Oregon now has a solar law made for homeowners like you. It is called HB 4029, and it took effect on June 5, 2026. Some solar contracts can be cancelled within three business days. But not every contract gets the same rights. It depends on when you signed and what type of deal you made. Start by checking your signing date. Then find every document tied to your solar system, including any loan papers.
Quick Answer
Oregon’s HB 4029 applies to covered residential solar sales pitches and install contracts signed on or after June 5, 2026. It sets different disclosure rules for purchases, leases, and PPAs. Covered install contracts, defined as qualifying deals over $1,000, may be rescinded within three business days after signing. Whether these rules cover your contract depends on your signing date and the type of deal you made.
What Changed Under Oregon’s 2026 Solar Law?
HB 4029 took effect on June 5, 2026. It sets new rules for solar sales. It covers sales pitches, disclosures, installation contracts, loans, leases, and power deals. It also covers licensing, utility hookups, and false sales claims. Breaking some rules may fall under Oregon’s fair trade rules. That depends on the facts of each case.
The law bans deceptive solar sales pitches. It also sets detailed disclosure and contract rules.
Does the Law Apply to Your Contract?
Not always. HB 4029 only covers certain solar deals. Coverage depends on your signing date and your contract type. A covered install contract is defined as a qualifying deal worth more than $1,000. If you signed before June 5, 2026, this law likely does not apply. Older contracts may still fall under other Oregon rules, but not this one.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Did I sign before or after June 5, 2026?
- Is my deal a purchase, a loan, a lease, or a power purchase agreement?
Your signing date is the first thing to check.
Can You Cancel a Solar Contract in Oregon?
Yes, for covered deals. Covered install contracts give you three business days to cancel after you sign. This right is called rescission. Send written notice to the person named in your contract. Use email or certified mail. Send it within three business days of signing. If you rescind in time, the contractor cannot enforce the contract. They cannot bill you for labor or materials. They cannot charge a cancellation fee. Any lien on the deal must be released within 20 days of your notice. The contractor can wait until the three days pass before starting work. A delayed start alone does not break the rule.
If you think you can still cancel, follow these steps:
- Find your exact signing date.
- Check that HB 4029 covers your contract type.
- Count the business days from your signing date.
- Read your contract’s cancellation steps.
- Send written notice using an allowed method.
- Save proof that you sent it.
- Check if you also signed a separate loan agreement.
What If Three Days Have Already Passed?
Do not assume you can still cancel for free. At this point, look at your contract terms. Check for missing facts or false sales claims. Check your loan rules too. This usually needs a closer look at your own paperwork.
What Must a Solar Company Tell You Before You Sign?
Before completing a covered sale, lease, or PPA, the company must provide you with specific facts. This can be in writing, following Oregon’s format rules, or spoken out loud if it covers the same required points. These facts fall into three groups.
- Cost and financing: full price, loan terms, and any dealer fee
- System output: how much power your system should make, based on your roof, angle, and shade
- Savings estimate: a guess based on your utility’s rates, not a promise
Purchases, leases, and power deals each need their own type of paperwork. Do not expect the same forms across all three.
What Must Your Installation Contract Include?
A covered install contract must include set facts. Use this list to check your own paperwork.
- Contractor and sales agent name and license number
- Scope of work and equipment list
- Total system cost, and cost per watt where required
- Payment schedule and financing terms, including dealer fees
- Warranty and maintenance terms
- Production and savings estimates, cancellation terms, and utility hookup details
If something is missing, that is worth raising with the company. But a missing item does not automatically cancel your contract.
Loans, Leases and Power Purchase Deals
How you pay for your system changes which rules matter most.
| Deal Type | What to Know | What to Check in Oregon |
|---|---|---|
| Cash purchase | You own the system outright | Purchase disclosures and full contract terms |
| Solar loan | Financing may be separate from or built into the install deal | Interest rate, dealer fee, any security interest |
| Solar lease | A long monthly payment for the system | Lease term, payment increases, fees, transfer terms |
| Power purchase deal | You pay for the power the system makes | Rate structure, fees, and home sale terms |
Your install contract and your loan may be two separate documents, or your financing may be built into the install deal. Do not assume cancelling one automatically cancels the other. Review both, and call your lender directly if you have one.
Can Install Start Before Utility Approval?
