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The answer
Short answer (checked October 20, 2026): You get out of a solar loan by paying it off, refinancing it, selling the house and paying it from the proceeds, or, if the sale or the loan was handled unlawfully, by disputing it with the lender. A 3-day cancellation right exists only in narrow cases. The installer going bankrupt does not cancel the loan: you still owe the lender. Start by finding out exactly who holds your loan today.
See if our partner Solar Exit Group (Uso Holdings LLC) can help with your loan or Sunnova PPA. No cost to submit. Paid partner; it does not change our ratings.
Your options at a glance
In our assessment, most lawful ways out of a solar loan fall into one of six paths. Which one fits depends on when you signed, whether the system works, how the loan was sold to you and whether you plan to stay in the home.
| Path | Fits when | How it works | Difficulty (our assessment) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancel within 3 business days | You signed very recently | FTC Cooling-Off Rule for in-home sales; TILA rescission only for certain loans secured by your principal dwelling | Low if on time; deadlines are strict |
| Dispute under the FTC Holder Rule | Fraud, forgery, unfinished or never-activated system | Claims against the seller can be raised against the lender, recovery capped at amounts paid | Medium to high; needs evidence, often a lawyer |
| Pay off | System works, loan terms are the problem | Payoff quote, then UCC-3 termination | Low; costs cash |
| Refinance | You have home equity or good credit | HELOC, home equity loan, cash-out refi or personal loan | Low to medium; compare total cost |
| Sell the house | You are moving anyway | Loan paid from sale proceeds at closing | Low; order the payoff early |
| Bankruptcy | Severe overall debt | Can discharge personal liability; a lien may survive | High; attorney required |
We do not advise homeowners to stop making payments or breach contractual obligations. Every path above works while you keep paying. Stopping payments without a legal basis usually makes your position worse.
Who is my lender? Find out before you do anything
Solar installers rarely lend their own money. The loan usually comes from a separate finance company, and it can be sold or handed to a new servicer later. Your rights, the address for any dispute and the regulator that hears complaints all depend on who holds and services the loan now, not on who sold you the panels.
- Read your latest statement or autopay record. The company you pay is your servicer. It may differ from the lender named in the original loan agreement.
- Find the loan agreement and the Truth in Lending disclosure box. It names the creditor, the amount financed, the APR and the payment schedule.
- Check for a UCC-1 fixture filing with your county recorder or your state's UCC filing office. It names the secured party. How to find and remove a solar UCC filing.
- Check whether your installer or lender went bankrupt. Our solar company bankruptcy list shows who services which accounts now.
| Lender on your paperwork | Status (Oct 2026) | Who services it now | How to reach them |
|---|---|---|---|
| GoodLeap (formerly Loanpal) | Operating | GoodLeap | Account Support 1-800-345-9372; GoodLeap Home app or home.goodleap.com[11] |
| Mosaic (Solar Mosaic) | Chapter 11 in 2025; servicing moved September 22, 2025 | Solar Servicing LLC (Forbright Bank subsidiary) | (866) 493-6367; solarservicingllc.com[14] |
| Sunlight Financial | Chapter 11 in 2023; emerged as a private company | The lender named on page 1 of your loan agreement (often Cross River Bank) | Sunlight: (888) 850-3359; payments and payoffs go to your lender[15] |
| Dividend Finance | A division of Fifth Third Bank | Fifth Third Bank (Dividend Finance) | (844) 805-7100; customer.dividendfinance.com[17] |
| Service Finance Company | Part of Truist (Truist 2025 Form 10-K) | Service Finance Company | Customer Service 866-254-0497[19] |
| EnerBank USA | Now Regions Home Improvement Financing | Regions Bank | 1-888-390-1220, option 1[21] |
| Sungage Financial | Operating; loans issued by Hatch Bank | Per your statement | Homeowner login at sungage.com; we found no official phone line to publish[22] |
| EnFin | Operating; Qcells' in-house financing provider, loans through Hatch Bank | EnFin (billing by Launch Servicing) | (866) 970-1109. EnFin guide |
Can I cancel within 3 days? Cooling-off and TILA rescission
Two different federal 3-day rights get mixed up online. Neither is a general right to walk away from a solar loan.
