Quick answer
Renters in Delaware can join community solar if the Delmarva Power account and meter are in their own name. If electricity is included in your rent, or your building has one master meter, your landlord is the customer, not you. Nothing is installed, and the subscription can move with you inside Delmarva's Delaware area.
Can I join if I rent?
Yes, with your own Delmarva account. Delaware's rules define a "customer" by the account, not by who owns the home. Renters qualify only with the Delmarva account and meter in their own name.
Community solar puts nothing on the building. You subscribe to a share of a solar project in Delmarva's Delaware territory, and the credit appears on your Delmarva bill.
Source: Reg 3013 §1.0 "Customer" (29 DE Reg 710)
What if my landlord pays the electric bill?
| Your situation | Can you subscribe? |
|---|---|
| The Delmarva account and meter are in your name | Yes |
| The account is in a roommate's name | Only the account holder can subscribe |
| Electricity is included in your rent | No. Your landlord is the customer. |
| Your building has one master meter | No. The account holder is the customer. |
| Your power comes from Delaware Electric Cooperative or a city utility | No. Only Delmarva customers can join this program. |
Your Delmarva bill shows the account holder's name. Check it before you call. See who can join for the utility check.
Sources: Reg 3013 §1.0, §10.11 · Delaware PSC consumer information
What happens when my lease ends or I move?
A contract may require at most 90 days' notice to cancel.
- Moving inside Delmarva's Delaware territory: your subscription moves with you.
- Moving out of Delmarva's Delaware territory: the contract ends with no fee.
Read the notice and fee terms in the contract before you sign. More in cancelling or moving.
Source: Reg 3013 §9.4.6, §9.3.11, §10.3 (29 DE Reg 710)
Does it work in an apartment?
Yes, if your unit has its own Delmarva account and meter in your name. If the building has one master meter, it doesn't.
Do I need good credit or a deposit?
No. No project or subscription coordinator may require a residential subscriber to pass a credit check or pay an upfront enrollment fee, and security deposits are banned.
Sources: 26 Del. C. §1022(c)(1) · Reg 3013 §16.6
Common questions
Can I sign up if I just moved in?
Once the Delmarva account is in your name, you are a Delmarva customer. Your credits are capped at 110% of expected use, based on the average of the 2 previous 12-month periods at sign-up, so ask how a new account with no usage history is sized.
Is my saving a share of my whole bill?
No. You save on the solar credit, not your whole bill. Fixed charges stay. See is community solar worth it.
Can I cancel right after signing?
You have 3 days after you sign to cancel with no penalty.
Sources: 26 Del. C. §1014(f)(1), (2) · Delaware PSC
Written by the Free Solar DE team. Fact-checked against PSC sources and the Delaware Code on October 13, 2026.
What changed: October 13, 2026. Own-account rule cited to Reg 3013; removed the subscription-resizing claim and the landlord-permission claim until both are confirmed.