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If a solar salesperson signed you up at your kitchen table, you almost certainly have a short window to cancel with no penalty, often just a few business days. This is called a cooling-off period (or "right to cancel"), and it exists specifically because home-solicitation sales are high-pressure. The catch: the clock is short, and once it runs out, cancelling gets much harder.
The federal floor: 3 business days
The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 429) gives you 3 business days to cancel most sales of $25 or more made at your home or anywhere other than the seller's permanent place of business. Weekends and federal holidays don't count. This applies in every state. Many states then add their own home-solicitation cancellation law on top, and a few give you longer.
Cooling-off window by state
Each state's home-solicitation right-to-cancel window and the primary governing statute. Where a state has no dedicated cooling-off law, the federal FTC Rule is the operative 3-day right.
Who gets longer than three days. Texas is the one to know if you signed recently: a solar-specific law effective 2025-09-01 generally gives five business days on residential solar agreements. Alaska and Maryland give every buyer five business days. Several states extend the window for particular buyers: Maryland allows seven business days for buyers aged 65 or older, California five, and Illinois and North Dakota fifteen. Hawaii allows thirty calendar days where the seller lacked a contractor license, and Kentucky allows ten business days where the financing takes a security interest in your home, which describes most solar loans. New Jersey is the opposite trap: still three days, but the cutoff is 5 P.M. rather than midnight. Counting rules also differ, so check the notes column. These are general rules, your own deadline depends on your facts, and this is not legal advice.
| State | Cooling-Off Window | Governing Statute | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 3 business days | Ala. Code § 5-19-12 (Consumer Credit Act) | Reaches consumer CREDIT sales other than motor vehicles, so a cash purchase may fall outside it. Notice effective on delivery or mailing |
| Alaska | 5 business daysExtended | Alaska Stat. § 45.02.350 (Door-to-Door Solicitation) | Longer than the federal rule. Applies at $10 or more. Revocation by registered letter marked Deliver to Addressee Only, Return Receipt |
| Arizona | 3 business days | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 44-5002 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Business days exclude Sundays and named federal holidays |
| Arkansas | 3 days excl. Sun/holidays | Ark. Code Ann. § 4-89-107 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Calendar days excluding Sundays and holidays, so Saturdays count. Under § 4-89-108 the clock does not start until the seller delivers the required notice |
| California | 3 business days 5 if 65+Extended | Cal. Civ. Code § 1689.6 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Senior citizens aged 65 or older generally get five business days |
| Colorado | 3 business days | C.R.S. § 5-3-402 (Uniform Consumer Credit Code) | Defined as a consumer CREDIT sale solicited in person, so a cash purchase may fall outside it. Notice effective on mailing |
| Connecticut | 3 business days | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 42-137 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Business days exclude Sunday and nine named holidays, so Saturdays count. Notice effective on deposit in a mailbox |
| Delaware | 3 business days | 6 Del. C. § 4404 (Home Solicitation Sales Act) | Applies at $25 or more, cash or credit. The refund clock runs from receipt, so certified mail is the safer route |
| Florida | 3 business days | Fla. Stat. § 501.025 (Home Solicitation Sale) | Notice effective upon postmarking |
| Georgia | 3 business days | O.C.G.A. § 10-1-6 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Notice must go by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, return receipt requested |
| Hawaii | 3 business days 30 days if unlicensedExtended | Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 481C-2, 481C-2.5 (Door-to-Door Sale) | If the seller lacked a Chapter 444 contractor license the window extends to 30 calendar days, which is often relevant to solar |
| Idaho | 3 business days | Idaho Code § 28-43-402 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Notice effective when deposited in a mailbox, postage prepaid |
| Illinois | 3 business days 15 if 65+Extended | 815 ILCS 505/2B; 815 ILCS 513/22 (Home Repair & Remodeling) | Buyers 65+ solicited by an uninvited caller at home get 15 full business days. The separate 5-day rule applies to insurance-funded restoration work, not ordinary solar sales |
| Indiana | 3 business days | Ind. Code § 24-5-10-8 (Home Solicitation Sales) | The clock runs from the LATER of final agreement or the seller furnishing the required notice, so a missing notice may mean it never started |
| Iowa | 3 business days | Iowa Code § 555A.2 (Door-to-Door Sales) | Applies at $25 or more. Excludes sales where federal TILA rescission applies instead |
| Kansas | 3 business days | K.S.A. 50-640 (Door-to-Door Sales) | Applies at $25 or more, cash or credit. Notice generally treated as given at the time of mailing |
| Kentucky | 3 business days 10 if home-securedExtended | KRS 367.420 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Where a security interest is taken in the buyer principal dwelling, which describes most solar loans, the window is midnight of the tenth business day. Notice effective on mailing |
| Louisiana | 3 business days | La. R.S. 9:3538 (credit); 9:2711.1 (noncredit) | Two separate statutes depending on whether the sale was financed. Notice effective when deposited in the mail |
