Missouri Solar Panel Laws: Your Rights & How to Exit a Solar Contract

Missouri homeowners who signed solar contracts through home solicitation generally have until midnight of the third business day after signing to cancel under RSMo Section 407.705, and the federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule generally provides a parallel 3-business-day window. Beyond that window, the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act (MMPA, RSMo Section 407.010 et seq.), one of the strongest consumer protection statutes in the Midwest, may provide additional grounds for relief. Missouri's net metering rules and the state's Renewable Energy Standard also play important roles. We always recommend consulting a qualified Missouri attorney before taking action.

Right to Cancel / Cooling-Off Period in Missouri

Missouri provides cooling-off protections for homeowners who signed solar contracts through door-to-door or home solicitation sales. With solar companies aggressively targeting Missouri's suburban communities, these protections are essential.

Missouri Home Solicitation Sales (RSMo Sections 407.700 to 407.720)

Missouri's home solicitation sale law runs from RSMo Section 407.700 through Section 407.720. Section 407.700 supplies the definitions, and the operative right to cancel is RSMo Section 407.705. Under that section, the buyer generally has the right to cancel a home solicitation sale until midnight of the third business day after the day the buyer signs the agreement or offer to purchase. The statute defines a business day as any day except Saturday, Sunday, and legal holidays, so weekends and state holidays typically do not count against the window.

Two limits on scope are worth checking against your own paperwork:

• Credit sales. Section 407.700 defines a "home solicitation sale" as a consumer credit sale of goods or services solicited in person at the buyer's residence. On its face, a solar purchase paid entirely in cash, with no financing, may fall outside the Missouri statute even though the federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR Part 429) generally still applies to cash sales of $25 or more at the buyer's home.
• Real property excluded. The definition excludes the sale of real property or an interest in it, and personal property incident to such a sale. Whether a roof-mounted system is treated as goods or as an interest in real property may depend on how your contract is written, which is one reason to have a Missouri attorney review it.

Under Section 407.710, the seller must present a written agreement dated with the day the buyer actually signs and containing a "Notice of Cancellation" statement of the buyer's rights in ten-point boldface type.

Missouri's home solicitation statute does not appear to contain a senior-citizen or age-based extension of the cancellation window, and it does not set a dollar threshold of its own. Age may still matter elsewhere: enhanced civil penalties under the MMPA may apply where the consumer is elderly.

Federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule

The federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR Part 429) provides an additional 3-business-day cancellation window alongside Missouri's state protections. This dual protection ensures homeowners have recourse under both state and federal law.

Missouri No-Contact Provisions

Missouri law includes provisions that may protect homeowners from aggressive solicitation. Under various local ordinances in Missouri cities (including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield), door-to-door solicitors may be required to obtain permits and follow specific rules. If a solar company violated local solicitation ordinances, this may support your case.

Missouri Consumer Protection Laws Relevant to Solar

Missouri Merchandising Practices Act (MMPA, RSMo Section 407.010 et seq.)

The Missouri Merchandising Practices Act is one of the strongest consumer protection statutes in the Midwest. Under RSMo Section 407.020, it prohibits "the act, use or employment by any person of any deception, fraud, false pretense, false promise, misrepresentation, unfair practice or the concealment, suppression, or omission of any material fact in connection with the sale or advertisement of any merchandise." For solar homeowners, actionable conduct may include:

• Deception or misrepresentation about energy savings, production levels, or financial benefits of the solar system
• False promises about guaranteed returns, specific savings amounts, or future utility rate increases
• Concealment or omission of material facts: such as hidden dealer fees, the true cost of financing, escalator clauses, or net metering limitations
• Unfair practices: including high-pressure sales tactics, refusing to leave a homeowner's property, or targeting vulnerable consumers

The MMPA is particularly powerful because:

• It does not require proof of intent to deceive, even unintentional misrepresentations may violate the MMPA
• The Attorney General may seek injunctions, civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation (or $10,000 for elderly victims), and restitution
• Individual consumers may bring private actions under RSMo Section 407.025, and the court may award actual damages, punitive damages, and attorney's fees
• Class actions are available under the MMPA

Missouri Deceptive Advertising (RSMo Chapter 407)

Missouri's advertising laws, part of the broader MMPA framework, specifically target false or misleading advertising. Solar companies that advertise "free solar," "zero cost," or guaranteed savings without adequate disclosures may violate these provisions.

Missouri Contractor Licensing

Missouri does not have a statewide contractor licensing requirement, but major municipalities, including St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Columbia, and their surrounding counties. Have local licensing and permitting requirements. Solar installations typically require both building and electrical permits. If your installer failed to obtain required local permits or licenses, this may affect the enforceability of the contract.

Missouri Electrical Licensing

Missouri requires electrical work to be performed by licensed electricians in most municipalities. The Division of Professional Registration oversees statewide electrical licensing. Solar installations involve electrical work that must comply with local and state electrical codes. If your installer used unlicensed electricians, this may provide grounds for a complaint.

