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Massachusetts Solar Contract Help

Having Problems With a Solar Contract in Massachusetts?

If your solar payment keeps increasing, your electric bill is still high, SMART or net-metering benefits do not match the sales pitch, your installer stopped responding, or solar is creating a problem with a home sale or refinance, Solar Exit Massachusetts can help you review the complete situation and understand the strongest next steps available.

  • Solar loans, leases, and power purchase agreements
  • SMART 3.0 and net-metering questions
  • High Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, or municipal utility bills
  • Rising PPA or lease payments
  • Installer, contractor, warranty, and disclosure problems
  • Home-sale, transfer, UCC, and refinance issues
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Guidance From the Moment You Become a Client

Solar Exit Massachusetts will guide you through the process from the moment you become a client, coordinating with the legal professionals supporting your case as appropriate. We know solar contract disputes can be confusing, especially when financing, credit, installers, and utility issues overlap. You will have a team helping you understand what comes next and working toward the best available resolution for your situation.

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Credit protection support is built into the client process once you become a client, rather than waiting until a credit problem appears.

Guarantee and credit-protection terms, eligibility requirements, and exclusions are reviewed before enrollment.

Find the Help You Need

Jump Directly to the Part of Your Solar Problem That Matters Most

Massachusetts solar problems can involve the electric utility, net-metering status, SMART participation, system ownership, state disclosure forms, Home Improvement Contractor rules, financing, and transfer obligations. Use the shortcuts below to jump directly to the issue you are dealing with.

Common Massachusetts Solar Problems

Does Any of This Sound Familiar?

Solar problems do not always begin and end with the installer. The salesperson, dealer, lender, loan servicer, electric utility, equipment manufacturer, and installation contractor may all play different roles.

Your Electric Bill Is Still High After Solar

Massachusetts has strong net-metering credits for eligible customers, but those credits do not necessarily offset every charge on the electric bill. Usage, production, rate changes, fixed charges, excluded bill components, and enrollment issues can all matter.

  • Compare household usage with solar production
  • Identify charges that net-metering credits do not offset
  • Check the utility, rate class, and net-metering enrollment
  • Compare current bills with the original savings assumptions
Massachusetts DPU Net Metering Guide

Your SMART or Net-Metering Benefits Do Not Match the Sales Pitch

Net metering and SMART are separate Massachusetts programs. Net metering affects electric-bill credits, while SMART can provide production-based incentive payments to the system owner. Confusing the two can materially change the economics of a solar deal.

  • Identify whether the system actually participates in SMART
  • Confirm who owns the system and receives SMART payments
  • Separate production incentives from utility-bill credits
  • Compare the sales proposal with the current program documents
Massachusetts DPU Net Metering EligibilityMassachusetts DOER SMART 3.0 Program Details

Your Solar Lease or PPA Keeps Increasing

SMART 3.0 includes unusually specific protections for covered residential third-party-owned systems, including a maximum annual rate escalator and savings requirements. The first step is confirming whether the agreement is actually subject to those SMART 3.0 requirements.

  • Check SMART 3.0 participation and system ownership
  • Locate the starting payment or PPA rate
  • Review the annual escalator
  • Compare the current PPA rate with the current utility rate
Massachusetts DOER SMART 3.0 Program Details

You Were Promised "Free" or Government-Sponsored Solar

Massachusetts currently warns residents that organizations or salespeople may falsely claim to be associated with the Massachusetts Solar for All program. The state says official program partners will not offer "free" solar or roof replacements, use door-to-door sales, contact residents unsolicited to encourage enrollment, or pressure residents to participate.

  • Save advertisements, texts, emails, and door-to-door materials
  • Identify the company and salesperson
  • Verify claimed state-program affiliation with an official source
  • Report suspected scams through the appropriate consumer channel
Massachusetts Solar for All Consumer Protection

You Want to Cancel a Recent Solar Agreement

Some Massachusetts solar transactions carry a three-business-day cancellation right, particularly covered home-improvement or home-solicitation transactions. Whether that right applies depends on the agreement, where it was signed, the transaction structure, timing, and other facts.