Usually not. Your utility must approve your hookup before install begins. If the utility says no, your system may need changes first. One exception exists. A utility may skip its approval step if it has certified your contractor as qualified. Utility approval, permits, inspections, and power-on approval are separate steps.
If You Were Misled About Cost or Savings
Oregon bans false sales claims about cost, financing, and contract terms. If what you were told does not match your paperwork or your bills, start gathering proof. Do not assume you already have a legal case.
- Your signed contract and disclosure forms
- Loan or lease paperwork
- The original sales pitch, emails and texts
- Your production and savings estimates
- Invoices, change orders and utility letters
Whether a false claim breaks Oregon law depends on the full facts. Do not label your case as fraud on your own.
Checking Your Installer’s License
Solar work in Oregon requires more than one license. HB 4029 says the sales agent, solar contractor, and installer must hold the right license for their work. Electrical and solar licenses come from Oregon’s Building Codes Division. A contractor may also hold a separate CCB license. That license matters for construction work and CCB complaints.
- Find the exact company name on your contract.
- Search the Building Codes Division license lookup for electrical or solar licensing.
- Search the CCB license lookup if your project involved construction work.
- Save a screenshot if this connects to a dispute.
An unlicensed contractor is a real problem worth reporting. But it does not automatically void your contract on its own.
HOA Rules and Net Metering
Can an HOA Ban Solar Panels?
No, not outright. ORS 94.778 covers planned communities. It voids certain rules that flatly ban qualifying solar panels. Still, your HOA may enforce fair rules about size, placement, and look.
Does Oregon Have Net Metering?
Yes. Oregon’s Public Utility Commission lists residential net-metering projects as eligible up to 25 kW. Your actual credit and bill still depend on your utility and its own rules. Net metering is not a promise of a set savings amount.
What Should You Do If You Have a Problem?
- Check your signing date against June 5, 2026.
- List every document you signed.
- Act fast if a cancellation window may still be open.
- Gather your contract, disclosures, and all messages.
- Compare your paperwork against Oregon’s rules.
- Check your contractor’s license.
- Check your utility hookup status.
- Put your concerns in writing, then contact the right agency if needed.
Where to File a Complaint
| Your Problem | Where to Look |
|---|---|
| Poor workmanship or contract dispute | Oregon Construction Contractors Board |
| Unlicensed contractor | Oregon Construction Contractors Board |
| False sales claims | Oregon Department of Justice, Consumer Protection |
| Utility or net metering issue | Your utility, or the Oregon Public Utility Commission |
| Building or code issue | Your local or state building authority |
For many CCB disputes, you must first send a notice. Mail it to the contractor’s listed address by certified mail, and wait 30 days. Keep proof you sent it. For an existing home, timing matters too. The CCB generally must get a qualifying complaint within one year of job completion or the date work stopped. If your complaint fits CCB rules, its staff may help you and the contractor try to settle. The CCB is not a court.
Buying or Selling a Home With Solar
Before you close a sale, check these points:
- Do you own the system, or is a loan still open?
- Is the system under a lease or power purchase deal?
- Is there a security interest tied to the system?
- Which warranties are set up to transfer to a new owner?
Do not assume every deal or warranty moves with the home. Oregon law sets some transfer rules for leases and power deals, but the details depend on your own paperwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the three-day rule apply to older contracts?
Not automatically. HB 4029 took effect on June 5, 2026. Older contracts may need review under different rules.
Does cancelling my install deal also cancel my loan?
Not automatically. These may be separate contracts. Review both, and contact your lender to confirm your options.
What if my solar company closed down?
Check your install status, any open loan, your warranty terms, your utility hookup, and any unfinished work.
Final Thoughts:
Two facts matter most: your signing date and your contract type. Gather your paperwork and compare it against Oregon’s rules. This article gives general information only, not legal or financial advice. It does not promise that any contract can be cancelled. If you are working through a solar problem in Oregon, review your documents closely and get informed guidance before your next step.
Official Sources
- Oregon Legislative Information System, HB 4029: olis.oregonlegislature.gov
- Official HB 4029 measure text: olis.oregonlegislature.gov
- Oregon Construction Contractors Board: oregon.gov/ccb
- Oregon CCB Consumer Protection: oregon.gov/ccb
- ORS 94.778, HOA and planned community solar rules: oregonlegislature.gov
- ORS 757.300, net metering: oregonlegislature.gov
- Oregon Public Utility Commission, Renewable Resources: oregon.gov/puc