PV module warranty types

A solar panel installation is covered by several separate warranties, issued by different parties and running for different lengths. The panel manufacturer gives a product warranty against defects and a performance warranty on output. The installer gives a workmanship warranty on the fitting. A labour warranty, where one exists, covers the cost of removing and refitting a failed panel.

Product, performance and workmanship: what each covers

Three warranties apply to the panels themselves, and a fourth covers the labour to replace one.

Warranty	Given by	Covers	Typical length
Product	Panel manufacturer	Defects in materials and manufacturing	10 to 25 years
Performance	Panel manufacturer	A minimum share of rated output over time	25 to 30 years
Workmanship	Installer	The quality of the installation	2 to 10 years
Labour	Manufacturer or installer	Removing and refitting a failed panel	Varies; sometimes bundled

The inverter carries its own separate warranty, usually 5 to 12 years, covered in the inverter entries rather than here.

What the product warranty covers, and what it excludes

The product warranty covers faults that start in manufacturing: defective cells, failed junction boxes, delamination (the layers of the panel separating), corrosion of internal parts and glass that breaks because of an internal defect rather than an impact.

Most panels carry a product warranty of 10 to 25 years. The exact figure tracks the market segment, with budget panels at the lower end and manufacturers increasingly offering 25 years on premium residential panels. A small number of manufacturers offer 30 to 40 years.

The warranty does not cover damage from outside the panel. Accident, vandalism, fire, hail and high winds fall outside it, as do unauthorised modifications, installation by a non-approved fitter and failure to carry out required maintenance. Some manufacturers also require the monitoring system to stay connected and faults to be reported promptly.

What the performance warranty guarantees

The performance warranty guarantees that the panel will still produce at least a stated share of its original rated output after a set number of years. Output falls gradually as the cells age under sunlight and temperature cycling, and the warranty puts a floor under that fall rather than promising it will not happen.

The term usually runs 25 to 30 years, longer than the product warranty. The guaranteed floor at year 25 is commonly 80 to 85% for mainstream panels and 85 to 92% for premium ones, with UK panels most often in the mid-80s. It reflects the panel’s tier rather than a single settled number, so rely on the specific panel’s datasheet.

Panels built with newer N-type cells or glass-on-glass construction tend to carry longer terms and higher end-of-term figures, reflecting their slower degradation. The rates at which different cell types lose output are set out in the degradation entry.

Manufacturer product and performance terms compared

The figures below vary by product line and market. Treat them as the general shape and confirm the exact terms for a specific model before relying on them.

Panel	Product	Performance	Output guaranteed at end of term
REC Alpha Pure	25 years	25 years	92% at year 25
Qcells	25 years	25 years	86% at year 25
Canadian Solar TOPHiKu6	25 years	30 years	87.4% at year 30
Jinko Tiger Neo	12 to 25 years	30 years	87.4% at year 30
LONGi Hi-MO 6 / X6	12 to 15 years	25 years	~84.8% at year 25
Silfab	25 years	30 years	82.6% at year 30
Recom Tech	25 years	25 years	Not stated

Budget lines from the same brands run shorter: Canadian Solar’s HiKu6 carries a 12-year product warranty against the TOPHiKu6’s 25.
REC’s cover, through its ProTrust programme, includes labour, which most manufacturer warranties leave out.
A UK Qcells line guarantees 85% output at year 25.

Brands commonly associated with strong warranty terms include AIKO, DMEG, JA Solar, Qcells and SolarEdge, alongside REC, Silfab, Canadian Solar, Jinko and LONGi.

The workmanship warranty and the MCS minimum

The workmanship warranty comes from the installer and covers the quality of the fitting: roof brackets and their waterproofing, cable routing, electrical connections and the mounting of the inverter. It does not cover manufacturing faults in the panels, which fall to the product warranty.

The MCS requires every certified installer to give domestic customers a workmanship warranty of at least two years, and that warranty must be transferable to a new owner of the property. Many established installers go further, offering 5 to 10 years. The manufacturer’s product and performance warranties usually transfer to a new owner as well, but the terms vary by manufacturer, so a buyer should check the specific warranty document.

