Solar Contract Cancellation Period by State + Sample Letter

Short answer

Under the FTC Cooling-Off Rule you can cancel a solar sale made at your home until midnight of the third business day after signing. Some states give more time for solar, such as five business days in Texas and seven days in Rhode Island. Send a signed written notice before the deadline.

How the cooling-off period works

The federal Cooling-Off Rule applies when a seller personally solicits you and you agree to buy, lease or rent somewhere other than the seller's place of business, such as your home, for $25 or more. You do not need a reason to cancel. You only need to tell the seller in writing, on time.

Business days. For the federal rule, every day except Sundays and federal holidays counts, so Saturday counts.
Deadline. Midnight of the third business day after the sale. Mailing your notice by that deadline is enough; use certified mail with a return receipt so you can prove the date.
Paperwork. The seller must give you a dated contract in the language of the sales pitch, a bold cancellation statement and two copies of a Notice of Cancellation, and must tell you about the right out loud.
Money back. After a valid cancellation you can potentially recover what you paid: the seller has 10 business days to refund payments, return any trade-in and cancel any security interest.

State law can add rights on top of the federal rule but cannot take them away. If your state gives you longer, the longer window applies.

Cancellation windows by state

This table covers states with longer windows, solar-specific rules or rules about missing notices. Always confirm the deadline printed in your own contract, since laws change and some windows start later than signing.

Where you signed	Window	Notes and citation
Any state (federal rule)	3 business days	Sales of $25 or more at your home. 16 CFR Part 429
Arizona	At least 3 business days	Solar sales and leases must give a separately acknowledged right to rescind that ends before installation. A.R.S. 44-1763
California	3 business days; 5 if you are 65 or older	Home improvement contracts, including solar, signed away from the contractor's business. Solar contracts must include the state Solar Energy System Disclosure Document
Colorado	At least 3 business days	For solar agreements signed on or after July 1, 2026, the window does not start until the required welcome call. SB25-299
Florida	3 business days	Home solicitation sales over $25. Fla. Stat. 501.025. Home improvement finance contracts also have 3 business days. Fla. Stat. 520.72
Maryland	5 business days; 7 if you are 65 or older	Door-to-door sales. Maryland Door-to-Door Sales Act
Massachusetts	3 business days	The window does not start until required terms and a signed copy are provided. M.G.L. c. 93, s. 48
Nevada	3 business days	Solar purchases, leases and power purchase agreements. Notice may be emailed. SB 293 (2023)
New York	3 business days	Until the seller gives a compliant notice, you can cancel by any means. Personal Property Law 428
Oregon	3 business days	Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are not counted. Notice failures extend the right. ORS 83.710 to 83.730
Rhode Island	7 days	Residential solar. Send by registered or certified mail. R.I. Gen. Laws 5-93-11
Texas	5 business days	Residential solar purchases and leases. An affiliated or referred loan must be cancelled too. Occupations Code 1806.156
Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina	3 business days	Home solicitation sales. MCL 445.113; Minn. Stat. 325G.07; N.C.G.S. 25A-39

Did your solar loan come from a separate lender? If the loan put a security interest on your main home, you may also have a separate three business day right to rescind the loan under federal Truth in Lending rules. Our guide to every way out of a solar contract explains how that works.

How to cancel, step by step

Find the deadline. Look for the Notice of Cancellation or right to cancel section. If you cannot find one, note that too; it may matter later.
Use the seller's form or write a letter. Sign and date the Notice of Cancellation, or use the sample below.
Send it the way your contract says. Use certified mail with a return receipt, and also email if your contract or state allows it (Nevada does).
Cancel the financing too. If you signed a loan or a lease with a separate company, send that company a copy. Our lease vs loan vs PPA guide explains who owns what.
Keep proof. Save copies, receipts and photos of everything you mailed.
Do not let installation start. Tell the company in writing that you have cancelled and that no work should begin.

Sample cancellation letter

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]

[Company name]
[Address from your contract]

Re: Notice of cancellation, contract dated [date], [contract or account number]

I am cancelling the solar contract I signed on [date] for the property at [address], including any related lease, power purchase agreement or financing agreement. I am exercising my right to cancel under the federal Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR Part 429) and applicable [state] law.

Please refund all payments I made, cancel any security interest or filing connected with this contract, and confirm in writing that the contract is cancelled. Do not begin or continue any installation work.

Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Printed name]

This letter is a general template, not legal advice. Edit it to match your contract and state.

If you missed the deadline

A missed window is not always the end. First check whether you ever received the required notice, because in some states the clock has not started. Then look at what your contract allows, and whether what you were told matches what you signed. If payments are already a strain, read what happens if you stop paying before you skip one, or request a free solar contract review.

Questions people ask

Is there a 3-day right to cancel a solar contract?

Yes, for most solar sales made at your home. The FTC Cooling-Off Rule gives you until midnight of the third business day, and some states give longer.

Do Saturdays count as business days?

Under the federal rule, yes. Only Sundays and federal holidays are excluded. Some states count differently; Oregon, for example, also excludes Saturdays.

Can I cancel a solar contract by email?

Only if your contract or state allows it. Nevada allows email for solar agreements. Otherwise send the notice by certified mail with a return receipt and keep proof.

Do I get my deposit back if I cancel in time?

You can potentially get your deposit back. The federal rule requires the seller to refund payments within 10 business days of a valid cancellation, though a few state solar laws allow narrow exceptions, so check your contract.

Do seniors get more time to cancel?

In some states. California gives buyers 65 and older five business days for home improvement contracts, and Maryland gives seven business days for door-to-door sales.

Cancelling a new solar contract: cooling-off periods by state