Accountants for Solar Panel Installers
We keep the books, file the VAT and CIS returns, and do the year end and tax for solar installers and solar installation companies. Fixed fee agreed in writing before any work starts, and nothing is charged until you approve the quote.
- VAT returns, with the rate on each job evidenced at the time
- CIS both ways: deducted from you, and deducted by you
- Year end accounts and the tax return, sole trader or limited company
- Payroll for your fitters, and the capital allowances solar qualifies for
Tell us about your solar work
- Fixed fee up front
- No obligation
- Reply within 1 working day
VAT on a Solar Installation, by Building
| Where you are installing | VAT rate | Until |
|---|---|---|
| Residential accommodation, supply and install | 0% | 31 March 2027, then 5% |
| Building used solely for a relevant charitable purpose | 0% | 31 March 2027, then 5% |
| Hospitals, prisons or similar institutions | 20% | No change |
| Hotels, inns or similar establishments | 20% | No change |
| Commercial and industrial buildings | 20% | No change |
Rates from VAT Notice 708/6. The zero rate covers the materials and the installation labour together, not just the hardware.
We act for solar panel installers: sole traders fitting domestic roofs, and limited companies running fitting teams and subcontract work. The tax question in this trade is rarely the tax return. It is whether you are charging VAT correctly on jobs where the rate depends on the building, and whether you are claiming the allowances the panels themselves qualify for.
Everything is a fixed fee, agreed in writing before any work starts. No hourly billing, no charge for a question, and nothing taken until you approve the quote.
Where a Solar Installer's Accounts Get Difficult
Three things separate a solar firm from an ordinary trade business. The first is that your VAT rate changes with the building, not the job: the same array is zero-rated on a house and standard-rated on a hotel. The second is that the zero rate has an end date, 31 March 2027, after which it becomes 5%, and every quote that straddles that date has to be priced for it.
The third is capital allowances. Solar panels are specifically designated special rate expenditure, which means the relief most accountants reach for first does not apply to them. That is covered in full on the capital allowances page, because getting it wrong costs real money in the year of purchase.
What We Handle
Registration, the returns and the bookkeeping behind them. For a sole trader that is Self Assessment and the records that support it. For a company it is the annual accounts, the corporation tax return, payroll for your fitters and the director's own return.
Alongside that, the trade-specific work: getting the VAT rate right job by job, VAT returns, and CIS where you subcontract to a main contractor or pay fitters under the scheme. Where you have bought a van, tools, or a demonstration array, we make sure the claim is made under the right allowance.
How It Runs
You send your invoices, purchase records and bank data, in one list rather than a chain of messages. We do the work, show you the numbers before anything is filed, and submit once you are happy. Anti-money-laundering identity checks come first, as at any UK firm.
Take just the year end, or the bookkeeping and VAT returns through the year as well. The second is usually the better fit for a solar firm, because the VAT decisions are made when you quote a job, not when the return is due.
What We Do Not Do
We do not arrange your MCS certification, your insurance, or your accreditation with a competent person scheme. Those are trade matters and there are bodies that do them properly. What we do is tell you what each of them costs you after tax, and make sure the spend is claimed correctly.
We do not advise on investments, and we do not sell software. If your bookkeeping already works, we will use it rather than move you.
Guides
VAT on solar panel installation
This guide covers which rate applies, and why the building decides it.
The 0% VAT deadline
This guide covers what changes on 1 April 2027, and how to quote for it.
CIS and the reverse charge
This guide covers when CIS bites, and why zero-rated work sits outside the reverse charge.
Capital allowances on solar
This guide covers why full expensing misses solar, and what to claim instead.
MCS certification cost
This guide covers what the certification spend is, and how it is treated for tax.
Solar panel installer insurance
This guide covers which cover is required by law, and how premiums are treated.
Starting a solar business
This guide covers the setup decisions, the deadlines, and first-year cashflow.
Smart Export Guarantee and tax
This guide covers when export income is taxed, and when the householder exemption applies.
Common questions
Do I charge VAT on a domestic solar installation?
For residential accommodation in Great Britain, a supply-and-install of solar panels is zero-rated until 31 March 2027, covering both the panels and the labour. It is a zero rate rather than an exemption, so you still recover the VAT on what you buy. After 31 March 2027 the rate becomes 5%. Commercial buildings, hotels and hospitals stay at 20%.
Does the VAT reverse charge apply to my solar work?
Only where the supply is standard or reduced rated and reported under CIS. A zero-rated domestic install falls outside the reverse charge entirely, which is why most installers doing residential work never meet it. That changes for work invoiced after the rate moves to 5%, and it already applies to standard-rated commercial subcontract work.
Can my company claim full expensing on solar panels?
No. Solar panels are specifically designated special rate expenditure, and full expensing is limited to main rate plant and machinery. A company can claim the 50% first-year allowance instead. The Annual Investment Allowance does reach special rate expenditure, up to £1 million, and it is available to sole traders and partnerships as well as companies, so it is usually the route worth checking first.
Do you only act for MCS registered installers?
No. MCS matters commercially, because a solar PV installation up to 50kW has to present an MCS certificate or equivalent for the customer to claim under the Smart Export Guarantee, but it has no bearing on who we can act for. We act for installers at any stage, including people setting up before certification is in place.
What does it cost?
A fixed fee, quoted before we begin, based on what your situation needs. A sole trader doing domestic installs with straightforward records is at the lower end. Add VAT returns, CIS, payroll for a fitting team or a company year end and it costs more, and we tell you which you are before you commit.
Get a fixed fee before any work starts
Tell us whether you install as a sole trader or through a company, whether you are VAT registered, and how much of your work is domestic. We come back with a fixed price and the date it has to be finished by.
Get in touch