A man tearing a contract in half at his desk

Which cancellation right applies

Up to three different rules can give you a right to cancel:

  • Your state’s law. Many states have a solar-specific law or a home solicitation law. Windows range from three business days to ten calendar days. Find yours on our state solar laws page.
  • The federal Cooling-Off Rule. It generally covers sales of $25 or more made at your home, and sales of $130 or more at a seller’s temporary location, with three business days to cancel.
  • Your contract. Some contracts give more time than the law requires. Read the cancellation section and the cover page.

When more than one applies, you can use whichever gives you the most time.

How to count the days

Read your rule carefully, because the details change the deadline.

  • Business or calendar days. Under the federal rule, Saturday counts as a business day. Some states exclude Saturdays. Sundays and legal holidays almost never count.
  • When the clock starts. Usually the day after you sign. In some states it starts when you receive a copy of the contract, or, in Colorado, after a required welcome call.
  • Missing notice. If the seller never gave you the required cancellation notice or form, many laws say the window has not started.

When in doubt, assume the earliest possible deadline and send your notice now.

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How to send your notice

  1. Use the cancellation form attached to your contract if you have one. If not, a signed and dated letter works under most laws. Say you are canceling the agreement, and include your name, address, and the contract date.
  2. Send it the way your contract or state law allows. Certified mail with return receipt is the safest choice. Many laws and contracts also allow email. Do both if you can.
  3. Keep copies of everything: the notice, the receipt, the email, and the date and time you sent it.
  4. Cancel any financing too. If the loan was arranged through the seller, send the same notice to the lender.

After you cancel

Most laws require the seller to refund your payments within about ten days and to cancel any related loan or security interest. Do not let installers start work during the window. If equipment was already delivered, follow the instructions in your state’s law or the notice for making it available for pickup.

If the company ignores your cancellation, keeps work moving, or says you cannot cancel, file a complaint with your state attorney general and keep your proof of sending. Our complaint guide shows where.

If your window has closed

A closed window does not mean you have no options. If you were misled about savings, costs, tax credits, or what you were signing, read misled by a solar salesperson. If the system is installed, see canceling after installation for the realistic paths.

Common questions

Can I cancel by phone?

Usually you need written notice, though Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court ruled in 2026 that a home improvement contract can be canceled by any notice the contractor actually receives. Even where a call counts, follow up in writing so you have proof.

The salesperson said I waived my right to cancel. Is that true?

Most cancellation laws cannot be waived, except in narrow emergency situations that require a handwritten statement from you. A pre-printed waiver in a sales packet usually does not count.

What if installation already started during the window?

Many state laws say you can still cancel and owe nothing for the work. Check your state’s page and send your notice anyway.

Sources

  1. FTC: Buyer’s Remorse, the FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule. Coverage, the $25 and $130 thresholds, and exclusions
  2. 16 CFR Part 429 (Cooling-Off Rule). Seller duties, including the refund deadline
  3. PA Office of Attorney General: Supreme Court ruling on canceling home improvement contracts. April 2026 ruling that cancellation need not be in writing

General information, not legal advice.

This guide can’t tell you whether a right applies to your agreement. For that, talk with a licensed attorney in your state.