Guide
You signed at the door. Here is how to cancel a solar contract.
Federal law gives three business days for a contract signed at home, and several states give solar contracts their own longer window. How to use it.
Updated September 18, 20261 min readAwaiting expert review
Written from primary sources by our editorial team. A credentialed reviewer hasn't signed off yet, so this page isn't in search results. It's information, not professional advice.
Not sure where to start? Take the Solar Check.About 2 minutes. Rough answers are fine.Door-to-door solar selling is the reason a lot of consumer-protection law exists. If you signed at home and would rather not have, you almost certainly have at least three business days.
The federal floor
The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule at 16 CFR 429.1 lets you cancel a sale made at your home until midnight of the third business day. No reason required, no penalty, and anything paid returns within ten business days.
Your state may give more
Solar has its own disclosure statutes in several states, sometimes with longer cancellation windows, precisely because of how it has been sold. Our tool lists what we have verified state by state, and your state consumer protection office can confirm what applies where you live.
Then buy properly, if you still want to
Run the numbers yourself, get the price per watt, and compare the four payment structures. Start with what solar costs to install and cash, loan, lease or PPA.
Bottom line
Count from the day after you signed, send written notice, and keep proof. Then take the time the decision deserves.
Common questions
How long do I have?
At least three business days under federal law for a sale made at your home. Several states give solar contracts a longer window, so check your state as well.
Does it apply to a lease or PPA?
The federal rule covers sales made at your home, and long-term solar agreements signed at the door are exactly the situation it addresses. Check your own contract's cancellation clause too.
What if the system is already scheduled?
The right does not disappear because work has been scheduled. Cancel in writing inside the window and say so clearly.
Who can help if the company refuses?
Your state consumer protection office, free of charge, and in several states there are solar-specific disclosure rules they enforce.
Sources
- eCFR: 16 CFR 429.1 — The Rule
- FTC consumer advice: Buyer's remorse — the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule may help
- USA.gov: State consumer protection offices
- FTC consumer advice: How to avoid a home improvement scam
- CFPB: report on solar lending
By SolarRealCost Editorial Team. First published September 18, 2026. Advertiser disclosure
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