What Credit Score Do You Need for a Solar Loan?
Here is the short answer: most solar loans want about 650, some lenders accept 600, and specialized programs like PACE and the Solar and Energy Loan Fund have no minimum score at all.
Solar is one of the more flexible things to finance, because the industry built products for homeowners across the credit spectrum. A standard solar loan checks your score and usually looks for 650, with some lenders going to 600 and a few, like Upstart, using alternative data to go lower. The best rates go to 700 and up.
If your score is low, the program financing changes the whole picture. PACE and the Solar and Energy Loan Fund underwrite on your property and equity, not your FICO, so they can approve where a standard loan would not.
Ways to Finance Solar
| Financing path | Score requirement | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Standard solar loan | About 650, some lenders accept 600 | Checks your credit. Best rates at 700 and up. |
| Alternative-data lenders (like Upstart) | Lower than 650, using other factors | Weigh income and history beyond the bureau score. |
| PACE (R-PACE) financing | No minimum score | Repaid through your property taxes, tied to home equity. Not available everywhere. |
| Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF) | No minimum score | A specialized nonprofit program that does not set a score floor. |
The takeaway is that a low score narrows your standard-loan options but rarely closes the door, because the program financing is built for exactly that situation.
What Lenders Really Score
Your credit score is not one mysterious number. It is built from five factors, and the two biggest are the two you can move fastest. Payment history is about 35 percent and amounts owed is about 30 percent, so together they make up roughly two thirds of a FICO score. Amounts owed is mostly your credit card utilization, which you can lower in a single billing cycle, which makes these the fastest levers you have before you apply.
Beyond the Score: What Else Solar Lenders Weigh
A score is only part of the decision. Solar financing also turns on:
- Income and proof of it. Standard lenders want to see you can carry the payment, and alternative-data lenders lean on this heavily.
- Debt-to-income ratio. Your monthly debts divided by your monthly income. A lower ratio is better, and a high one can offset a good score.
- Home equity. PACE financing is tied to your property and equity rather than your FICO, so equity matters more than the bureau number there.
- Soft versus hard pull. Many solar lenders let you check your rate with a soft pull, then run a hard pull only when you accept.
Download Credit Booster AI on iOS and Android before you apply. It reads all three of your credit reports, flags the errors that drag your score down, and shows which paydown moves lift it the most, so you qualify for the lower-rate standard loan.
How to Improve Your Score Before You Apply
You do not need a perfect score to go solar. You need to cross into the next band, because rates and options move in steps.
- Lower your card utilization. Getting balances under 30 percent of their limits, and ideally under 10 percent, is the quickest win. Amounts owed is about 30 percent of your score.
- Fix report errors. About one in five credit reports carries a mistake. Clearing a wrong late payment can lift your score fast.
- Do not open new accounts right before applying. Fresh inquiries and new credit lower your average account age at the worst time.
- Keep paying on time. Payment history is about 35 percent of the score, so a clean recent stretch matters.
A realistic 90-day improvement from these moves is 30 to 60 points. That can move you from a 600 acceptance into the 650 and up range where more lenders and better rates open up.
The Bottom Line
Solar is financeable at almost any score. Standard loans want about 650, some lenders accept 600, and PACE and the Solar and Energy Loan Fund set no minimum score because they lean on your property and equity. The best rates go to 700 and up, so a stronger score still pays off on a standard loan.
Before you apply, spend a few weeks pulling down card balances and clearing errors. A 30 to 60 point move can drop your rate a full band. Download Credit Booster AI on iOS and Android to see your reports, catch what is holding your score back, and fix it before you sign.
Related reading: Compare what it takes for pool financing, pet financing, and a wedding loan. Start with the credit score for a personal loan.
Sources
- SolarReviews, Best Solar Financing Companies: solarreviews.com
- EnergySage, Going Solar With Low Credit: energysage.com
- FICO, What Makes Up Your Credit Score (myFICO): myfico.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What credit score do you need for a solar loan?