| Maine | 3 business days | 9-A M.R.S. § 3-502 (credit); 32 M.R.S. § 4664 (cash) | Most residential solar is financed, so the 9-A branch usually controls. The seller generally may not begin work while the right runs if equipment is affixed to real estate |
| Maryland | 5 business days 7 if 65+Extended | Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-302 (Door-to-Door Sales Act) | Longer than the federal rule for everyone, and seven business days for buyers aged 65 or older. The contract itself must state this deadline |
| Massachusetts | 3 business days | M.G.L. c. 93, § 48 (Home Solicitation) | Applies above $25. Refund within ten business days |
| Michigan | 3 business days | MCL 445.112 (Home Solicitation Sales Act) | Notice effective when deposited in a mailbox, postage prepaid |
| Minnesota | 3 business days | Minn. Stat. § 325G.07 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Applies at $25 or more, cash or credit. Notice effective on deposit in the mail |
| Mississippi | 3 business days | Miss. Code Ann. § 75-66-3 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Defined as a consumer CREDIT sale, so a cash solar purchase likely relies on the federal rule instead |
| Missouri | 3 business days | RSMo § 407.705 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Limited to consumer CREDIT sales solicited at the residence. Notice effective on deposit in the mail |
| Montana | 3 business days | MCA § 30-14-504 (Personal Solicitation Sales) | Covers cash or credit over $25. Until the seller gives the required notice the clock generally does not run |
| Nebraska | 3 business days | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 69-1603 (Home Solicitation Sales Act) | The clock runs from delivery of a compliant notice, not from signing. Covers buyer-invited appointments. Notice considered given when mailed |
| Nevada | 3 business days | NRS 598.230 (Door-to-Door Sales) | Applies at $25 or more. Written notice by delivery, mail or telegraph |
| New Hampshire | 3 business days | RSA 361-B:2 (Retail Selling) | Applies at $150 or more, cash or credit. Refund within 15 days, with no deduction for work done during the window |
| New Jersey | 3 business days 5 P.M. cutoff | N.J.S.A. 17:16C-61.5 (Door-to-Door Retail Installment Sales) | The deadline is 5 P.M. on the third business day, not midnight, and notice must go by certified mail return receipt requested. Do not wait until the end of the day |
| New Mexico | 3 business days | NMSA § 57-12-21 (Unfair Practices Act) | Applies at $25 or more, cash or financed. Business days exclude Sundays and federal holidays |
| New York | 3 business days | N.Y. Pers. Prop. Law § 427 (Door-to-Door Sales Protection Act) | Article 10-A runs sections 425 to 431 |
| North Carolina | 3 business days | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 25A-39 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Notice given when deposited in the mail, properly addressed and postage prepaid |
| North Dakota | 3 business days 15 if 65+Extended | N.D.C.C. § 51-18-02 (Personal Solicitation Sales) | Buyers aged 65 or older get fifteen business days where the price exceeds $50. Notice may be given by delivery, mail, or email |
| Ohio | 3 business days | Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.22 (Home Solicitation Sales Act) | The clock does not start until the seller complies with the written-agreement rules of 1345.23. Ohio expressly allows cancellation by email or fax |
| Oklahoma | 3 business days | 14A O.S. § 2-502 (Consumer Credit Code) | Reaches only consumer CREDIT sales, so an all-cash purchase may fall outside it. Notice effective on mailing |
| Oregon | 3 business days | ORS § 83.720 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Business days exclude Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. Notice effective when deposited in the mail |
| Pennsylvania | 3 business days | 73 P.S. § 201-7 (UTPCPL) | Reaches sales of $25 or more arising from contact at the residence BY TELEPHONE as well as in person. Notice effective when deposited in the mail |
| Rhode Island | 3 days excl. Sun/holidays | R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-28-3 (Door-to-Door Sales Act) | Days, not business days, so Saturdays count. Notice must be posted by registered or certified mail and is effective on posting |
| South Carolina | 3 business days | S.C. Code § 37-2-502 (Consumer Protection Code) | Limited to consumer CREDIT sales, so a cash purchase may fall outside it. Notice effective on mailing |
| South Dakota | 3 business days | SDCL § 37-24-5.3 (Door-to-Door Sales) | Applies at $25 or more, cash or credit, including buyer-invited visits. Electronic notice counts and is effective on sending |
| Tennessee | 3 business days | Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-703 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Covers cash and credit alike, excluding cash sales under $25. Notice effective on deposit in the mail |
| Texas | 5 business days solar-specificExtended | Tex. Occ. Code §1806.156 (Residential Solar Retailer Regulatory Act) | Texas has a solar-specific rule. SB 1036 of the 89th Legislature, effective 2025-09-01, generally gives buyers and lessees of a residential solar energy system five business days to cancel without penalty, and the contract must state the last date to cancel plus a mailing or e-mail address for the notice. It generally reaches agreements executed on or after 2025-06-20. For older contracts the general 3-day rule at Bus. & Com. Code §601.051 and the federal FTC rule are typically the operative ones. |
| Utah | 3 business days | Utah Code § 70C-5-102 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Defined as a consumer CREDIT sale solicited face to face at the residence or workplace |
| Vermont | 3 business days | 9 V.S.A. § 2454 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Business days exclude Saturday and Sunday, so typically longer than the federal rule. The seller must also give ORAL notice of the right to cancel; until they comply the three days do not begin to run |
