The federal baseline
The FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule generally gives you until midnight of the third business day to cancel a sale of $25 or more made at your home, which covers most door-to-door solar sales. The seller must give you a cancellation form and tell you about the right. State laws often go further: some give more days, some give older homeowners more time, and some write solar-specific rules.
When more than one rule applies, you generally get the longest window. Your contract should state your deadline. If it does not, that may matter too.
State by state
The window, the main condition, and the law behind it. Click a state for complaint contacts and full details.
Business days usually exclude Sundays and holidays. Some rules apply only to certain sales, such as financed sales or sales made at home; the state pages explain the conditions.
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See my optionsStates with longer windows
These states give more than the basic 3 days, at least for some sales or some homeowners:
- Alaska: 5 business days after signing
- California: 3 business days, or 5 if you are 65 or older
- Georgia: 30 business days for qualifying solar sales
- Illinois: 3 business days (15 if you are 65 or older)
- Maryland: 5 business days (7 if you are 65 or older)
- Nevada: 3 business days, or 10 if you are 60 or older
- North Dakota: 3 business days after signing (15 if you are 65 or older)
- Rhode Island: 7 days after signing
- South Carolina: 10 calendar days
- Texas: 5 business days
How to cancel in time
- Find your deadline. Count from the day you signed, or the day you received the contract or notice if your state says so.
- Write it down. A signed, dated notice that names the company, the contract, and the date you signed, and says you are canceling. Our cancellation letter builder does this for you.
- Send it the way the contract says, plus a second way you can prove, such as certified mail or email with a read receipt.
- Keep everything: the notice, proof of sending, and every reply.
- Watch for the refund. Under the federal rule, the seller has 10 days to cancel and return payments. If it refuses, see how to file a solar complaint.
Common questions
How long do I have to cancel a solar contract?
In most states, at least 3 business days after you sign when the sale happens at your home. Some states give longer, especially for older homeowners. Find your state in the table above, and check your contract, which should state the deadline.
Do weekends count in the cancellation period?
Usually not. Most rules count business days, which generally exclude Sundays and federal holidays. Many count Saturdays. Your state’s rule and your contract control.
How do I cancel a solar contract in the cooling-off period?
In writing, before the deadline, using the method your contract lists. Sign and date a notice, send it in a way you can prove, and keep a copy. Our free cancellation letter builder helps you write it.
What if the cancellation period has passed?
You may still have options, especially if you never received the required cancellation notice or were misled about the deal. Read canceling after installation and misled by a solar salesperson.
Does the federal Cooling-Off Rule apply to solar?
It generally covers sales of $25 or more made at your home or another temporary location, which includes most door-to-door solar sales. It gives you until midnight of the third business day. State laws often add more.
Sources
- FTC: Buyer’s remorse, the FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule
- 16 CFR Part 429, Cooling-Off Rule
- Each state’s statute, linked in the table above.
General information, not legal advice.
This table summarizes each state’s main rule. It can’t tell you whether a right applies to your contract. For that, talk with a licensed attorney in your state.