Quick Answer: The Switch Together Virginia deadline is October 15. Homeowners who enroll by then can access the program’s discounted reverse-auction solar pricing, which has delivered average savings of 23%, or about $6,300, for participating households. Some localities may have extended enrollment windows, so check your area’s current deadline if October 15 has passed.
What Is the Switch Together Solar Program?
Switch Together is an optional, statewide solar group-purchasing initiative announced by Governor Spanberger’s office on July 13, 2026. It’s run by Solar United Neighbors (SUN), a national nonprofit, in partnership with local Virginia governments and the auction platform iChoosr, and it’s currently available in more than 100 Virginia localities.
The program works by pooling interested homeowners into a single buying group, then running a reverse auction where solar installers compete for the group’s business by offering their lowest, most competitive price.
According to Virginia’s Governor’s Office, participants save an average of 23%, or about $6,300, on a typical residential solar installation. The U.S. Department of the Treasury separately estimates that households adopting residential solar save around $2,200 a year on electricity costs.
Understanding the Switch Together Virginia Deadline
Group-buying programs like Switch Together depend on a critical mass of registered households before the reverse auction runs. October 15 is the date the 2026 statewide enrollment window is set to close, which is why the Switch Together Virginia deadline is being promoted with urgency this fall.
A few things worth knowing about the deadline itself:
- Signing up before the deadline doesn’t commit you to anything; it secures you a free, no-obligation recommendation on whether solar makes sense for your home.
- Missing the deadline in your locality generally means waiting for the next enrollment cycle, though Switch Together and similar Virginia group-buying campaigns (like Solarize Virginia) have extended or reopened enrollment windows in past cycles.
- A note on dates: some official Virginia sources have referenced enrollment periods extending later than October 15 in specific localities. Program timelines can vary by city or county and have shifted before, so confirm your area’s current deadline directly on the Switch Together website before deciding you’re out of time.
How Switch Together Helps Virginians Save on Solar
How does the group-buying model work?
Instead of each homeowner negotiating a price individually, Switch Together combines everyone who signs up in a region into one buying group. That group represents purchasing volume, enough for solar installers to compete aggressively for the business.
How do competitive reverse auctions lower installation costs?
In a reverse auction, the buyer (in this case, the homeowner group) doesn’t get bids driven up, installers compete against each other to offer the lowest price for a defined scope of work. Pre-qualified installers submit bids, and the most competitive offer is selected to serve the group. Because installers know they’re bidding for a batch of projects, they can afford to price more aggressively than they would for a one-off sale.
Who Is Eligible to Join Switch Together in Virginia?
Eligibility centers on location and property type:
- Homeowners and small businesses in one of the 100+ participating Virginia localities
- Properties with a roof suitable for a rooftop solar installation (confirmed during the program’s assessment step)
- No income requirement or credit check to simply register
Can renters or condo owners join?
Not directly, Switch Together is built around rooftop-owned systems, so renters and most condo owners typically aren’t eligible for this specific program. Separate Virginia legislation easing restrictions on balcony-mounted solar equipment is opening up smaller-scale options for renters and condo residents, but that’s a distinct path from Switch Together’s group-buying model.
What Homeowners Should Know Before Signing Up
- It’s free to register, and there’s no obligation to move forward with an installation.
- After you sign up, you’ll receive a personalized recommendation based on your home and energy use.
- A reservation fee applies only if you accept an installer’s offer and choose to proceed to a consultation.
- You aren’t limited to the installer Switch Together assigns, homeowners can also request a different participating installer or decline the offer altogether.
How the Switch Together Solar Process Works
| Step | What Happens |
| 1. Registration | Sign up online for free; no obligation to purchase |
| 2. Reverse Auction | Pre-vetted installers compete to offer the group’s best price |
| 3. Personal Recommendation | You receive a proposal based on your registration details |
| 4. Decision | Accept, decline, or request a different installer |
| 5. Consultation | If you accept, you pay a reservation fee and move to a consultation with your assigned installer |
What happens after I sign up on the platform?
You aren’t immediately connected to an installer. Switch Together first runs the group’s reverse auction, then sends you a no-obligation, personalized recommendation; the consultation only happens if you choose to move forward.
Solar Panels, Battery Storage, and Available Options
Switch Together’s scope isn’t limited to solar panels. Depending on your locality, the program also offers group-buying discounts on:
- Rooftop solar panel systems
- Battery storage (optional add-on)
- EV chargers
- Heat pumps (in select participating areas)
If you choose to go solar independently, Convert Solar offers its own equipment lineup, including solar panels from Silfab, REC, and Mission Solar, leading North American and European manufacturers, paired with U.S.-made Enphase inverters. As a trusted solar company in Richmond, we provide quality equipment options designed to deliver reliable performance and long-term energy savings.
For battery storage, Convert Solar installed the Tesla Powerwall 3, Enphase IQ Battery 5P, and Enphase IQ Battery 10C, with the Powerwall 3 generally the preferred recommendation. One battery is typically enough for essential, critical-load backup during an outage; whole-home backup generally requires two or more batteries.
