How to get out of
a Tesla solar contract.

Which Tesla solar contract do you have?

• Purchased system (cash or loan). You own the panels. If you have a Tesla loan or a third-party loan, such as Mosaic or Sunlight, your exit questions are about the loan. See how to get out of a solar loan.
• Legacy SolarCity lease or PPA. Tesla completed its acquisition of SolarCity on November 21, 2016. SolarCity lease and PPA customers now use a Tesla Account to pay bills and review documents. Tesla’s transfer pages also cover MyPower loans.
• Tesla solar subscription. Tesla once offered a monthly solar subscription. Its current purchasing page lists cash, Tesla financing, and a lease, not a subscription. Existing subscriptions still appear in Tesla’s transfer process.
• New Tesla lease. Tesla’s current lease runs 25 years for solar, with payments that rise 3 percent a year.

Your agreement controls. Download it from your Tesla Account before you decide anything. Look for the sections on purchase options, prepayment, transfer on sale, and removal, because those set your real exits. Tesla support is reached through the Question Center in your Tesla Account.

Canceling a Tesla solar order before installation

Tesla’s support FAQ says you can cancel an order in your Tesla Account by opening Details and choosing Cancel Order, with a full refund "if eligible." Eligibility is set by Tesla’s Energy Order Terms. The version we reviewed lets either side cancel in writing before Tesla delivers materials to your home. It also says that if you cancel, your deposit and upfront fees are not refundable.

The law can give you more. The federal Cooling-Off Rule generally covers sales made at your home, with three business days to cancel and a refund due within 10 days. It does not cover sales made entirely online. Many states have their own solar or home solicitation windows. Check yours on our state solar laws page, cancel in writing, and keep proof. See canceling before installation.

After installation: buyouts and prepayment

Once a leased system is installed, there is usually no right to simply cancel. The exits are in the agreement.

• Current Tesla lease. Tesla’s lease page says you can buy the system after year five at the price in your contract. Other early payoff is not currently available. At the end of the term you can renew for five years, buy at fair market value, or have Tesla remove the system, with a removal cost.
• SolarCity leases and PPAs. Tesla does not publish buyout terms for these. Its FAQ says your lease contract includes the pricing and buyout specifics. Ask Tesla support in writing for a quote and how it was calculated. Compare it to your remaining payments and to the cost of a similar new system.
• Tesla loan. You can pay it off. Tesla Finance provides the UCC-1 release once the loan is paid in full.

Transferring your agreement when you sell

Tesla says about 98 percent of its solar agreements transfer to the new owner. For a PPA, lease, MyPower loan, or subscription, Tesla’s published process is:

• Log in to your Tesla Account, open the system, and choose Transfer system ownership once you are under contract with a buyer.
• Enter the buyer and escrow details. Tesla contacts the buyer and sends the transfer agreement for e-signature.
• Tesla releases any title document it recorded. A $150 document processing fee usually applies, and the account must be in good standing.
• Any outstanding balance or prepayment is due at or before closing. A final invoice follows within two billing cycles.

Only the system owner can start the transfer, and the buyer continues the existing term rather than starting over. Tesla says it re-files the title notice 60 days after a release unless you tell it the sale changed or fell through.

For a purchased system, remove yourself in the Tesla app under Remove and Transfer Ownership after any loan is settled.

Removal, reinstallation, and relocation

Removing panels for roof work does not pause your agreement. Tesla says your contract stays active and monthly payments continue.

• Request it in the Tesla app under Support, then Panel Removal & Reinstallation. Tesla says it follows up in about 7 to 10 business days.
• Pricing follows your energy contract, and removal and reinstallation are billed separately.
• Reinstallation requires a 30-day wait after reroofing. Permits can take up to about two months.
• Using your own contractor may void your warranty.

Tesla offers relocation to a new home only for a PPA or lease, only when you are selling, and only if the new home is in an area Tesla serves.

If you were misled, and how to complain

If you were promised savings that never came, a payment that would not rise, or a tax credit you could not use, those facts can support a complaint or claim. Read misled by a solar salesperson, and tell us what happened.

Put your complaint to Tesla in writing through your Tesla Account and save every reply. If that fails, file with your state attorney general. For a Tesla loan or another solar loan, you can also file with the CFPB. See our complaint guide and complaint letter builder.

Government actions involving Tesla solar

In September 2017, SolarCity agreed to pay $29.5 million to resolve U.S. Department of Justice allegations that it inflated the cost of solar systems in federal grant claims to the Treasury. The Justice Department said the claims were allegations only, with no determination of liability. That case was about federal grants, not homeowner contracts.

We did not find a state attorney general settlement or lawsuit over Tesla or SolarCity residential solar sales. We will update this page if that changes.

Related guides

• Solar lease exit guide
• Solar PPA exit guide
• Canceling before installation
• Solar filings when you sell
• Cancellation letter builder