The FTC Cooling-Off Rule (the sales contract)
If you signed the solar sales contract at your home, the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule generally gives you until midnight of the third business day after the sale to cancel, and the seller must give you a cancellation form.[4] Many states add longer or broader rights; see our cooling-off period by state guide. Cancelling the sale in time is usually the cleanest way to unwind the loan that paid for it, so notify the lender in writing at the same time.
The Truth in Lending Act right of rescission (the loan)
The federal right to rescind a loan within three business days applies to certain consumer credit in which the lender takes or will take a security interest in your principal dwelling.[1][2] If the lender failed to deliver the required rescission notice or material disclosures, the right can last up to three years from closing, and it ends earlier if you sell the property.[1]
Does TILA rescission apply to my solar loan? It depends on your documents. Some solar loans are unsecured, others are secured by a UCC-1 fixture filing on the equipment rather than a mortgage or deed of trust on the home, and whether a given filing counts as a security interest in the dwelling is a legal question that depends on your documents and state law. One practical clue: if your loan papers included a “Notice of Right to Cancel,” the lender appears to have treated the loan as rescindable. Ask a consumer attorney before relying on rescission, especially an extended three-year claim. Full guide: TILA rescission (only when the loan is secured by your home).
Dealer fraud and the FTC Holder Rule
If the installer lied to you, forged a signature, never finished the job or never got the system turned on, the FTC Holder Rule may let you raise those claims against the lender, not just the installer. Under 16 CFR 433.2, a seller who arranges or refers you to financing must make sure the consumer credit contract contains a notice stating that any holder of the contract is subject to all claims and defenses you could assert against the seller, with your recovery under that notice capped at the amounts you paid under the contract.[3]
The rule covers credit sales and “purchase money loans,” meaning loans used to buy from a seller who refers customers to the lender or is affiliated with it by common control, contract or business arrangement.[3] In our assessment, that appears to describe most installer-arranged solar loans. Look for the notice, often in capital letters, in your loan agreement.
Full guide: the FTC Holder Rule and solar loans: the exact notice text, when it applies, the recovery cap and how to raise a claim.
- What it does: lets you raise the seller's misconduct as a defense to paying the lender, and potentially recover what you paid under the loan.
- What it does not do: it does not create a separate right to stop paying, and it does not apply to leases or PPAs, which are not loans.
- How it is used: a written dispute to the lender with evidence, often followed by an attorney's demand, a CFPB complaint or, where the contract requires it, arbitration.
Hidden dealer fees
The CFPB reported in August 2024 that solar lenders often pay installers through a “dealer fee” built into the loan, that these hidden fees typically run 10% to 30% of the cash price and can exceed 50%, and that lenders typically leave them out of the total cost of credit they present.[8] In March 2024 the Minnesota Attorney General sued GoodLeap, Sunlight Financial, Solar Mosaic and Dividend Solar Finance, alleging they hid about $35 million in fees on thousands of Minnesota loans; those are allegations, and we could not confirm the case outcome as of this review.[9] If your loan amount was higher than the cash price you were quoted, keep both documents: a hidden-fee claim is one of the issues a lawyer will look at.
How to find yours and what it costs: solar loan dealer fees.
If you are still paying a solar loan from any lender except Tesla, our partner Solar Exit Group may be able to help. No cost to submit. Paid partner, disclosed.
Pay off or refinance the loan
For a homeowner whose system works but whose loan no longer makes sense, paying it off is the only exit with no dispute. The steps:
- Request a written payoff quote from your servicer. Ask for the payoff amount, the good-through date, per-day interest and any prepayment fee. Most solar loans have no prepayment penalty, but read your note.
- Compare refinancing options: a home equity loan or line of credit, a cash-out mortgage refinance or a personal loan. Compare total cost, not just the monthly payment. Step by step, with each lender's prepayment rules: solar loan refinance.
