Solar contract checklist
Go through this line by line before you sign anything. If an item isn't in the contract in writing, ask for it to be added, or don't sign yet.
The company
- The company's legal name, address and phone number
- Its contractor license number (and solar seller registration, in states that require it)
- The name of the company that will install the system, if it isn't the seller
- The salesperson's name
The system
- Size in kW, and the number, brand and model of the panels
- Inverter brand and type (string inverter or microinverters)
- Estimated production in year 1, in kWh
- Whether production is guaranteed, and what you get if it falls short
- Battery, if any: brand, size in kWh and its warranty
The price
- The total price, and the price per watt (total ÷ watts)
- What's included: permits, utility hookup, monitoring, roof work, an electrical panel upgrade
- Any rebates, and who receives them (you or the company)
- No 30% federal tax credit counted if you're buying: it ended for buyers on December 31, 2025
Payments
- The deposit, and whether it's refundable
- When payments start: at signing, at installation, or when the utility lets you turn the system on
- Loan: interest rate (APR), term, monthly payment, any dealer fee, and no prepayment penalty
- Lease or PPA: the monthly payment or price per kWh, the yearly increase (escalator) and the term
- Lease or PPA: the buyout price and your options at the end of the term
Warranties
- Panels: product warranty and production warranty, in years
- Inverter: warranty in years
- Workmanship: in years, covering labor
- Roof leaks where the panels are attached: in years
- Who honors each warranty if the installer goes out of business, and whether labor is covered
Your house
- Whether a UCC-1 filing will be recorded (usual for leases, PPAs and many loans), and how to have it lifted to refinance or sell, with any fee
- What happens when you sell: the transfer process, the buyer's credit check, and any fees
- Who removes and reinstalls the panels if the roof needs replacing, and what it costs
- Who insures the system against damage
Timeline and cancelling
- The installation timeline, and what happens if it's late
- Who handles permits, inspections and the utility application
- Your cancellation deadline and the address to send it to (3 business days under federal rules; some states give more)
- Everything the salesperson promised is written in the contract
- You received a full copy of the contract, signed by both sides
From Solar Panels Report (solarpanels.report). Checked November 12, 2026. General information, not legal advice.
About UCC-1 filings: GRID Alternatives: selling or refinancing a home with solar. Cancellation: FTC: Buyer's remorse, the Cooling-Off Rule.