Solar Panel Quotation Format: Sample, Fields and Pricing

A solar panel quotation is the document an installer sends before any work starts, setting out the proposed system, every component, the installation work, taxes and the final price. Customers usually collect two or three of them, so a clear solar panel quotation format that lets them compare like with like often decides who gets the job. This guide shows the fields to include, a filled-in sample for a 3.3 kWp rooftop system, and the mistakes that cause disputes later.

The general rules for quotes apply here too (if you want the basics, see our general quotation format guide), but solar adds technical detail that buyers now expect to see in writing: panel wattage, inverter capacity, structure height and who handles the grid connection.

What a solar quotation needs to show

Solar buyers compare quotes line by line. If one installer lists "5 kW system, all inclusive" and another lists every component with a brand and model, the detailed quote looks more trustworthy even when it costs more. Build your template around these sections.

Header and customer details

• Your business details: trading name, address, phone, email, and any tax or registration number that applies (for example GSTIN in India).
• Quotation number and date: a unique reference such as SQ-2026-114 so revisions can be tracked. Our guide to quotation number formats covers revision suffixes like R1 and R2.
• Valid until: a specific date, not just "30 days".
• Customer and site: name, installation address, electricity consumer number or meter number, sanctioned load and roof type (RCC flat, tin shed, tiled).

System summary

Put a short summary box above the price table so the customer sees the essentials at a glance:

• System type: on-grid, off-grid or hybrid
• Capacity in kWp (DC) and inverter capacity in kW (AC)
• Number and wattage of panels, for example 6 x 550 Wp
• Estimated annual generation, clearly labeled as an estimate
• Roof area required, in square feet or square meters

Itemized price table

List each component with make, model or specification, quantity, unit price and amount. Separate equipment from services, because in many countries they are taxed differently and customers want to see labor costs on their own. Typical lines are modules, inverter, mounting structure, DC and AC cables, junction boxes, earthing and lightning protection, installation and commissioning, and grid connection or net metering paperwork.

Commercial terms

Payment stages, delivery and installation timeline, warranties (product and performance), what is excluded, and how long the price holds. Our article on quotation terms and conditions has wording you can adapt.

Solar panel quotation format: filled-in sample

The example below is a 3.3 kWp on-grid rooftop system for a house in India. Prices are illustrative only and will differ by city, brand and month. The tax split assumes 5% GST on solar equipment and 18% on installation services, which is a simplification; contracts that bundle supply and installation can be treated as a single composite supply with its own valuation rules, so confirm the treatment with your tax adviser.

#	Description	Qty	Rate (INR)	Amount (INR)
1	Monocrystalline solar module, 550 Wp, 25-year performance warranty	6	15,500	93,000
2	On-grid string inverter, 3 kW, single phase, with Wi-Fi monitoring	1	38,000	38,000
3	Hot-dip galvanized elevated mounting structure (per kWp)	3.3	7,000	23,100
4	DC and AC cables, MC4 connectors, ACDB/DCDB, earthing kit, lightning arrester	1 lot	18,500	18,500
5	Installation, testing and commissioning	1	15,000	15,000
6	Net metering application and DISCOM liaison	1	4,000	4,000
	Subtotal			191,600
	GST 5% on equipment (lines 1-4: 172,600)			8,630
	GST 18% on services (lines 5-6: 19,000)			3,420
	Total payable to installer			203,650

Check the math before sending: 6 x 15,500 = 93,000; 3.3 x 7,000 = 23,100; equipment lines add to 172,600 and services to 19,000, giving a subtotal of 191,600. Tax is 172,600 x 5% = 8,630 plus 19,000 x 18% = 3,420, so the total is 203,650.

Subsidy note (shown below the total, not deducted from it)

Under India's PM Surya Ghar scheme, the central financial assistance for homes is Rs 30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW and Rs 18,000 for the third kW, capped at Rs 78,000 for systems of 3 kW and above, according to the Delhi government solar portal. Because that money is released to the household after inspection, the quotation above shows the full 203,650 payable to the installer and adds a separate line: "Expected central subsidy, credited to customer after commissioning: Rs 78,000 (subject to scheme approval). Effective net cost: Rs 125,650." Some states add their own top-up, so check before mentioning one.

Generation estimate

A common rule of thumb in much of India is 4 to 5 units per kWp per day on average. At 4 units, 3.3 kWp produces about 13.2 units a day, or roughly 4,800 units a year (13.2 x 365 = 4,818). Label this "estimated, depends on shading, orientation, weather and maintenance" so it cannot be read as a guarantee.