| Virginia | 3 business days 5 from 2027 | Va. Code § 59.1-21.3 (Home Solicitation Sales Act) | Requires solicitation without prior invitation or appointment, so a homeowner-requested visit may fall outside it. Notice effective on deposit. Note for later: Va. Code §54.1-1117.1 generally provides a five business day cancellation right for certain solar contracts, but it takes effect 2027-01-01 and does not apply yet. |
| Washington | 3 business days | RCW 63.14.154 (Retail Installment Sales) | No dollar threshold. The count excludes Sundays and holidays. Notice by certified mail, return receipt requested |
| West Virginia | 3 business days | W. Va. Code § 46A-2-132 (Home Solicitation Sales) | Reaches consumer CREDIT sales over $25, so a cash purchase relies on the federal rule. Notice effective on deposit in the mail |
| Wisconsin | 3 business days | Wis. Stat. § 423.202(1) (Consumer Approval Transactions) | The three days run from when the merchant gives the required notice, not from signing. Covers cash and credit over $25 |
| Wyoming | 3 business days | Wyo. Stat. § 40-12-104 (Home Solicitation Sales) | A parallel right to cancel appears at Wyo. Stat. 40-14-252 |
Recent and upcoming changes
- Texas. Already in effect. Since Sept 1, 2025, Tex. Occ. Code § 1806.156 (SB 1036) gives homeowners five business days on residential solar agreements, not three. In our assessment this is currently the strongest solar-specific cancellation right in the country.
- Virginia. Scheduled. Va. Code § 54.1-1117.1 takes effect Jan 1, 2027 and adds a five-business-day right plus mandatory written disclosures. Until then Virginia remains a three-business-day state.
- California. Proposed, not law. SB 784 would extend California to five business days (seven for seniors). It was held in committee and, as of September 2026, has not been enacted. Some sites report it as active law; it is not. California today is three business days, or five if the buyer is 65 or older.
Statutes on this page were last verified against primary sources on September 3, 2026. Legislatures amend these provisions; verify against the current code before relying on any citation.
Extended = state gives you longer than the federal 3-day minimum. Statutes are provided for reference and are subject to amendment. Always verify against the current statute before relying on any citation.
Inside the window? Do these three things now
Put it in writing today
Send a written cancellation notice. Don't just call. Reference your state's statute (above) and the FTC Cooling-Off Rule.
Use certified mail
Send it USPS Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested, postmarked before the deadline. The postmark is your proof of a timely cancellation.
Keep every copy
Save the letter, the certified receipt, and the green return-receipt card. Watch for your refund. Federal rule requires it within 10 business days.
Not sure if you're still in the window, or already past it?
Get a free, no-obligation review of your solar contract and exit options.
Get Matched With an Exit Company →Past the cooling-off window? You may still have options: post-cooling-off rescission (if the sale involved misrepresentation), buyout, lease/PPA transfer at home sale, or a regulatory complaint. See our how to cancel a solar contract and how to get out of a solar contract guides. If your installer went bankrupt or out of business, see our list of solar company bankruptcies.
We do not advise homeowners to stop making payments or breach contractual obligations. Whether to continue payments during a dispute is a legal question that depends on your specific facts. Ideally answered by a licensed attorney.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I have to cancel a solar contract?
Under the federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule, you generally have 3 business days to cancel a solar contract signed at your home. Most states mirror this. Alaska and Maryland give every buyer five business days. Some states give particular buyers longer: Maryland allows seven business days at age 65 or older, California five, and Illinois and North Dakota fifteen. Hawaii allows thirty calendar days where the seller was unlicensed. Counting rules vary, and New Jersey's cutoff is 5 P.M. rather than midnight.
Does the cooling-off period apply if I signed at the company's office?
Generally no. The federal Cooling-Off Rule applies to sales made at your home or a location other than the seller's permanent place of business. If you signed at the company's showroom or office, the federal rule usually does not apply. Though your state may have separate protections. Check your state's statute above.
What if the company never gave me a Notice of Cancellation?
Sellers are required to provide a written Notice of Cancellation. In several states, if that notice was missing or defective, the cancellation period may not have started running, meaning your window could still be open even weeks later. This argument is fact-specific; consult a licensed attorney before relying on it.
How do I actually send the cancellation?
Send a written notice by USPS Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested, postmarked before your deadline. Reference your state statute and the FTC rule, and keep copies of everything. The postmark date is your proof of timely cancellation. A solar contract attorney can help you confirm the details.
I'm past the cooling-off period. Can I still get out?
Possibly. Options after the window closes include rescission (if the sale involved misrepresentation or missing disclosures), a contract buyout, transferring a lease or PPA when you sell your home, or filing a regulatory complaint. None are guaranteed, and the right path depends on your facts. Getting matched with a solar exit company or consulting an attorney is generally the best next step.