- Watch the tax-credit re-amortization. Many solar loans were priced on the assumption that you would put the federal tax credit toward principal within roughly the first 18 months; the CFPB describes loans that commonly re-amortize to a higher payment in the 19th month if that prepayment is not made. Your loan agreement states the exact terms.[8]
- After payoff, get the UCC-3 termination. Under UCC Section 9-513, once nothing is owed the secured party must file a termination statement, for consumer goods within one month or within 20 days of your authenticated written demand if that is sooner (states adopt the UCC with variations).[5] Send the demand in writing and keep proof of delivery.
Selling the house with a solar loan
A solar loan does not stop you from selling, but it usually has to be paid at or before closing. Many solar loans are not assumable by a buyer, though some lenders let an approved buyer assume the loan (Dividend Finance describes this option).[18] The title company will find a UCC-1 fixture filing and will normally require a payoff and a release. Order the payoff letter early, because some servicers take days to respond. Full guide to selling a home with solar. Loan-specific steps: selling a house with a solar loan. Going through a divorce? See who pays the solar loan in a divorce.
Lender hardship programs
If the problem is affordability rather than fraud, call your servicer's hardship or loss-mitigation line before you miss a payment. Lenders may offer a temporary payment reduction, a deferral or a modification. These are discretionary. Get any agreement in writing, and ask how it will be reported to the credit bureaus.
Bankruptcy: yours, the installer's or the lender's
- The installer filed: the loan is owed to the lender, not the installer, so it does not go away. If the system was never finished or activated, that is a Holder Rule dispute with the lender. See Freedom Forever, Sunnova, Lumio and the full bankruptcy list.
- The lender filed: the loan, or the right to service it, is typically transferred to a new owner or servicer, and the loan terms generally stay the same. See Mosaic and Solar Servicing.
- You file: a personal bankruptcy can discharge your personal liability on the loan, but a recorded lien on the equipment can survive. This is a decision for a bankruptcy attorney. Background: Chapter 7 and solar loans.
What happens if you stop paying a solar loan?
We do not advise homeowners to stop making payments or breach contractual obligations. This section explains consequences so you can make an informed decision with an attorney.
People search this question because they feel stuck, so here is the plain answer. Missing payments on a solar loan can lead to late fees, negative credit reporting, collection activity, acceleration of the full balance, a lawsuit and, where the lender holds a security interest, action against the collateral. A dispute you have not raised in writing gives you no protection. If the sale was fraudulent or the system never worked, the protective route is a documented dispute with the lender and, ideally, a lawyer, while you keep paying.
Full guide: what happens if you stop paying a solar loan: the month-by-month timeline, credit reporting and the lien on the panels.
Lender by lender: status and how to reach them
Facts below come from each company's own site, court records or regulators, checked October 20, 2026. Contact details change; always confirm against your latest statement.
GoodLeap (formerly Loanpal)
GoodLeap is operating and states it was formerly known as Loanpal.[10] It services its own loans and also offers leases and PPAs, so check which product you signed.
Payoff: request a payoff statement in the GoodLeap Home app or at home.goodleap.com; GoodLeap's FAQ says it never charges a prepayment fee or penalty.[10] Account Support (payments, balances, payoffs): 1-800-345-9372. Complaints: consumercomplaints@goodleap.com or 916-475-1255.[11]
GoodLeap is one of four lenders named in the Minnesota Attorney General's 2024 hidden-fee lawsuit (allegations, outcome not confirmed).[9]
Mosaic (now serviced by Solar Servicing LLC)
Mosaic filed Chapter 11 in June 2025. On September 22, 2025 its loan servicing moved to Solar Servicing LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Forbright Bank, which said borrowers' payment terms and schedules remain unchanged.[12] A few Mosaic loans sold to investors are serviced elsewhere; those borrowers received a servicing transition letter.[13]
Contact: (866) 493-6367 (option 3 if you are selling your home), loanservicing@solarservicingllc.com, online account portal on solarservicingllc.com.[14] Full details: Mosaic solar loan guide.
