Use this guide
Choose the questions relevant to your situation. Expand each answer, save the checklist and request written clarification where evidence is missing.
Questions homeowners ask
Which Texas solar agreements does this program cover?
TDLR describes covered residential system sales and leases signed after the Act took effect September 1, 2025. It lists exclusions for nonresidential property, certain multifamily buildings and specified small or limited-use systems. Confirm the actual agreement and property before applying these provisions.
Source: TDLR: covered residential solar agreements. Reviewed 2026-10-06.
Which sales registrations should I check now?
TDLR states that residential solar retailer and salesperson registrations are required beginning September 1, 2026. Identify both the business selling or leasing the system and the person conducting the sale; check the applicable records rather than relying only on an installer’s credential.
Source: TDLR: contract provisions and effective dates. Reviewed 2026-10-06.
Can an electrical contractor claim an exemption?
TDLR describes registration exemptions for electrical contractors and their employee salespeople. A third-party sales representative is not covered by the employee exemption. Ask which relationship applies; the contractor’s exemption does not remove the statutory contract provisions and cancellation requirements described by TDLR.
Source: TDLR: registration exemptions, searches and business days. Reviewed 2026-10-06.
Where do I verify the retailer and salesperson?
Use the TDLR license search linked from its knowledge base. Record the exact names, registration category, current status and review date privately. If no matching record appears, seek clarification about the identity or applicable exemption before treating the offer as verified.
Source: TDLR: registration exemptions, searches and business days. Reviewed 2026-10-06.
What installer identity belongs in the agreement?
For covered sales or leases involving installation, TDLR describes a requirement for a licensed electrical contractor and a conspicuous contractor name and license number. An agreement may instead list contractors from which one must be selected. Ask who will actually perform the work.
Source: TDLR: contract provisions and effective dates. Reviewed 2026-10-06.
What cancellation period does TDLR describe?
For covered agreements, TDLR describes written cancellation notice by the fifth business day after the buyer or lessee executes the agreement, without penalty or further obligation. The agreement must state the last calendar date and a mailing or email address for notice.
Source: TDLR: contract provisions and effective dates. Reviewed 2026-10-06.
Does business day mean any calendar day?
No. TDLR’s knowledge base excludes Saturdays, Sundays and the specified state and federal holidays. Read the printed deadline and ask promptly about any discrepancy. This guide does not calculate your personal deadline or determine whether a particular notice was timely.
Source: TDLR: registration exemptions, searches and business days. Reviewed 2026-10-06.
Has Texas delayed every solar consumer requirement?
No. As reviewed October 6, 2026, TDLR’s notice temporarily suspends enforcement of administrative rules §71.41 on contract disclosures and §71.43 on educational materials until November 1, 2026. Read that narrowly; it is not a blanket delay of the program.
Source: TDLR: current disclosure enforcement notice. Reviewed 2026-10-06.
How should I review a separate loan?
Retain the financing agreement separately and ask the lender and contracting business to explain cancellation conditions and any linked obligations in writing. Do not assume this checklist cancels every financing arrangement. Obtain prompt qualified advice for a disputed deadline, payment or contract interpretation.
Does checking a registration settle permits or bill credits?
No. Track project approvals and electricity-plan terms separately. Ask which authority and serving utility govern your address and which party supplies each actual record. An official sales registration is not project authorization, an equipment assessment or a guarantee of bill savings.
How can a separate assessment help before committing?
Use an agreed assessment scope to investigate accessible site evidence and unresolved project questions. Check qualifications and payment or referral relationships; third-party does not automatically mean independent. Confirm Solar Survey AI’s available survey or inspection scope. Homeowner monitoring connections and planned remote diagnosis remain coming soon.
Your decision checklist
- Identify the agreement type, property and execution date.
- Name the retailer, salesperson and proposed electrical contractor.
- Check applicable registrations or request a documented exemption explanation.
- Locate the stated cancellation date and notice address before signing.
- Keep the contract, financing terms and private dated correspondence.
- Separate credentials, permits, utility approval and bill assumptions.
- Seek prompt qualified help when a deadline or obligation is disputed.
Save or print this guide from your browser. Keep completed records privately.
Make the contract review traceable
| Review item | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|
| Covered arrangement | Sale or lease, property type and dated signed agreement |
| Sales roles | Exact business and person names; official record or exemption explanation |
| Installation role | Named contractor and license information in the agreement |
| Cancellation instructions | Printed last date, written-notice destination and retained correspondence |
| Financing | Separate lender, agreement and written explanation of linked obligations |
| Project delivery | Permit, inspection, utility approval and responsible parties |
Example: the seller says “our installer is licensed,” but the proposal does not identify the sales business and person clearly. Ask for those separate roles and verify the relevant records or exemption explanation. An installer credential alone does not resolve that information gap.
Example: after signing, a homeowner becomes concerned about the stated cancellation deadline. Preserve the agreement and contact an appropriate adviser promptly about notice and timing. Do not wait for an assessment appointment or a routine service complaint to resolve a time-sensitive contract question.
Reviewed October 6, 2026 against the linked TDLR pages. The worksheet and examples are editorial aids, not a determination about an individual agreement. Recheck the current notice before relying on a future enforcement date. Keep signatures, account details and monitoring credentials private. Continue with installer selection, quote and contract comparisons, Oncor and retail electricity records where applicable, and service responsibilities. Review Solar Survey AI’s evidence methodology and confirm available inspection scope.
Continue your research
About these guides
Published by Solar Survey AI, a commercial survey-services company. Our original decision checklists are recommendations; linked authorities support the referenced facts. We may benefit if you purchase our services. This is not independent certification of our company, a project-specific engineering decision or personal tax/legal advice. Local rules, contracts and site evidence control individual decisions. Reviewed 2026-10-06.
For available survey or inspection services, confirm your project scope and availability with our team. Our planned free homeowner remote diagnosis remains coming soon.
Survey services · Inspection services · Monitoring early access