Most solar loans want about a 650 minimum. Some lenders accept 600, and a few, like Upstart, go lower using alternative data. Specialized programs change the math entirely: the Solar and Energy Loan Fund has no minimum score, and R-PACE financing in many areas has no minimum because it is tied to your property taxes and home equity rather than your FICO. The best rates go to 700 and up.
Can I finance solar panels with bad credit?
Yes. Some solar lenders accept scores around 600, and a few, like Upstart, weigh alternative data to go lower. Beyond standard loans, PACE and the Solar and Energy Loan Fund set no minimum score at all, because they lean on your property and equity instead of your bureau number. A lower score means a higher rate on standard loans, not an automatic no.
What is PACE financing and does it check credit?
R-PACE (residential Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing repays through an assessment on your property taxes and is tied to your home equity rather than your credit score. In many jurisdictions it has no minimum score requirement. It is not available everywhere, and because it attaches to the property, it is worth understanding the terms before you sign.
What credit score gets the best solar loan rate?
On standard solar loans, the lowest rates go to borrowers at 700 and up. From about 650 you can qualify with most lenders, and some accept 600, at higher rates that improve as your score climbs. PACE and program financing price differently, since they are not driven by your FICO in the same way.
Do all solar lenders check your credit score?
No. Standard solar loans check your score, with most wanting about 650. But PACE financing and the Solar and Energy Loan Fund do not set a minimum score, because they underwrite on your property, equity, and other factors. If your score is low, these programs are often the most realistic path.
By the numbers
Typical minimum
650
The target for most standard solar loans.
SolarReviews, Best Solar Financing Companies, July 22, 2026
Some lenders accept
600
A few go lower using alternative data.
EnergySage, Going Solar With Low Credit, July 22, 2026
PACE and SELF programs
No minimum
Tied to property taxes and home equity, not FICO.
SolarReviews, Best Solar Financing Companies, July 22, 2026
Source: SolarReviews, Best Solar Financing Companies. Pulled July 22, 2026.
What actually moves the score a solar lender pulls
The five factors behind every FICO score, by weight. Payment history and amounts owed together are about two thirds of it.
Source: FICO, myFICO credit education (what makes up a FICO Score). Pulled July 22, 2026.
Table view
| Item | Share of your FICO Score |
|---|---|
| Payment history (whether you pay on time) | 35% |
| Amounts owed (mostly credit utilization) | 30% |
| Length of credit history (how old your accounts are) | 15% |
| New credit (recent applications and inquiries) | 10% |
| Credit mix (cards, loans, mortgage) | 10% |
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Get the AppFrequently Asked Questions
What credit score do you need for a solar loan?
Most solar loans want about a 650 minimum. Some lenders accept 600, and a few, like Upstart, go lower using alternative data. Specialized programs change the math entirely: the Solar and Energy Loan Fund has no minimum score, and R-PACE financing in many areas has no minimum because it is tied to your property taxes and home equity rather than your FICO. The best rates go to 700 and up.
Can I finance solar panels with bad credit?
Yes. Some solar lenders accept scores around 600, and a few, like Upstart, weigh alternative data to go lower. Beyond standard loans, PACE and the Solar and Energy Loan Fund set no minimum score at all, because they lean on your property and equity instead of your bureau number. A lower score means a higher rate on standard loans, not an automatic no.
What is PACE financing and does it check credit?
R-PACE (residential Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing repays through an assessment on your property taxes and is tied to your home equity rather than your credit score. In many jurisdictions it has no minimum score requirement. It is not available everywhere, and because it attaches to the property, it is worth understanding the terms before you sign.
What credit score gets the best solar loan rate?
On standard solar loans, the lowest rates go to borrowers at 700 and up. From about 650 you can qualify with most lenders, and some accept 600, at higher rates that improve as your score climbs. PACE and program financing price differently, since they are not driven by your FICO in the same way.
Do all solar lenders check your credit score?
No. Standard solar loans check your score, with most wanting about 650. But PACE financing and the Solar and Energy Loan Fund do not set a minimum score, because they underwrite on your property, equity, and other factors. If your score is low, these programs are often the most realistic path.