Sunlight Financial
Sunlight Financial filed Chapter 11 in October 2023[16] and emerged as a private company. Sunlight arranged loans that were made by partner lenders; its site notes certain loans are made through Cross River Bank.[15]
Payoff: contact the lender named on page 1 of your loan agreement. Sunlight's general line is (888) 850-3359.[15]
Full guide: Sunlight Financial solar loan: who you pay, the autopay discount and the 2023 Chapter 11.
Dividend Finance (Fifth Third Bank)
Dividend Finance is now “a Division of Fifth Third Bank” and services its loans through Fifth Third. Its homeowner page says there are no prepayment penalties.[17]
Payoff: call (844) 805-7100, option 1 then option 3 (Loan Servicing), and give your closing date if you are selling.[18]
Full guide: Dividend Finance solar loan: re-amortization rules, payoff and transferring the loan to a buyer.
Service Finance Company (Truist)
Truist announced its acquisition of Service Finance Company in August 2021.[20] We found no announcement of a later sale. Customer Service: 866-254-0497; payments go to the address on your monthly statement.[19] The site does not publish payoff steps, so call and ask for a written payoff letter.
EnerBank USA (now Regions Home Improvement Financing)
Regions Bank acquired EnerBank USA in 2021, and the business now operates as Regions Home Improvement Financing (formerly EnerBank USA). Borrowers: 1-888-390-1220, option 1.[21] Ask for a written payoff letter; the page does not publish payoff steps.
Full guide: EnerBank solar loan: where to pay Regions, the mailing addresses and the PowerLoan re-amortization.
Sungage Financial
Sungage is operating and says loans on its platform are issued by Hatch Bank, a California-chartered industrial bank; Sungage itself is not the lender.[22] Use the homeowner login on sungage.com or the contact on your statement. Full guide, including contact details from Sungage's own contact page: Sungage Financial solar loan.
EnFin
EnFin calls itself Qcells' in-house solar and storage financing provider; its loans are made through Hatch Bank, and it also offers leases and PPAs in some areas. It says loans carry no prepayment penalty. Account Servicing: (866) 970-1109. Full guide: EnFin solar loan and PPA.
Tesla loans: Tesla finances some systems itself. Our partner does not take Tesla loans, so the options above apply but the partner route does not.
Complaints: CFPB, your attorney general and your state regulator
A complaint creates a written record and requires a response. Use more than one forum if the facts warrant it.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: file online about a lender or servicer; the CFPB forwards it to the company for a response.[6]
- Your state attorney general: handles deceptive sales practices by installers and lenders.[7] Our guide: how to file a solar complaint with your AG.
- Your state banking or consumer credit regulator: licenses many non-bank lenders and servicers.
Step-by-step: CFPB complaint against a solar company.
When you need a lawyer, and when an exit company is enough
Hire a consumer protection attorney if you have evidence of forgery, an e-signature you did not make, a system that never worked, misrepresented savings or tax credits, or a lender that has sued you or reported a disputed debt. Many consumer attorneys take fraud cases on contingency or fee-shifting statutes; ask. Finding a solar panel lawyer.
A solar exit company may be enough if you want help organizing documents, identifying who holds the loan and pursuing a negotiated outcome. These companies are not law firms unless they say so, and results vary. Ask any company in writing what it will do, what it charges and whether an attorney is involved. How we rate solar exit companies.
Disclosure: We may earn compensation when you contact companies through our site. This does not change our ratings. Our partner for solar loans (all lenders except Tesla) and Sunnova PPAs is Uso Holdings LLC d/b/a Solar Exit Group; see authorized partners.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get out of a solar loan?
Pay it off, refinance it, sell the house and pay it at closing, or, if the sale was fraudulent or the system never worked, dispute it with the lender in writing under the FTC Holder Rule. A 3-day cancellation right applies only to very recent sales or to certain loans secured by your principal dwelling. Results vary by individual situation.
Can I cancel a solar loan after I signed?
Within three business days of an in-home sale, the FTC Cooling-Off Rule generally lets you cancel the sales contract, which usually unwinds the loan. TILA's 3-day rescission right applies only to certain credit secured by your principal dwelling; whether a given solar loan qualifies depends on its documents. After those windows, the routes are payoff, refinance, sale or a documented dispute.
