Before you sign anything
- Ask for the seller's registration. Occupations Code chapter 1806 took effect 2025-09-01, and its registration sections took effect 2026-09-01 (S.B. 1036, section 5). Since then no one may do residential solar retail for pay unless registered as a solar salesperson working for a registered solar retailer. Licensed electrical contractors and their employees are exempt from registration, but must give their contractor name and license number instead. On request, a seller must give you their name and registration number, and the contract must list the retailer's and salesperson's registration numbers (1806.154). Check the number with TDLR's license search.
- Ask who will install it. Chapter 1806 prohibits letting the installation be done by a person who is not an electrical contractor, and the contract must say a licensed electrical contractor will install it and name that contractor and license number, or list the contractors one will be chosen from (1806.155). TDLR says anyone who performs or offers non-exempt electrical work must be licensed; see TDLR electricians.
- Look for the cancellation terms in the contract. Chapter 1806 (section 1806.156) lets a buyer or lessee cancel without penalty by written notice on or before the fifth business day after signing, and the agreement must state the last calendar date and a mailing or e-mail address for the notice. If a lender affiliated with or referred by the seller financed it, the contract must require that loan to be cancelled too (1806.155(c)). Chapter 601 of the Business and Commerce Code gives until midnight of the third business day and requires the seller to tell you orally and give a detachable cancellation form; where the two conflict, chapter 1806 prevails (1806.006). The federal Cooling-Off Rule gives three business days for sales of $25 or more at your home, with a refund due within 10 business days after notice, and it does not override a state law that gives the same or a longer right to cancel (16 CFR 429.2). So count on the 5 business days, and cancel in writing within them.
- Do not accept a statement of affiliation. It is a prohibited act to "falsely state or imply an affiliation with a public utility or government agency" when selling solar. Your utility does not send salespeople to sell panels.
- Respect a no-soliciting sign. Soliciting at a home against a posted no-soliciting sign is also on the list of prohibited acts in chapter 1806.
TDLR says it is accepting registrations and has suspended enforcement of its contract-disclosure rule (section 71.41 of its rules) and educational-materials rule (section 71.43) until 2026-11-01, so before then a contract may lack those disclosures. The statutory rights above apply either way.
Numbers to compare
| Check | Reference point |
|---|---|
| Price per watt = total price divided by system watts DC | Berkeley Lab's 2026 data update puts the median 2025 host-owned price for stand-alone PV (no battery) at $3.6 per watt (2025 dollars); known cash purchases at $3.0 and known loan-financed at $4.5. Systems with a battery cost more per watt of PV. Prices vary by system and region. |
| Claimed yearly kWh per kW of panels | Compare it with the modeled figure on your city's page in the payback calculator. Large gaps need an explanation. |
| Federal tax credit in the pitch | 25D is not available for property placed in service after 2025-12-31. See the federal credit guide. |
| Price for power sent to the grid | Set by your provider's plan, not by the installer. See buyback plans. |
| Lease or PPA monthly price and yearly escalator | Add up the whole term. See the comparison. |
| Typical home system size | Berkeley Lab reports a median of 7.7 kW for 2025 installs. |
If something goes wrong
- Texas Attorney General consumer complaints: the AG says complaints are reviewed for informational purposes and are not necessarily a case.
- TDLR residential solar retailers: TDLR regulates contracts for the sale or lease of residential solar systems, per the PUCT.
- In a home-solicitation sale covered by chapter 601, the seller may not transfer the note or other debt to a finance company before midnight of the fifth business day after signing (Business and Commerce Code 601.153).
Questions
Is a salesperson allowed to pressure me to sign today?
This page does not state that. The numbers above are the statutory protections that were verified; pressure is a reason to wait.
Should I take photos of the contract?
Keep a complete copy of everything you sign, including the cancellation form.
Is any company named here as good or bad?
No. This page makes no claims about specific companies.
This page is general information, not advice for your situation. For a dispute, contact TDLR, the Attorney General, or a licensed Texas professional.