  • Check when and where the agreement was signed
  • Locate the cancellation notice in the contract
  • Review whether the transaction is covered by the HIC or home-solicitation rules
  • Treat an open cancellation period as time-sensitive
Massachusetts Home Improvement Contract Sample Language

Solar Is Creating Problems With a Home Sale or Refinance

A Massachusetts home sale can involve a solar loan, lease, PPA, transfer approval, payoff demand, ordinary UCC financing statement, or fixture filing. Those are not interchangeable, and the actual filing and contract terms matter.

  • Determine who owns the solar equipment
  • Review payoff and transfer requirements
  • Obtain the actual UCC or fixture filing when relevant
  • Compare the title company request with the contract and collateral description
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth UCC Regulations

How It Works

Start With a Clear Review of Your Situation

You do not need to know the correct legal, financial, or utility terminology. Tell us what happened and provide the documents you have.

01

Tell Us What Happened

Provide the basic details of the contract, payment, utility bill, SMART, net-metering, installer, company-closure, or home-sale problem.

02

Gather the Important Documents

The signed agreement, SMART disclosure, financing documents, proposal, utility bills, production records, permits, warranties, and sales communications help show what was promised, installed, financed, and billed.

03

Understand the Strongest Next Step

The review helps identify which issues deserve closer attention and which company, utility, regulator, tax professional, contractor, or other qualified professional may need to be involved.

What Makes Solar Different in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts Combines Strong Rooftop Solar Adoption With Several Overlapping Consumer Rules

Solar supplied about 25% of Massachusetts' total in-state electricity generation in 2024, and small-scale systems accounted for roughly two-thirds of the state's solar generation. EIA reported more than 4,500 megawatts of installed solar capacity in 2025.

For a homeowner with an existing solar problem, however, the more important questions are who provides electric service, whether the system is owned or third-party owned, whether it participates in SMART, and what the signed documents promised about credits, incentives, savings, payments, warranties, and transfers.

U.S. Energy Information Administration: Massachusetts Energy ProfileMassachusetts DPU Net Metering Eligibility
About 25%Share of Massachusetts in-state electricity generation supplied by solar in 2024
3 Regulated EDCsEversource, National Grid, and Unitil participate in the statewide DPU net-metering framework
2 Separate BenefitsNet-metering bill credits and SMART production incentives are different programs

Your Electric Utility Matters

Start by Identifying Whether You Have Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, or a Municipal Light Plant

Massachusetts does not use one statewide utility structure for every homeowner. The DPU General Net Metering Program applies to customers of the regulated electric companies Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil. Municipal Light Plant customers use local municipal utility rules and do not participate in SMART through the statewide EDC program.

Eversource Energy

Eversource customers can fall within the Massachusetts DPU net-metering framework and may participate in SMART when the project meets program requirements. The applicable rate class, tariff, interconnection history, and system size still matter.

Massachusetts DPU Net Metering Eligibility

National Grid

National Grid customers can use the statewide net-metering framework and eligible projects can participate in SMART. Homeowners should identify the actual National Grid service territory and current tariff rather than rely on a generic statewide credit figure.

Massachusetts DPU Net Metering Guide

Unitil

Unitil is the third regulated electric distribution company in the statewide net-metering and SMART frameworks. Current utility tariffs and the homeowner's rate class determine the specific bill treatment.

Massachusetts Electric Rates and Tariffs

Municipal Light Plant

Municipal Light Plants serve dozens of Massachusetts communities and generally set their own rates and local programs. DPU regulation of MLP rates is limited, so homeowners should review the specific municipal utility's solar, interconnection, and billing rules.

Massachusetts Municipally-Owned Electric Companies
Why this matters:The first Massachusetts diagnostic question is simple but important: who sends the electric bill? That answer determines whether the statewide net-metering and SMART frameworks are even the right place to start.

Massachusetts Net Metering

Strong Net-Metering Credits Do Not Mean Every Electric-Bill Charge Disappears

Eligible Massachusetts customers can offset usage and receive dollar credits for net excess generation, but describing the system as universal "1:1 retail net metering" is too imprecise. The credit formula depends on the facility and rate class, and several bill components are expressly excluded.

