California at a glance

California has more rules for home solar sales than any other state. Your contract has to carry a state disclosure page, your salesperson has to be registered with the contractor board, and the way your utility credits your power changed in 2023. If a salesperson used old savings numbers or skipped the paperwork, those are the places to look.

If you were misled, you have options

Being told your bill would disappear, that the system was free, that a tax credit would pay off the loan, or that you were only signing up for an inspection can all matter, even long after a cancellation window has closed.

  1. Your state's consumer protection law. Every state has a law against deceptive and unfair business practices. False promises about savings, costs, tax credits, or who you were dealing with may fall under California's law.
  2. Missing paperwork and disclosures. Many states require specific disclosures and a written cancellation notice. If you never received them, a deadline may not have started, or the contract may have other problems.
  3. Your lender may share responsibility. When a seller arranges your financing, federal rules often let you raise the same claims against the lender that you have against the seller, up to the amount you paid. Check your loan for a notice about the FTC Holder Rule.
  4. Official complaints. Complaints to California's agencies are free, create a record, and can lead to mediation or an investigation.
  5. Professional help. A solar attorney or solar exit company can review your documents and tell you which of these options fit your situation.

Not sure which option fits? Tell us what happened and we will help you see your options. It takes about two minutes.

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Your right to cancel

California cancellation window

3 business days, or 5 if you are 65 or older

You can cancel a home solar contract for any reason by midnight of the third business day after you received a signed, dated copy. If you are 65 or older, you have five business days.

Source: Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §7159; CPUC Solar Consumer Protection Guide · Checked November 7, 2026

Conditions that matter

  • Send the notice by email, mail, fax, or hand delivery to the solar provider.
  • Different rules can apply to contracts negotiated at the company's place of business.
  • If the provider refuses to cancel, report it to the Contractors State License Board.

Your solar provider must give you the CSLB Solar Energy System Disclosure Document and the CPUC Solar Consumer Protection Guide before you sign.

Canceling one agreement does not always cancel another. A separate loan, lease, or power purchase agreement can have its own terms, so check each document you signed. If the sale was made in Spanish or another language, read your rights when a contract is not in your language. To compare deadlines, see the cancellation period in every state.

Laws that protect you in California

These are the state laws that come up most often in solar disputes here. Each one links to the official text or the agency that enforces it.

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §7159

Home improvement contract law

A solar installation is a home improvement contract. It must be in writing, list the contractor's license number, describe the work and the payment schedule, and include the right to cancel notice. The down payment can't be more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the price, whichever is less (§7159.5).

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §7169

Solar Energy System Disclosure Document

Since January 1, 2019, the front page of every residential solar contract must be the CSLB disclosure document, printed in bold 16-point type. It shows the total cost and payments, including financing costs. The contract and disclosure must be in the language the salesperson mainly used with you.

Cal. Civ. Code §1770

Consumers Legal Remedies Act

Lists specific deceptive practices, such as misrepresenting the benefits of a product or the terms of a deal. Homeowners can bring claims under this law for false savings or tax credit promises.

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §17200

Unfair Competition Law

Covers any unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business practice. The Attorney General and district attorneys use it against solar companies, and it can also support a homeowner's own claim.

How your utility credits solar in California

Net billing for systems that applied on or after April 15, 2023

If your system's interconnection application went to PG&E, SCE, or SDG&E on or after April 15, 2023, you are on the Net Billing Tariff, often called NEM 3.0. Power you send to the grid earns much less than the retail rate, so savings depend heavily on how much you use at home and whether you have a battery. Homes that applied before that date generally keep their older net metering plan for 20 years from interconnection. If your salesperson showed savings based on the old plan, that is worth raising.

Source: CPUC: Net Energy Metering and Net Billing

Check your California solar contract

Pull out your paperwork and look for these. Anything missing is worth noting in a complaint or showing to an attorney.

  • The CSLB Solar Energy System Disclosure Document is the first page of your contract.
  • The contractor's license number is on the contract, and the salesperson's registration checks out on the CSLB website.
  • You received the CPUC Solar Consumer Protection Guide before signing.
  • The down payment was no more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the price.
  • Savings estimates were based on the Net Billing Tariff if you applied after April 15, 2023.
  • Your contract and disclosure are in the language the salesperson used with you.

Where to get help in California

These are official agencies. Filing a complaint is free. An agency can investigate or mediate, but most cannot act as your lawyer or guarantee a refund.

Installer and salesperson complaints

Contractors State License Board (CSLB)

Licenses solar contractors and home improvement salespeople. Has a dedicated solar complaint form and a license check.

Visit the official page 800-321-2752

Lender and PACE problems

Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)

Regulates many solar lenders and PACE financing providers.

Visit the official page

Consumer protection

California Attorney General, Public Inquiry Unit

Accepts complaints of all types. The office uses them to decide whether to investigate and cannot act as your lawyer.

Visit the official page 800-952-5225

Utility billing and interconnection

California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)

For disputes with PG&E, SCE, or SDG&E over solar billing or connecting to the grid. Publishes the state's Solar Consumer Protection Guide.

Visit the official page 800-649-7570

Before you contact anyone

  1. Gather every document you signed. The sales or installation agreement, any loan, lease, or power purchase agreement, and any change orders.
  2. Identify each company. The seller, installer, lender, and current servicer may be different businesses. Your latest statement shows who services your account now.
  3. Write down the timeline. When you were contacted, when you signed, when work started, and every promise made about savings or cost.
  4. Keep proof of every notice. Save emails, certified mail receipts, and the date you sent anything.

Guides for your situation

Questions to ask

  • Which agreement am I trying to cancel or change, and who is the other party to it?
  • What does my agreement say about cancellation, notice, and where to send it?
  • Did the seller give me the cancellation notice and disclosures required in my state?
  • Is my loan separate from my installation contract, and what happens to it if the contract is canceled?
  • Was a dealer fee built into my loan? Estimate it with our calculator.

California solar questions

My salesperson never gave me the disclosure document. What does that mean?

The CSLB disclosure must be the front page of every home solar contract in California. If it is missing, note that in a complaint to the Contractors State License Board and mention it to any attorney who reviews your contract. A missing required document can matter even after the cancellation window has closed.

I was told my bill would be close to zero, but my savings are much lower. Why?

One common reason is the Net Billing Tariff. Systems that applied on or after April 15, 2023 earn far less for exported power than older systems. If your quote used the old net metering math, the savings estimate may have been wrong from the start.

Who do I complain to about my solar loan or PACE assessment?

The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation regulates many solar lenders and PACE providers. Installer and salesperson problems go to the Contractors State License Board. You can file with both.

Do I have more time to cancel if I'm a senior?

Yes. If you are 65 or older, you have five business days instead of three to cancel a home improvement contract, including a solar contract.

National resources

General information, not legal advice.

This page can’t tell you whether a right applies to your agreement. For that, contact a licensed attorney or the agencies above.

Other states

Solar rules change at the state line. See every state and the review status of each.