State incentives and net metering
Virginia net metering
Eligibility, credit value, and any standby or minimum bill terms are utility-specific. Confirm the terms that would apply to a new system at your address before sizing it.
VirginiaNet meteringUtility-specificMinimum bill
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Full record for this entry
| Program name | Virginia net metering |
|---|---|
| State | Virginia |
| Program type | Net metering |
| Administering body | State Corporation Commission oversight; terms set by your utility (the predominant investor-owned utilities are Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power) |
| Status as the source states it | Rooftop systems operate under Virginia net metering provisions overseen by the State Corporation Commission, with operative details set by your utility, per the DSIRE summary for Virginia. |
| What it covers | Eligibility, credit value, and any standby or minimum bill terms are utility-specific. Confirm the terms that would apply to a new system at your address before sizing it. |
| Incentive amount note | No dollar amount is recorded here. Credit and charge terms are in your utility tariff. |
| Tags | Virginia, Net metering, Utility-specific, Minimum bill |
| Official source | DSIRE, Virginia program page (programs.dsireusa.org/system/program/va) |
| Checked date | 2026-10-29 |
Source note: DSIRE summary for this state, as recorded on this site from DSIRE on 2026-10-04 and re-checked for this directory on 2026-10-22 against official state, utility and program sources. Profile sections were added on 2026-10-26 from the official source above and the official pages cited in the text; every figure is attributed where it appears. Program terms change. Confirm the current status, eligibility and value for your address in the source above and in your utility tariff before you sign anything.
About this program: how it works
The statutory framework in Code Section 56-594
Virginia net metering is statutory, not a voluntary utility offer. Code Section 56-594 directs the State Corporation Commission to establish by regulation a program affording eligible customer-generators the opportunity to participate in net energy metering. Oversight sits with the Commission, while a home's billing terms sit in its own utility's tariff. DSIRE identifies the two predominant investor-owned utilities as Dominion Energy Virginia, the largest, and Appalachian Power, the second largest. DSIRE also notes that the Commission's Division of Public Utility Regulation supports its regulation of investor-owned utilities and member-owned electric cooperatives, which is why both types of provider appear in the net metering framework, on different statutory terms.
Net metering under the Code means measuring the difference, over the net metering period, between electricity supplied from the grid and electricity fed back. That makes the period's length, not an hourly price, the central mechanic.
System size caps and the sizing limit
For residential customers of the investor-owned utilities, the recorded capacity cap is 25 kW, with a far larger nonresidential cap. In Dominion territory, a Commission order notes customers can install a facility producing no more than 150 percent of expected annual energy consumption, citing Code Section 56-594 B. The limits work together: the kilowatt cap ceilings nameplate size, and the percentage limit ties the system to the home's own use, so a large roof alone does not justify oversizing.
Surplus above annual use is priced differently: the order states compensation for generation in excess of annual consumption is limited to the lower excess credit rate, citing Code Section 56-594 E.
Credit rollover and the annual period
Credits are worked out over a 12-month period. Surplus in a high production month carries forward against later consumption inside that annual period, which is why a system is sized against a full year of use, not its best month. At period end, generation still exceeding annual consumption is compensated at the lower excess credit rate, per the Code provision the Commission cites.
Program scale is capped too: the order records the Commission evaluated the six percent aggregate cap and found it shall continue. Approving a Dominion successor tariff, the Commission also approved a $1.00 per month administrative charge while denying an additional application fee.
Standby charges and the cooperative difference
Larger systems can carry a standby charge. The order states any eligible customer-generator in Dominion territory whose facility exceeds 15 kilowatts shall pay a monthly standby charge, in addition to other charges authorized by law, citing Code Section 56-594 F. Amount and terms follow a supplier methodology approved by the Commission, limited to infrastructure costs properly associated with serving those customers. Homes at or below the threshold should not be quoted it as universal.
Cooperatives run under Code Section 56-594.01. A Virginia cooperative's guidance states a residential member's capacity shall not exceed expected annual consumption based on the previous 12 months of billing history, with a maximum of 20 kW, against the 25 kW investor-owned cap. Members should read their cooperative's own filing for cap, rollover, and standby terms.
Compare the quotes this program affects
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