What happens if I stop paying my solar loan?
Missing payments can lead to late fees, credit damage, collections, acceleration of the balance, a lawsuit and action against any collateral the lender holds. We do not advise homeowners to stop making payments or breach contractual obligations. If you have a fraud or non-performance claim, raise it in writing with the lender and talk to an attorney.
Does my solar company going bankrupt cancel my loan?
No. The loan is owed to the lender, a separate company, so the installer's bankruptcy does not cancel it. If the system was never completed or activated, you may be able to raise that against the lender under the FTC Holder Rule.
Can I cancel a solar loan application?
If the loan has not been funded, contact the lender in writing right away, withdraw the application and ask for written confirmation. If you also signed the installer's sales contract, cancel that in writing within your cooling-off period.
Who holds my Mosaic solar loan now?
Solar Mosaic's loan servicing moved to Solar Servicing LLC, a company tied to Forbright Bank, in September 2025 after Mosaic's Chapter 11 case. Confirm against your latest statement. See our Mosaic solar loan guide.
Can a solar loan be transferred to the buyer when I sell?
Sometimes. Many solar loans are not assumable, so the balance is paid from the sale proceeds at closing and the lender files a UCC-3 termination. Some lenders, such as Dividend Finance, let an approved buyer assume the loan. Ask your servicer in writing whether your loan allows assumption.
Does the FTC Holder Rule apply to solar leases or PPAs?
Generally no. The Holder Rule applies to consumer credit contracts, meaning loans and credit sales. Leases and PPAs are not loans, so they follow different paths; see our PPA exit guide.
Still paying a solar loan (not Tesla) or a Sunnova PPA? See if our partner Solar Exit Group can help. No cost to submit. Paid partner; it does not change our ratings.
Sources
Checked October 20, 2026. Court dates and servicer details change; confirm on the linked primary source before you act.
- Statute15 U.S.C. 1635, Right of rescission as to certain transactions (Cornell LII)
- Regulation12 CFR 1026.23, Right of rescission (Regulation Z, CFPB)
- Regulation16 CFR Part 433, Preservation of Consumers' Claims and Defenses (FTC Holder Rule, eCFR)
- Regulation16 CFR Part 429, Cooling-Off Rule for door-to-door and certain other sales (eCFR)
- StatuteUCC Section 9-513, Termination statement (Cornell LII)
- RegulatorCFPB, Submit a complaint
- RegulatorNational Association of Attorneys General, Find my AG
- RegulatorCFPB, Issue Spotlight: Solar Financing (August 7, 2024)
- RegulatorMinnesota Attorney General, lawsuit against four solar lenders over hidden fees (March 8, 2024)
- CompanyGoodLeap, FAQ (payoff statements, prepayment, formerly Loanpal)
- CompanyGoodLeap, Contact us
- CompanyForbright Bank, Solar Mosaic's loan servicing operations transition to Solar Servicing (September 22, 2025)
- CompanySolar Servicing LLC, Mosaic loan servicing is now Solar Servicing (borrower FAQs)
- CompanySolar Servicing LLC, Contact us
- CompanySunlight Financial, homepage (contact, NMLS 1670240, Cross River Bank note)
- SEC filingSunlight Financial Holdings, Form 8-K on Chapter 11 filing (October 2023)
- CompanyDividend Finance, a division of Fifth Third Bank, Homeowners
- CompanyDividend Finance, Selling your home (payoff requests)
- CompanyService Finance Company, Directory
- CompanyTruist, acquisition of Service Finance Company (August 10, 2021)
- CompanyRegions, Home Improvement Financing (formerly EnerBank USA)
- CompanySungage Financial, homepage (loans issued by Hatch Bank)
Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal or financial advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Results vary by individual situation. We do not advise homeowners to stop making payments or breach contractual obligations. Consult a qualified attorney licensed in your state before acting on your solar contract or loan. We may earn compensation when you contact companies through our site. This does not change our ratings. Solar Exit Group (Uso Holdings LLC) is a paid partner; see authorized partners. See our Ownership Disclosure, Advertiser Disclosure and Methodology.