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 District of Columbia'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 District of Columbia'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

District of Columbia cancellation window

3 business days after signing

DC's home solicitation sales law lets you cancel a cash or credit sale of goods or services that a seller personally solicited at or near your home, where you agreed there, until midnight of the third business day after the day you sign.

Source: D.C. Code §28-3811 · Checked November 1, 2026

Conditions that matter

  • Cancel by written notice to the seller's address in the agreement. No special form is needed, and a mailed notice counts once it is properly addressed, stamped, and in the mailbox. If the seller did not include the required Buyer's Right to Cancel statement, you can cancel in any written or other way that shows you intend to cancel.
  • Within 10 days after you cancel, the seller must return all payments and any note you signed, and it cannot keep a cancellation fee. The seller is not entitled to payment for services performed before you canceled. Goods the seller does not ask for within a reasonable time become yours, and 40 days is presumed reasonable.
  • Does not apply to sales under an existing revolving credit account, sales that follow negotiations at the seller's fixed business location, or emergencies you requested where the seller has substantially begun work in good faith and you signed a separate waiver.

The law covers sales, so it may not clearly cover a solar lease or power purchase agreement. DC has no solar-specific cancellation law that we found as of this check. D.C. Code §34-1521 requires disclosures for community solar subscriptions but gives no cancellation right. Section 28-3811 was last amended in 2003.

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.

Where to get help in District of Columbia

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.

Contractor licensing and complaints

DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP)

Home improvement contractors and salespeople must be licensed by DLCP. File or track a complaint about a licensed professional here.

Visit the official page (202) 671-4500

Consumer protection

Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Consumer and Tenant Response

Every complaint is reviewed and assigned to an investigator or paralegal who may mediate with the business. It cannot act as your private lawyer.

Visit the official page 202-442-9828

Utility billing and service

DC Public Service Commission, Office of Consumer Services

Contact your utility first. Consumer specialists help with disputes involving Pepco, Washington Gas, and other regulated providers.

Visit the official page (202) 626-5120

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.

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.