Massachusetts DPU Net Metering Laws and Regulations

Many Small Residential Systems Are Cap Exempt

A qualifying Class I renewable facility with a nameplate capacity of 25 kW or less can be a nameplate cap-exempt facility. That means it can participate in net metering even if the broader utility cap is full, provided the other eligibility requirements are met.

Net-metering eligibility still requires the customer to be served by a regulated electric company and the generating facility to satisfy interconnection and program requirements.

Massachusetts DPU Net Metering GuideMassachusetts DPU Net Metering Eligibility

The Credit Uses Specific Rate Components

For a typical qualifying residential nameplate cap-exempt facility, the credit can include per-kWh basic-service, distribution, transmission, and transition components. The exact values change with utility rates and rate class.

DPU specifically warns homeowners not to use a historical per-kWh example to predict future net-metering credits because utility schedules change.

Massachusetts DPU Net Metering Guide

Some Charges Are Never Included

DPU identifies several charges that are not included in the net-metering credit calculation, including fixed customer charges, system-benefit charges, demand charges, the energy-efficiency reconciliation factor, and the net-metering recovery surcharge.

That is why a homeowner can have substantial solar production and still receive a non-zero electric bill.

Massachusetts DPU Net Metering Guide

Review the Bill and Net-Metering Setup

  • Electric utility and rate class
  • Net-metering eligibility and enrollment
  • System nameplate capacity
  • Interconnection records
  • Permission to Operate
  • Monthly imported and exported electricity
  • Current net-metering credit line items
  • Fixed and excluded utility charges
  • Original sales assumptions about utility savings
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Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor Protections

A Solar Installation Can Also Be Subject to Detailed Home-Improvement Contract Rules

Contractors that solicit, bid on, or perform covered home-improvement work on an existing owner-occupied Massachusetts residence generally must comply with the Home Improvement Contractor program. For covered contracts over $1,000, Massachusetts requires a written agreement with specified information.

Required contract information includes contractor identity and registration information, the salesperson involved, a detailed description of work, total price, payment schedule, start and completion dates, warranties, permit responsibilities, and disclosure of whether the contract creates a lien or security interest on the residence.

For covered work, an advance deposit generally cannot exceed one-third of the contract price, except for qualifying special-order or custom materials or equipment. Final payment cannot be demanded until the contract is completed to the satisfaction of the parties.

Massachusetts Home Improvement Contract Sample LanguageMassachusetts HIC Homeowner Resources

Compare the Solar Contract With Massachusetts HIC Requirements

  • Contractor name and HIC registration number
  • Salesperson name
  • Detailed scope of work
  • Total price and payment schedule
  • Deposit amount
  • Start and completion dates
  • Permit responsibilities
  • Warranty terms
  • Lien or security-interest disclosure
  • Final-payment demand
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SMART 3.0 Is Separate From Net Metering

A Massachusetts Solar Project Can Have Net-Metering Bill Credits and a Separate SMART Production Incentive

SMART 3.0 is Massachusetts' current statewide solar incentive program for qualifying projects interconnected to Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil. Qualified SMART 3.0 projects receive incentive payments from the electric distribution company, and the payment goes to the system owner.

For Program Year 2026, DOER lists a flat SMART incentive rate of $0.03 per kWh generated for qualifying small systems of 25 kW AC or less and $0.06 per kWh for qualifying low-income systems in that size category.

Those are production incentives, not export credits. Net metering relates to electric-bill treatment for imports and exports, while SMART compensation is based on qualifying generation. A lease or PPA can also mean the system owner receiving the SMART payment is not the homeowner.

Massachusetts DOER SMART 3.0 Program DetailsMassachusetts Qualified Generation Units

Separate the Two Programs

  • Does the project participate in SMART 3.0?
  • Who legally owns the solar system?
  • Who receives the SMART incentive payment?
  • What Program Year applies?
  • What net-metering treatment appears on the electric bill?
  • Were SMART payments and net-metering credits described separately in the sales presentation?

