Fill Out IRS Form 5695 Online
Residential Energy Credits
Internal Revenue Service
Claims residential clean energy and energy efficient home improvement tax credits.
Reviewed July 2026
How it works
- 1
Open the form. The official PDF loads straight into the editor, no download needed first.
- 2
Fill it out in the editor. Click anywhere to type, add checkmarks and place your signature.
- 3
Download your PDF. Save the completed form, ready to print or submit.
IRS Form 5695, Residential Energy Credits, is used to claim two credits for energy improvements to your home: the Residential Clean Energy Credit for systems like solar panels and geothermal heat pumps, and the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit for upgrades like insulation, windows, and heat pumps.
You can fill out Form 5695 in the Universal PDF editor, entering your project costs directly into the form, and download the completed PDF for your records. The form is filed with your Form 1040, and the credit flows through Schedule 3.
What is Form 5695 used for
Form 5695 calculates residential energy credits. Part I covers the Residential Clean Energy Credit, which applies to qualified clean energy property such as solar electric panels, solar water heaters, wind turbines, geothermal heat pumps, fuel cells, and battery storage technology.
Part II covers the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, which applies to qualifying improvements such as exterior doors and windows, insulation and air sealing materials, central air conditioners, heat pumps, water heaters, and home energy audits. Both credits are computed as a percentage of qualified costs, with limits described in the instructions.
Who needs to file Form 5695
Homeowners who installed qualifying energy property or made qualifying efficiency improvements during the tax year file Form 5695 to claim the credits. The clean energy credit generally applies to your main home and in some cases a second home, while the home improvement credit generally applies to an existing main home; the instructions define the rules for each credit.
Renters can qualify for certain items in limited situations, and special calculations apply for homes with joint occupants. The credits are nonrefundable, and the Residential Clean Energy Credit allows unused amounts to carry forward to future years.
How to fill out Form 5695
Keep your receipts and any manufacturer certification statements, and note that annual limits apply to several categories; check the current amounts in the official instructions.
- Part I: enter the cost of each type of clean energy property, such as solar electric, solar water heating, wind, geothermal, battery storage, and fuel cell property, and answer the questions about the home where it was installed.
- Apply the credit percentage for the year, add any carryforward from the prior year, and apply the tax liability limit to find this year's credit and any carryforward.
- Part II: answer the questions about the home and whether it is your main home, then enter costs by category for improvements like insulation, windows, doors, heat pumps, and energy audits.
- Apply the per-category and annual limits from the instructions, and for items placed in service in recent years, include any required product identification number for the property.
- Carry the totals to Schedule 3 of Form 1040.
Frequently asked questions
The Residential Clean Energy Credit in Part I covers renewable energy systems like solar, wind, geothermal, and battery storage. The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit in Part II covers efficiency upgrades like insulation, windows, doors, heat pumps, and energy audits.
The Residential Clean Energy Credit allows unused amounts to carry forward. The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit does not carry forward, so it only offsets tax in the year of the improvement.
The residential credits are for homes you use as a residence, not properties used solely as rentals. Business or rental use of part of your home can affect the calculation, as described in the instructions.
No. Both credits are nonrefundable, meaning they reduce your tax liability but do not generate a refund beyond it.
Keep purchase records and any manufacturer certification statements with your tax records. Recent rules also require a product identification number for certain items claimed under the home improvement credit, as explained in the instructions.
Yes. The home improvement credit has annual and per-category limits, and fuel cell property has its own limitation. The current amounts are listed in the Form 5695 instructions.
Related forms
Universal PDF is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Forms are provided from official government sources; always confirm you have the current version before filing.