Battery systems typically start around $18,000 installed, with the final price depending on equipment selection and system design, and battery warranties generally run 10–15 years depending on the manufacturer.
How Switch Together Savings Compare With Going Solar Independently
| Switch Together (Group Buying) | Going Solar Independently | |
| Pricing model | Reverse auction, installers compete for group volume | Individual quotes, negotiated one-on-one |
| Installer choice | Assigned installer, with option to decline/request another | You choose your installer directly |
| Enrollment window | Time-limited (registration closes on a set date) | Available year-round |
| Cost to register | Free, no obligation | No-obligation quotes are also typically free |
| Equipment options | Varies by installer and locality | Full visibility into equipment brands and specs upfront |
As a Virginia-specific reference point, residential solar has recently averaged around $2.65 per watt installed before incentives. But that statewide figure is most useful as a benchmark.
Recent 2026 market data shows how much pricing can vary across the Commonwealth:
| Virginia Market | Recent Average Installed Cost |
| Colonial Heights | $2.26/W |
| Harrisonburg | $2.28/W |
| Falls Church | $2.44/W |
| Yorktown | $2.51/W |
| Fairfax | $2.52/W |
| Gordonsville | $2.67/W |
| Shenandoah | $2.98/W |
That variation matters when evaluating a group-buying offer such as Switch Together Virginia. A discounted price should be compared with what a comparable solar installation would cost in your local market.
Your final price will also depend on your electricity usage, required system size, roof conditions, equipment selection, electrical work, and other project-specific requirements. For a deeper look at what goes into a Virginia solar quote, see our complete guide to solar costs in Virginia.
What Happens After the October 15 Deadline?
Can I still go solar after October 15? Yes. Missing the Switch Together enrollment window doesn’t mean your solar options disappear, it just means the group-buying/reverse-auction path closes until the next campaign cycle opens (Switch Together and similar Virginia programs have reopened enrollment before). Outside of Switch Together, homeowners can pursue a solar installation through a direct, no-obligation quote at any time of year, with no enrollment window to track.
Is Switch Together Right for Your Virginia Home?
Switch Together tends to make the most sense if:
- You want a structured, no-obligation way to test the waters on solar without shopping installers yourself
- You’re comfortable with a program-assigned installer (with the option to request a change)
- Your locality’s enrollment window is genuinely still open
Going solar independently may be a better fit if you want full visibility into installer selection and equipment options from the start, or if your area’s Switch Together Virginia deadline has already passed for this cycle.
How to Get Started Before the Switch Together Deadline
You have two ways to move forward before the Switch Together Virginia deadline:
- Register with Switch Together directly to see if the group-buying discount applies to your home.
- Book a free, no-obligation quote with Convert Solar to compare an independent assessment including Virginia-specific pricing, equipment options, and a proposal based on your home’s 12-month electricity usage alongside anything Switch Together offers.
Either path gets you a clearer picture of your options before the window closes. If you’d rather skip the group-buying auction altogether, book your free quote today and get a personalized recommendation built around your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Switch Together Virginia deadline?
The 2026 statewide campaign is set to close registration on October 15. Some localities have seen extended windows in past cycles, so confirm your specific area’s deadline on the Switch Together website if you’re near the date.
Is there a cost to register for Switch Together?
No. Registration is free, and there’s no obligation to purchase anything by signing up.
Am I committed to installing solar if I sign up?
No. Signing up only gets you a personalized, no-obligation recommendation. You decide separately whether to accept an installer’s offer, request a different installer, or walk away entirely.
Can I add battery storage through Switch Together?
Yes, battery storage is typically available as an optional add-on alongside the group-buying solar discount, depending on your locality.
Do participants qualify for federal or state solar tax credits?
The federal residential Section 25D solar tax credit, along with the federal residential battery credit, expired on December 31, 2025, and is no longer available for systems installed in 2026, regardless of whether you go solar through Switch Together or independently.
Virginia does still offer state-level benefits that apply either way: a property tax exemption for residential solar systems up to 25kW (Va. Code §58.1-3661), and a state sales tax exemption on solar equipment (Va. Code §58.1-609.10).
How are the participating solar installation companies vetted?
Installers go through a pre-qualification process before they’re eligible to bid in the reverse auction, which is intended to screen for company history and installation quality before they can compete for the group’s business.
What happens after I sign up on the platform?
You’ll receive a personalized recommendation after the group’s reverse auction is complete. From there, you choose whether to accept, decline, or request a different installer, nothing moves forward without your approval.
Can renters or condo owners join the group-buying initiative?
Generally, no, Switch Together is structured around rooftop-owned solar systems, so it’s primarily built for homeowners. Separate Virginia legislation on balcony-mounted solar is creating smaller-scale options for renters and condo owners, but that’s outside the scope of this program.
Can I still go solar after October 15?
Yes. You can still get a no-obligation solar quote at any time of year outside the Switch Together enrollment window, there’s no deadline to explore your options independently.
Have questions about how Virginia solar pricing, batteries, or net metering work outside the Switch Together program? See our related guides on net metering in Virginia, whether battery storage is worth it, and how much you can save with solar in Virginia.