If the installer stops trading

If the installer goes out of business, its workmanship warranty can be lost. An insurance-backed guarantee (IBG) covers that gap: it is an insurance policy that stands behind the installer’s workmanship guarantee, so claims can still be made if the installer ceases trading during the guarantee period. MCS requires an IBG for domestic installations, and the maximum period it can cover is 10 years. The policy only takes effect once the premium is paid and the physical policy document has been issued to the customer, so both should be in hand.

Since 16 December 2024 MCS is no longer an appointed representative of the IBG provider IWA, and MCS-approved financial protection products are replacing the older IBG arrangement under its redeveloped scheme. As at 22 July 2026, installers could use either route, so the protection on a given job depends on when and under which scheme it was installed. The policy document, insurer and exact cover matter more than an undated list of participating providers.

The manufacturer’s product and performance warranties still stand if the installer fails, provided the panels are MCS-certified. The RECC (Renewable Energy Consumer Code) and HIES consumer codes can also help if the installer has ceased trading.

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 sits alongside the warranties

Separately from any manufacturer warranty, the seller, meaning the installer or retailer that sold the system, has duties under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. A consumer can complain about faulty goods for up to six years after purchase, or five years in Scotland. This route can still apply after a manufacturer’s warranty has expired or when the manufacturer has gone out of business, because it is the seller who is liable. A manufacturer’s warranty cannot reduce these statutory rights.

Conditions that can void cover

Warranties come with conditions, and breaking them can invalidate a claim.

Maintenance and inspection. Some manufacturers require periodic inspection, registration or monitoring to keep cover valid. Read the current written terms for the exact product, because these conditions and the organisation standing behind them can change.
Monitoring stays connected. Where a warranty depends on generation data, disconnecting the monitoring or failing to report a fault promptly can void it.
Only MCS-certified professionals work on the system. Repairs or modifications by anyone else can invalidate cover.
Correct handling on the roof. Walking on panels during installation, cleaning or inspection creates micro-cracks that void the warranty, and incorrectly positioned mounting clamps have led to rejected claims. Manufacturers may ask for photographs as evidence.

Making a claim, and why claims are uncommon

The first call is to the installer, who diagnoses the fault and coordinates with the manufacturer. If the installer is unavailable or has ceased trading, the manufacturer can be approached directly using the panel serial numbers and the MCS certificate. A claim usually needs the installation paperwork, the MCS certificate, generation data from the monitoring, photographs of any visible fault and maintenance records. Where the seller is still trading, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives a parallel route.

Panel warranty claims are harder to exercise than they look. Panel models change quickly, so finding a replacement of the same output and dimensions after a few years is unlikely. The cost of scaffolding, fault diagnosis and labour can be more than the value of the panel being replaced. Any financial compensation is usually based on the panel’s depreciated market value, which can be below what was paid. A performance claim is hard to prove, because without an obvious defect, confirming that output has dropped below the warranted level needs specialised measuring equipment. Owners on UK forums report that claims on panel warranties are rare, partly because the panels themselves seldom fail.

What “lifetime” and extended warranties mean

A lifetime warranty refers to the lifetime of the product, not the lifetime of the buyer. If the manufacturer stops making that panel after a year or two, the warranty ends with it.

Extended warranties are most common on inverters, where cover can be bought up to 20 to 25 years for an additional fee. This brings the inverter’s warranty into line with the longer panel terms, since a standard inverter warranty of 5 to 12 years would otherwise expire well before the panels do.

Solar panel degradation rates - how module output falls over time by cell type, and how the performance warranty puts a floor under it
Monocrystalline PV modules - cell types including N-type, and how construction affects durability and warranty length
MCS - the scheme behind the two-year workmanship minimum and the insurance-backed guarantee requirement
RECC and HIES consumer codes - the consumer protection codes and insurance-backed guarantees that cover an installer ceasing to trade
Battery warranty throughput limits - the equivalent warranty structure for home batteries, based on years, cycles and energy throughput