switchboard upgrades as a price driver.

Lines company fees. MySolarQuotes says these are usually $80 to $350, average about $140, and some companies charge nothing.

Batteries. The sources differ. Consumer NZ says a small battery for a 3kW system would cost about $5,000, and that many households start without one. CheckMyBuilder adds $5,000 to $15,000. MySolarQuotes says a 13.5kWh battery typically adds about $15,000, and prices an 8kW system with a 13.5kWh battery at about $32,000 in the text of its page (one table on the same page says $31,500). Consumer NZ says a battery usually lengthens payback.

Region. CheckMyBuilder gives indicative totals of $14,000 for Auckland and Wellington, and $13,000 for Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga and regional NZ.

What you save

Consumer NZ quotes EECA’s Gareth Gretton as saying a 5kW system might save $1,000 to $1,500 a year. That assumes an average three-person home with electric space and water heating and no electric vehicle. It gives a payback of 7 to 10 years, depending on sunshine and regional power prices.

The Ministry for Regulation says most households could save over $1,000 a year. Consumer NZ says moving power use to the daytime speeds up payback. Panels work best on a north-facing roof in full sun and without shade, and you should allow for trees and buildings that may grow.

A worked example

Using the figures above, take a 5kW system on an ordinary roof.

• Low end: $11,500 including GST (MySolarQuotes), with no extras.
• High end: $11,500, plus $2,500 for switchboard work and $3,000 for a difficult roof (both CheckMyBuilder), plus a $350 lines company fee (MySolarQuotes) = $17,350.

The two sources use different GST bases, so the high end is a rough guide only. Even so, the same size of system can land more than $5,000 apart depending on the house.

For payback, divide the price by the yearly saving. At $11,500, a $1,500 saving gives 7.7 years and a $1,000 saving gives 11.5 years. Consumer NZ’s own range is 7 to 10 years. At the $17,350 high end, the same savings give 11.6 to 17.4 years.

Rules, licences and consents

Electrical work. The Electrical Workers Registration Board says only registered and licensed electrical workers can carry out or supervise prescribed electrical work, and that you should ask to see their licence ID and check the Electrical Workers Public Register. CheckMyBuilder says a typical solar price includes installation by an electrical worker with a Certificate of Compliance. Ask for that certificate before you pay the final invoice. A solar company often employs the electrician, but the licence check is the same.

Building consent. Since 23 October 2025, MBIE’s exemption for roof-mounted arrays under 40 square metres means most home systems need no building consent, as long as the site is in a wind zone no higher than High. Arrays over 40 square metres, or in a higher wind zone, can still skip consent if a Chartered Professional Engineer designs or reviews the structural fixings. The Simpli guidance site adds that installation should follow the manufacturer’s specifications, and that fixings need care for structure and weathertightness.

The exemption does not remove other duties. The work must still meet the Building Code, and your district plan may still need a resource consent. Check with your council if your house is unusual.

Connecting to the grid. The Electricity Authority’s Part 6 of the Code covers connecting generation to a lines company network. Generators of 10kW or less can choose Part 1A, a simplified one-stage process. It requires installation to AS/NZS 4777.1:2024, an inverter with a conformity declaration, and export capped at the lines company’s threshold, which is generally not below 10kW. Lines company application fees cannot exceed the maximums in the Code. The standard Part 1 route has the lines company confirm an application is complete within 5 business days and approve or decline within 30 business days. We could not read the Part 1A timeframes, so ask your installer how long yours will take.

The approval process is under review. The Ministry for Regulation launched a review of residential solar rules in May 2026. pv magazine (12 May 2026) reports that approval can involve up to eight layers of sign-off and up to five site visits from four separate entities. Ask your installer how long they expect it to take and who handles each step.

Questions to ask before you say yes

• Is the price for panels, inverter, install and the lines company application together, and does it include GST?
• What size system do you recommend for my power use, and why?
• Which panels and inverter brand and model am I getting, and what is the warranty on each?
• Does my roof need repairs, scaffolding or an engineer’s review first?
• Does my switchboard need work, and is that in the price?
• Who is the licensed electrician, and will I get the Certificate of Compliance?
• Who lodges the application with my lines company, and what fee applies?
• What does my power retailer pay for surplus power, and what happens if I add a battery later?

How GoodTradie helps

GoodTradie is free for homeowners. We do not install solar and we do not broker solar jobs. The panel company does the job, and a licensed electrician must do the electrical connection and certify it, which you can check on the EWRB register. For the electrical side of a solar job, GoodTradie can find one checked electrician: you type the job, we call you, check they are registered and insured, and book them in. We do not send your job to several tradies. We can also check a quote against published NZ figures like the ones above. That is a guide, not a guarantee of the best price. Type your job into the box at the top of the page to get started.

Sources

• MySolarQuotes, how much does a solar power system cost, updated 10 November 2026
• CheckMyBuilder, solar panel install cost, updated June 2026
• Consumer NZ, are solar panels right for your home, updated March 2026
• Ministry for Regulation, solar review launched, 7 May 2026
• pv magazine, New Zealand moves to reduce red tape for rooftop solar, 12 May 2026
• MBIE, 14.3 Roof-mounted solar panel arrays of less than 40 square metres
• MBIE, 14.4 Roof-mounted solar panel arrays of more than 40 square metres
• Carters Trade Leader, further changes to building consent exemptions, 22 October 2025
• Simpli, consent or not (page undated)
• Electricity Authority, Part 6 connection of distributed generation (page undated)
• Electrical Workers Registration Board, why use a registered electrical worker (page undated)

Need a electrician? See how we find and check one, or type the job in the box at the top.