Payment schedule

Stage	Share	Amount (INR)
Advance on order confirmation	40%	81,460
On delivery of modules and inverter to site	50%	101,825
On commissioning and net meter installation	10%	20,365
Total	100%	203,650

Each stage becomes its own invoice once the customer accepts. Our guides to billing the advance as a deposit invoice and to progress billing by stage explain how to reference the quotation on each one.

How to write a solar quotation step by step

1. Survey the site first. Record roof dimensions, orientation, shading from trees or water tanks, the sanctioned load and the last 12 months of electricity bills. A quote based on a phone call alone tends to change later, which annoys customers.
2. Size the system. Divide annual consumption by expected annual generation per kWp. A household using 4,500 units a year at roughly 1,460 units per kWp per year needs about 3.1 kWp, so 3.3 kWp (six 550 Wp panels) is a sensible match.
3. Choose and name the components. Write the brand and model. "Tier 1 panels" is vague; "550 Wp mono PERC, brand X, model Y" is checkable.
4. Price equipment and labor separately. This keeps the tax lines correct and lets the customer see what installation costs.
5. Add taxes and state the total. Show the rate and the taxable base for each tax line.
6. Explain incentives without promising them. Note who receives any subsidy, when, and that it depends on approval.
7. Set payment stages, timeline and validity. For example: installation within 15 working days of advance and material availability; quote valid for 15 days.
8. List warranties and exclusions. Module product and performance warranty as per manufacturer, inverter warranty, your workmanship warranty, and exclusions such as civil work, meter charges levied by the utility, and roof waterproofing.

Variations by market

India

Quotes usually show GSTIN, the DISCOM name and the consumer number, because net metering and subsidy applications are tied to them. GST on solar devices was cut to 5% from September 22, 2025, under the rate changes covered in our GST 2.0 rate guide. Mention whether the modules use domestically manufactured cells if the customer is applying for a scheme that requires them.

United States

Residential quotes used to lead with the 30% federal credit. The IRS FAQs on the 2025 law changes say the section 25D credit is not allowed for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, with the expenditure treated as made when installation is completed. Remove that saving from residential templates, quote in dollars per watt as well as the total (for example $16,500 for a 6 kW system is $2.75 per watt), and note any state or utility rebates only where you have confirmed they are still open. Sales tax treatment of solar equipment varies by state.

Pakistan and other markets

Quotations are commonly in PKR with panel prices per watt, a separate inverter line (often hybrid with battery), and a note on net metering application through the local distribution company. Net metering rules have been revised in several countries recently, so describe the expected arrangement in general terms and avoid promising a specific buyback rate.

This section is general information, not tax or legal advice. Incentive rules change, so check the current position with the relevant authority before quoting savings.

Checklist before you send a solar quotation

• System size in kWp matches the number of panels times their wattage (6 x 550 Wp = 3.3 kWp).
• Inverter capacity suits the array and the sanctioned load, and the phase (single or three) is stated.
• Every tax line shows its rate and the amount it is charged on.
• The subsidy, if any, is shown as information and not deducted from the amount payable to you.
• Payment stages add up to exactly 100% of the total.
• Validity date, timeline, warranties and exclusions are all present.
• The generation estimate is labeled as an estimate.

A two-minute check against this list catches most of the errors that make customers lose confidence in a quote, such as a 3 kW system priced with five panels or payment stages that add up to 110%.

Common mistakes on solar quotations

• Showing only a lump sum. Customers cannot compare it, and you cannot easily revise one component.
• Deducting a subsidy you will not receive. If the customer receives the subsidy, your invoice total must still match the full price.
• Overstating generation. Use conservative figures and say they are estimates.
• Leaving out structure height and type. Elevated structures cost more than flush mounts, and this is a frequent source of "the other installer was cheaper" arguments.
• No validity date. Module prices can move within weeks.
• Vague warranty wording. Separate the manufacturer's warranty from your own workmanship warranty and give a period for each.

From quotation to invoice

When the customer signs, copy the accepted line items into your first stage invoice and reference the quotation number. Our solar installation invoice template shows how to bill deposits and the final payment, and the electrical estimate template is useful if you also quote for wiring upgrades or a new distribution board.

You can build the quotation itself in our free invoice generator: change the document title to "Quotation", add your component lines and tax rates, and download a clean PDF. There is no sign-up, and the same details can be turned into the advance invoice once the customer says yes.