Massachusetts at a glance

Massachusetts gives solar buyers three strong tools: the home improvement contractor law, the state consumer protection law (Chapter 93A), and a required SMART program disclosure form that even lists dealer fees. If your installer skipped any of these, you may have more options than you think.

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 Massachusetts'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 Massachusetts'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.

See my options

Your right to cancel

Massachusetts cancellation window

3 business days for contracts signed at home

A home improvement contract signed in your home, or anywhere other than the contractor's office, must include a notice that you can cancel within three business days. Work may not begin until that period has passed.

Source: M.G.L. c. 142A; Massachusetts HIC sample contract language · Checked November 7, 2026

Conditions that matter

  • If you cancel, payments and trade-ins must be returned within ten business days, and any security interest from the deal is canceled.
  • The Home Improvement Contractor Law covers registered contractors working on existing owner-occupied homes. Licensed electricians working only within their trade do not have to register, so check who your contractor is.
  • Separate state rules for the SMART solar incentive program add pricing and savings disclosures for third-party owned systems.

Massachusetts also has a general door-to-door sales cancellation law. Which rule applies can depend on who sold the system and where you signed.

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 Massachusetts

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.

M.G.L. c. 142A

Home Improvement Contractor Law

Contractors doing residential work over $1,000 must be registered, and the contract must include specific terms, including the payment schedule and your three-day right to cancel. If you hired a registered contractor, you may be able to use the state arbitration program and the Home Improvement Guaranty Fund.

M.G.L. c. 93A

Consumer Protection Act

Prohibits unfair and deceptive business practices. Before suing, you usually must send the company a written demand letter and wait 30 days. Courts can award double or triple damages and attorney's fees for willful violations.

225 CMR 28.00 (SMART 3.0)

SMART program customer disclosure

Systems enrolled in the state's SMART incentive must come with a signed customer disclosure form. The current form for purchased systems lists the final price and the amount of dealer fees or other finance charges built into it, who owns the incentives and tax credits, and any production guarantees.

How your utility credits solar in Massachusetts

Net metering for most home systems

Most home solar systems in Massachusetts qualify for net metering under Department of Public Utilities rules, and excess credits carry forward on your bill. Your SMART incentive is a separate payment. Check whether your savings estimate counted SMART payments or credits that went to the installer or lease company instead of you.

Source: Massachusetts Attorney General: Solar FAQ

Check your Massachusetts solar contract

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

  • The contractor has an active Home Improvement Contractor registration.
  • You received and signed a SMART customer disclosure form.
  • The disclosure shows the dealer fees or finance charges included in your price.
  • The disclosure says who owns the SMART payments and tax credits.
  • The contract includes the three-day cancellation notice.

Where to get help in Massachusetts

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.

Consumer protection

Massachusetts Attorney General, Consumer Advocacy and Response Division

Takes complaints about home improvement contracts, business closures, and utility bill disputes, and offers mediation.

Visit the official page 617-727-8400

Contractor complaints and lookup

Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, Home Improvement Contractor Program

Check a contractor's registration and complaint history on the MA Contractor Hub, file a complaint, request arbitration, or apply to the Guaranty Fund (up to $25,000 for unpaid judgments).

Visit the official page 617-973-8787

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.

Massachusetts solar questions

What is a 93A demand letter?

Before suing under Chapter 93A, you usually send the company a written letter describing the unfair or deceptive practice and the harm it caused. The company has 30 days to make a reasonable settlement offer. A lawyer can help you write one.

My SMART disclosure lists a dealer fee. Is that normal?

The form is designed to show it. A large dealer fee means part of what you borrowed went to the lender, not the panels. You can estimate yours with our dealer fee calculator.

Who do I contact about a Massachusetts solar company?

The Attorney General's Consumer Advocacy and Response Division at 617-727-8400 handles complaints and mediation. Registration problems go to the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.

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.