SMART 3.0 Consumer Protections

Covered Residential Leases and PPAs Have Unusually Specific Massachusetts Requirements

Massachusetts designed SMART 3.0 with additional protections for residential third-party-owned systems. Current DOER materials describe a minimum first-year per-kWh savings requirement equal to 10% of the current residential Value of Energy, a maximum annual rate escalator of 3%, and a rule that a PPA per-kWh price cannot exceed the customer's utility per-kWh rate during the contract term.

SMART 3.0 also requires standardized customer disclosure forms. The third-party ownership form asks for the system owner, installer, primary service contact, contract term, starting payment or PPA rate, rate-increase frequency and amount, estimated first-year production and payments, first-year savings comparison, transferability, warranty location, performance guarantees, and early termination terms.

The direct-ownership disclosure asks for system size, battery and shading information, expected generation, final purchase price, dealer or finance-related fees, warranty information, transferability, production guarantees, and whether roof condition and possible removal and reinstallation were discussed.

Massachusetts DOER SMART 3.0 Program DetailsSMART 3.0 Consumer Protection GuidelineSMART 3.0 Third-Party Ownership Customer Disclosure Form

Compare the Sales Pitch With the Required Disclosure

  • SMART program status
  • System ownership structure
  • Signed SMART Customer Disclosure Form
  • Starting lease or PPA rate
  • Annual escalator
  • Current utility per-kWh rate
  • First-year savings comparison
  • Estimated first-year production
  • Transfer terms
  • Warranty and performance-guarantee terms
  • Early termination terms
  • Dealer or finance-related fees for direct ownership
These protections should be applied only after confirming that the system is a covered SMART 3.0 residential project and that the specific requirement applies to the transaction.
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Massachusetts Solar Cancellation Rights

Three-Business-Day Cancellation Rights Can Apply, but Not to Every Solar Transaction

Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor materials provide a three-business-day cancellation right for covered home-improvement contracts signed in the homeowner's residence or somewhere other than the contractor's normal office or place of business. The state's sample contract also says contracted work may not begin until both parties receive a fully executed agreement and the rescission period expires.

Massachusetts also has separate home-solicitation protections that can apply to qualifying sales made away from the seller's usual place of business. The exact right depends on the transaction, where and how it was signed, timing, and other facts.

The safe homeowner rule is not "every Massachusetts solar contract has three days to cancel." A recent agreement should be reviewed immediately to determine what cancellation provision actually applies.

Massachusetts Home Improvement Contract Sample LanguageMassachusetts HIC Homeowner Resources

What to Look For

  • Date the agreement was signed
  • Where the agreement was signed
  • Contract type and transaction structure
  • HIC registration and applicability
  • Cancellation notice in the signed documents
  • Whether work or installation has begun
  • Any separate financing cancellation language
If a cancellation period may still be open, timing matters. Review the signed documents immediately rather than assuming a universal rule.
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Massachusetts Contractor and Electrical Licensing

The Seller, Home-Improvement Contractor, Electrician, Lender, and System Owner May Be Different Parties

Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor registration is separate from other construction and trade licensing. Homeowners can use the HIC program to check registration, file certain contractor complaints, request arbitration when eligible, and pursue the Guaranty Fund when the statutory requirements are satisfied.

Massachusetts electrical-board guidance specifically addresses photovoltaic work. A general contractor may advertise and contract for a PV installation, but covered electrical work must be performed through licensed electricians, and an electrical permit can only be pulled by a licensed electrician or electrical contractor.

The HIC Guaranty Fund is a fund of last resort. It can compensate eligible homeowners for actual loss up to $25,000 after an unpaid qualifying judgment or arbitration award, but it is not an automatic reimbursement program for every solar problem.

Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor ProgramMassachusetts Electricians Board Policies and GuidelinesMassachusetts HIC Guaranty Fund

A Massachusetts Solar Project Can Involve Several Separate Parties

  • Solar salesperson
  • Registered Home Improvement Contractor
  • Licensed electrician or electrical contractor
  • Finance company or current servicer
  • System owner for a lease or PPA
  • Equipment manufacturer
  • Electric utility

Do not assume the company that sold the system performed the electrical work, owns the equipment, services the financing, provides the warranty, or controls the utility program.