Solar-Specific Regulations in Missouri

Missouri Net Metering (RSMo Section 386.890)

Missouri's net metering law, the Net Metering and Easy Connection Act, is codified at RSMo Section 386.890:

• System size: Net metering is generally available for qualified units with a capacity of not more than 100 kW
• Credit rate: Under Section 386.890.5, when a customer-generator produces more electricity than the supplier delivers in a billing period, the customer is generally credited an amount at least equal to the avoided fuel cost of the excess kilowatt-hours, not the full retail rate. Within a billing period, generation offsets consumption, so self-consumed output is effectively valued at retail, but true excess is credited at avoided fuel cost
• Rollover and expiration: The credit is applied to the following billing period, and credits generally expire without compensation at the earlier of twelve months after issuance or when the customer-generator disconnects or ends the net metering relationship
• Utilities: The statute reaches electrical corporations, municipal utilities, and rural electric cooperatives, including Ameren Missouri, Evergy Missouri (formerly KCP&L), and Empire District Electric (now part of Liberty Utilities), though suppliers may stop accepting applications once net metering reaches five percent of a supplier's peak load

Net metering in Missouri is important for solar contract disputes because:

• A sales projection that assumes full retail-rate compensation for every exported kilowatt-hour, or that assumes an annual cash-out of banked credits, appears to overstate what Section 386.890 actually provides. Oversized systems are especially exposed, because credits that are not used within twelve months generally expire without payment
• Ongoing regulatory proceedings may change the net metering landscape, and projections based on current rates may not hold over the contract term
• Municipal utilities and electric cooperatives may have different policies than investor-owned utilities

Missouri Renewable Energy Standard (RES)

Missouri's RES, established by voter initiative (Proposition C in 2008) and codified at RSMo Sections 393.1020 to 393.1030, requires electric utilities to meet a renewable portfolio that rises to no less than 15% in each calendar year beginning in 2021, with at least 2% of each portfolio requirement derived from solar energy. The operative percentages are in RSMo Section 393.1030; Section 393.1025 contains the definitions. This has driven significant solar development in Missouri, including both utility-scale and distributed solar. Solar companies sometimes misrepresent these requirements as mandating that homeowners install solar, which is false.

Missouri Solar Rebates (Ameren Missouri)

Ameren Missouri has offered solar rebate programs to help meet the RES solar carve-out requirements. These rebates have varied over time and have sometimes had waitlists or capacity caps. If a solar company promised a specific rebate amount that was not available at the time of your installation, or if the rebate was claimed by the solar company rather than passed through to you, this may be relevant to a dispute.

Missouri Property Tax Exemption

The exemption for "solar energy systems not held for resale" appears at RSMo Section 137.100(10), not at subdivision (5), which covers religious, school, and charitable property. More importantly, on August 9, 2022 the Supreme Court of Missouri held in Johnson v. Springfield Solar 1, LLC (No. SC99441) that the Section 137.100(10) exemption is unconstitutional under article X, section 6 of the Missouri Constitution, which limits exemptions to enumerated categories of property. Homeowners should not assume a guaranteed property tax exemption. Treatment may vary by county assessor, so verify current practice with your county assessor's office. If a solar company guaranteed specific property tax treatment as part of its savings pitch, that representation may be worth documenting.

Missouri Solar Access Rights

Missouri does not have a comprehensive solar access or solar rights law. However, RSMo Section 442.012 recognizes solar easements as voluntary agreements between property owners. Some local jurisdictions may have additional protections. If your solar company failed to disclose potential shading issues or HOA restrictions, this may be relevant to a contract dispute.

Common Solar Contract Issues in Missouri

Missouri's growing solar market has produced increasing consumer complaints. Based on reports filed with the Missouri AG and MPSC:

How to Exit a Solar Contract in Missouri. Step by Step

If you're a Missouri homeowner looking to exit your solar contract, the approach depends on your circumstances. Below is a general framework. We always recommend consulting a qualified Missouri attorney.

Step 1: Gather Your Documents

• Your original solar contract (lease, PPA, or loan agreement)
• All marketing materials, savings projections, and proposals
• Records of verbal promises about savings, rebates, or incentives
• Electricity bills from before and after solar installation
• Solar system production data
• Utility interconnection agreement and net metering arrangement
• Any correspondence with the solar company
• Local permit records for the installation

Step 2: Determine Your Cancellation Window

• Until midnight of the third business day (home solicitation): Put the cancellation in writing and mail it to the address stated in the agreement. Reference RSMo Section 407.705 and the FTC Cooling-Off Rule. Under Section 407.705, mailed notice is generally effective when deposited in the mail, so certified mail with return receipt is useful mainly as proof of the mailing date. Business days generally exclude Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays
• Past cooling-off but before installation: Check contract for pre-installation provisions. Pre-installation guide →
• After installation: Proceed to Steps 3-5

Step 3: Check Permits and Licensing

Contact your local building department to verify permits. Check electrical licensing through the Division of Professional Registration. Missing permits or licenses support a contract challenge.

Step 4: Evaluate MMPA Claims

• Savings projections that don't account for Missouri's moderate rates and climate
• Rebate or incentive misrepresentations (especially Ameren Missouri programs)
• Failure to disclose dealer fees or total financing costs
• Impersonation of utility representatives
• Failure to provide required cancellation notices
• Concealment of material facts about the contract terms

Step 5: File Complaints

File with the Missouri AG Consumer Protection Division and the MPSC. The Missouri AG has been active in pursuing solar-related consumer complaints.

Step 6: Consider Professional Exit Services

Compare solar cancellation companies →

Missouri Consumer Protection Agencies & Resources

Frequently Asked Questions About Missouri Solar Panel Laws