Solar Panel Replacement Cost: $300 to $600 Each + Warranty
Replacing a single solar panel costs $300 to $600 installed in 2025 to 2026 published ranges, or labor only if the panel is under its 25-year product warranty.
The usual problem is matching: the model is discontinued, so the replacement must match the string's electrical characteristics and the rail spacing. Cracked panels are replaced, not repaired.
Key numbers
- $300 to $600 per panelNew EnglandNuWatt Energy, Apr 2026
- $300 to $500 per panelNational, labor and materialsFixr, Jan 2025
Ready to price a battery, new panels or a new inverter? Call the new equipment line with your inverter brand and system size.
Solar panel replacement is the swap of one or more failed, cracked or discontinued panels in an existing array for new ones, costing $300 to $600 per panel installed in 2025 to 2026 published ranges, with the complication that a matching model is often no longer made.
If you lease your system or have a power purchase agreement, the financing company owns it and is responsible for this work; call the servicer on your statement (SunStrong for Sunnova and legacy SunPower, Renewbrook for most PosiGen leases). The rest of this page is for owners of cash and loan systems. The owned vs leased guide explains the difference.
How much does it cost to replace one solar panel
$300 to $500 per panel for labor and materials (Fixr, January 2025) or $300 to $600 (NuWatt, April 2026). Repairing a cracked panel rather than replacing it is $120 to $550 (Angi, July 2026), but a cracked panel usually has to be replaced because moisture reaches the cells. Under the manufacturer's product warranty (25 years for most panels sold since 2018), the panel is free and you pay labor only.
| Scenario | Published range | Source, date |
|---|---|---|
| New England | $300 to $600 per panel | NuWatt Energy, Apr 2026 |
| National, labor and materials | $300 to $500 per panel | Fixr, Jan 2025 |
Published single-panel replacement prices. Sources and dates per row; checked October 11, 2026.
| Scenario | Published range | Source, date |
|---|---|---|
| National, glass/crack repair | $120 to $550 per panel | Angi, Jul 2026 |
| National | $150 to $500 per panel | Fixr, Jan 2025 |
Published cracked-panel repair prices. Sources and dates per row; checked October 11, 2026.
One dead panel and a discontinued model? Call the new equipment line with the panel brand and model.
Replacing a discontinued solar panel
Panels change model every year or two, so a 2017 array almost never has an exact match available. The rules: the replacement must have the same or similar voltage and current characteristics on the same string (microinverter systems are more forgiving, since each panel runs independently), it must fit the racking rails, and it should be from a manufacturer that is still in business for the warranty to mean anything. Manufacturers that have exited (LG in 2022, Panasonic in 2025) say they honor existing warranties with equivalent products. SunPower-branded panels are covered by Maxeon for systems registered by December 31, 2024.
Cracked solar panel repair or replacement after hail
Cracked glass after hail is an insurance claim in most policies that list the system. The claim covers replacement panels and labor; get the contractor's itemized estimate before the adjuster visit. Discolored or delaminated panels with no impact damage are a warranty matter, not insurance. The storm damage page has the claim steps.
When to replace the whole array instead
When several panels have failed, the model is discontinued, and the system is 15 or more years old, a new array on the existing racking (or new racking) at $15,000 to $21,000 (Fixr) can make more sense than chasing matches. The 30% federal residential credit ended for property placed in service after December 31, 2025, so price it without that credit. The repowering section covers the decision.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to replace one solar panel?
$300 to $500 (Fixr) to $300 to $600 (NuWatt, 2026) installed. Under the manufacturer's product warranty the panel is free and you pay only labor.
Can a cracked solar panel be repaired?
Rarely. Angi lists repair at $120 to $550, but a cracked panel lets moisture into the cells and usually needs replacing. Hail cracks are typically an insurance claim.
What if my solar panel model is discontinued?
A contractor sources a panel with matching voltage and current on the same string, or one that fits a microinverter system, and matching rail spacing. Manufacturers that exited, such as LG and Panasonic, supply equivalents under warranty.
Who honors the warranty on SunPower panels?
Maxeon, for SunPower-branded panels on systems installed before August 5, 2024 and registered by December 31, 2024. Claims go through an installer.
Can I mix different solar panels in one system?
On a microinverter system, yes within reason. On a string inverter, mismatched panels drag the string down to the weakest panel, so the replacement must match closely.
How much does a solar panel upgrade cost?
It depends on scope. Repowering an older system with a new inverter and some new panels runs $3,000 to $8,000 per NuWatt; replacing the whole array runs $15,000 to $21,000 per Fixr.
Should I replace old solar panels?
Replace single failed panels while the rest produce well. Replace the whole array when several panels have failed, the model is discontinued and the system is 15 or more years old.
Need a panel that matches a discontinued model? Call the new equipment line with the brand, model and wattage from the label.
- 1Call the line
- 2It rings a local company
- 3They give you the price
Before you book
- License numberAsk for it, then check it with the state board.
- Written priceGet the visit fee and the job price in writing before work starts.
- Proof of insuranceAsk for the certificate, especially for roof, tree and electrical work.
Sources (4)
- Angi: How Much Does It Cost to Repair Solar Panels? [2026 Data] (2026-07-10)
- Fixr: Cost to Repair Solar Panel (2025-01-31)
- NuWatt Energy: Solar Orphan Rescue (2026-04)
- Fixr: Solar Panel Maintenance Costs (2025-01-31)
Talk to a solar installer who serves your area
Have the inverter brand, the system size or panel count and the address ready. The company will ask about the job and quote before anything is booked.
Free call to an independent company in your area that takes this kind of work.