New York at a glance

In New York, a solar contract is a home improvement contract under state law, with required notices and a three-day right to cancel. Lease and power purchase agreement providers are also overseen by the Public Service Commission. Residential net metering continues, but systems connected since 2022 pay a monthly charge that sales quotes sometimes leave out.

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 New York'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 New York'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

New York cancellation window

3 business days for home improvement contracts

A home improvement contract must tell you that you can cancel until midnight of the third business day after you signed. The New York Attorney General describes this as an unconditional right to cancel in writing.

Source: N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law §771(1)(h) · Checked November 7, 2026

Conditions that matter

  • Cancel in writing. Keep proof of when you sent it.
  • The right does not apply if you contacted the contractor for a genuine emergency and signed a separate handwritten statement waiving it.
  • Solar companies registered with the state as distributed energy resource suppliers must also include a three business day right to cancel in their agreements.

Home improvement contracts over $500 must be in writing. A separate loan from a lender may have its own terms.

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 New York

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.

N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law §771

Home improvement contract law

Your solar contract must be in writing and include the contractor's name and address, start and completion dates, a description of the work and materials, the price and payment schedule, and a notice of your right to cancel within three business days. Payments received before the work is done must be deposited in escrow or covered by a bond.

N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law §§349 and 350

Deceptive practices and false advertising

Prohibits deceptive business practices and false advertising. Homeowners can sue for their losses, and courts can increase damages when the violation was willful.

PSC Uniform Business Practices for DER Suppliers

Rules for solar lease and PPA companies

Companies that sell rooftop solar leases and power purchase agreements are regulated by the Public Service Commission as distributed energy resource suppliers. They must give you a standard customer disclosure form and tell you how to contact the Department of Public Service.

How your utility credits solar in New York

Net metering, plus a monthly charge for newer systems

Residential customers of New York's utilities still get net metering. Systems connected on or after January 1, 2022 also pay a monthly Customer Benefit Contribution charge based on the system's size, set by the Public Service Commission. The amount varies by utility. If your savings estimate didn't include this charge, it overstated what you'd save.

Source: NYSERDA: Customer Benefit Contribution rates

Check your New York solar contract

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

  • The contract has the three-day cancellation notice and the mechanic's lien notice.
  • Your deposit is held in escrow or covered by a bond.
  • If you leased or signed a PPA, you received the standard customer disclosure form.
  • The savings estimate includes the Customer Benefit Contribution charge.
  • In New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, and some other areas, the contractor holds the local home improvement license.

Where to get help in New York

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.

Solar company complaints

New York Department of Public Service, Office of Consumer Services

Takes complaints about utilities and about solar companies registered as distributed energy resource suppliers. It has ordered refunds and moved to revoke registrations for misleading solar sales.

Visit the official page 1-800-342-3377

Consumer protection

New York Attorney General, Consumer Frauds Bureau

Explains home improvement contract rights and takes consumer complaints about contractors and deceptive sales.

Visit the official page

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.

New York solar questions

Who regulates solar companies in New York?

It depends on what you signed. Sales and installation complaints go to the Attorney General. Lease and PPA providers are also overseen by the Department of Public Service. NYSERDA handles complaints about contractors in the NY-Sun incentive program.

What is the Customer Benefit Contribution?

A monthly charge, based on system size, that applies to residential solar connected on or after January 1, 2022. It funds public benefit programs and reduces your net savings.

My contractor isn't licensed. Does that matter?

Many New York localities, including New York City, require home improvement contractors to be licensed. Working without a required license can affect whether the contractor can enforce the contract and is worth reporting.

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.