Solar Panels on Tile Roof: 10 to 30% More, About $2,410
Solar on a tile roof costs 10 to 30% more than on shingles (Solar Permit Solutions, 2026), or $0.30 to $0.60 more per watt in SurgePV's estimate, about $2,410 extra on a 7 kW system.
The panels go on tile replacement mounts, which take the place of individual tiles, or on hooks bolted to the rafters. The tile can last 50 to 100 years, but the underlayment beneath it lasts about 25 (15 to 20 in desert heat), so check it before the panels go on.
Solar on a tile roof means mounting an array over clay or concrete tile, either with tile replacement mounts that take the place of individual tiles or with hooks that reach the rafters through gaps cut or ground in the tile, with flashing at every attachment.
How solar mounts on clay and concrete tile
| Method | How it works | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|
| Tile replacement mount | A flashed metal mount takes the place of one tile at each attachment point, so no tile is cut or ground | The method installers now recommend (SolarReviews, Solar Permit Solutions) |
| Tile hook | Tiles are lifted or ground to reach the rafter; a hook bolts to the rafter and the tile goes back over it, flashed | Still common on concrete tile; hooks can rattle in wind and crack clay |
| Comp-out | Tiles under the array are replaced with composition shingle | Discouraged: water can run beneath the tile below the shingle patch |
From SolarReviews (undated) and Solar Permit Solutions (February 2026), both of which work with installers.
Ready to price a battery, new panels or a new inverter? Call the new equipment line with your inverter brand and system size.
Quick Mount PV introduced a replacement mount in 2016 that it said "eliminates messy and time-consuming tile grinding and cutting," fitting flat, S and W tile. One mount maker told Solar Builder its replacement mount is a bit more expensive than hooks but cuts labor.
Tile breakage
Tile is brittle, and with any roof work "there's a good chance a few tiles will break," SolarReviews notes, adding that matching replacements can be hard to find. SurgePV, a solar software company, estimates breakage at 3 to 5% for flat clay or concrete tile, 5 to 8% for S-tile, 8 to 12% for barrel tile and 10 to 15% for heritage tile more than 30 years old, and puts replacement tiles at $2 to $8 each, or $15 to $40 for discontinued profiles. It does not say how it measured those rates. SurgePV advises keeping at least 5% extra matching tile on site before work starts.
The underlayment is the weak point
The tile can last a century. What wears out is the layer beneath it. Association Reserves, a reserve-study firm, puts standard underlayment at about 25 years, 15 to 20 in desert heat and about 30 on the coast. BuildingAdvisor adds that galvanized flashing "may start failing in as little as 15 years." An array laid over 20-year-old felt is likely to come off again within a decade so the underlayment can be replaced, so the underlayment should be checked, and usually replaced, before the panels go on.
Roof under the array due for replacement? Call the roof line with your panel count and roof type. Not for insurance claims.
What solar on a tile roof costs
Every figure we found comes from companies in the solar trade, not independent cost guides. Solar Permit Solutions puts clay tile installs at 10 to 30% more than composite shingle. SurgePV puts the premium at $0.30 to $0.60 per watt, and its worked 7 kW example adds about $2,410 for mounting and labor. SolarReviews says only that tile installs cost more because of the extra labor hours. Removal and reinstall on tile also runs higher than on shingle because tiles at each mount have to come off and go back, and some break; the cost tables have the published per-panel ranges, none of them tile-specific.
Planning solar on a tile roof, or replacing panels on one? Call the new equipment line.
Questions people ask
Can you put solar panels on a tile roof?
Yes. Installers now favor tile replacement mounts, which swap in for individual tiles with built-in flashing, over hooks that require cutting or grinding tile. Comp-outs are discouraged.
Does solar damage a tile roof?
Some tiles usually break during the work. One software firm estimates 3 to 15% breakage depending on tile type and age. Keep at least 5% extra matching tile on site.
How much more does solar cost on a tile roof?
10 to 30% more than shingle, or $0.30 to $0.60 per watt, according to companies in the solar trade. No independent cost guide we found publishes a figure.
How long does a tile roof last under solar panels?
The tile can last 50 to 100 years or more, but standard underlayment lasts about 25 years, less in desert heat. The underlayment sets when the array has to come off.
What is a tile replacement mount?
A metal mount with built-in flashing that replaces one tile at each attachment point, so tiles are not cut or ground. Quick Mount PV introduced one in 2016.
Tile roof and ready to price solar, or the underlayment needs work first? Call the new equipment line, or the roof line for the underlayment.
- 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 (7)
- SolarReviews: How solar is installed on clay tile roofs (checked 2026-10-11)
- Solar Permit Solutions: Installing solar on clay tile roofs (permit firm) (2026-02-07)
- Solar Power World: Quick Mount PV tile replacement mount (2016-05-25)
- Solar Builder: Solar mounts for tile rooftops cut labor costs (2018-05-31)
- SurgePV: Solar panels on clay tile roof (software firm) (checked 2026-10-11)
- Association Reserves: Lifetime tile roofs, fact or fiction (2022-03-10)
- BuildingAdvisor: Repair or replace an older tile roof (2022-07-11)
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