Solar Financing in Massachusetts

Review the Financing Separately From the Installer and the SMART Program

A Massachusetts solar transaction can involve a cash price, amount financed, interest rate or APR, dealer or finance fees, an expected tax-credit prepayment, re-amortization, lease or PPA escalators, and a separate loan owner or servicer.

SMART participation does not replace the financing agreement. A third-party owner may receive SMART incentives while the homeowner still has lease or PPA payment obligations, and a financed direct-ownership system can have loan terms that are separate from installer warranties and SMART disclosures.

For complaints involving a solar lender or servicer, Massachusetts Division of Banks jurisdiction is limited to institutions and licensees it regulates. Federally chartered banks and credit unions may require a federal complaint path instead.

  • System cash price
  • Amount financed
  • Interest rate and APR
  • Dealer or finance-related fees
  • Expected tax-credit prepayment
  • Re-amortization terms
  • Lease or PPA starting rate and escalator
  • Current lender or servicer
  • Current payment recipient
  • Security-interest language
Do not stop making payments solely because the installer closed or a dispute exists. Payment obligations and dispute rights depend on the actual agreement and the parties involved.
Massachusetts Division of Banks Consumer Complaint InformationSMART 3.0 Third-Party Ownership Customer Disclosure Form

Massachusetts and Federal Solar Tax Expectations

Massachusetts Still Has a State Solar Credit, but the Federal Homeowner Credit Changed

Massachusetts currently allows a residential renewable-energy credit equal to the smaller of 15% of the qualifying net expenditure or $1,000. Excess qualifying credit can generally be carried forward for up to three tax years.

The IRS currently states that the federal Residential Clean Energy Credit is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. A Massachusetts state credit should not be confused with the former federal homeowner credit or described as guaranteed cash.

Massachusetts law also provides a 20-year property-tax exemption for qualifying owned or leased solar systems that satisfy one of the statutory paths, including certain systems of 25 kW or less and certain systems sized to no more than 125% of the property's annual electricity needs.

  • Original solar proposal
  • Massachusetts tax-credit representations
  • Federal tax-credit representations
  • Installation and placed-in-service dates
  • System ownership structure
  • Net qualifying expenditure
  • Financing payment schedule
  • Property-tax records when relevant
Solar Exit Massachusetts does not determine individual tax eligibility. Tax questions should be reviewed with a qualified tax professional.
Massachusetts Residential Property Tax CreditsMassachusetts Residential Energy Credit RegulationMassachusetts General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit
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Selling or Refinancing a Massachusetts Home With Solar

Identify the Ownership, Transfer Terms, and the Actual UCC or Fixture Filing

The Massachusetts Attorney General warns that solar lease and PPA obligations can last 20 years or more and can continue when a homeowner moves. The SMART disclosure forms also specifically ask whether third-party contracts are transferable and where the transfer terms are located.

A home-sale or refinance issue can involve equipment ownership, loan payoff, lease or PPA transfer approval, a UCC financing statement, a fixture filing in real-estate records, or another security interest.

Massachusetts UCC regulations distinguish ordinary UCC filings handled by the Secretary of the Commonwealth from fixture filings and other real-property records. Obtain the actual filing and review what collateral is described instead of automatically calling every solar UCC record a mortgage lien against the entire home.

  • Owned solar, loan, lease, or PPA
  • Current system owner
  • Loan payoff amount
  • Lease or PPA transfer requirements
  • Buyer approval requirements
  • Ordinary UCC financing statement
  • Fixture filing or other real-property filing
  • Collateral description
  • Termination or release records
  • Title-company or mortgage-lender request
Massachusetts Attorney General Solar FAQMassachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth UCC RegulationsMassachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth UCC

If the Solar Company Closed or Stopped Responding

Separate the Installer From the Lender, System Owner, Warranty Provider, and Utility

The company that sold or installed the system may not be the lender, loan servicer, lease or PPA owner, equipment manufacturer, monitoring provider, or warranty provider. A company closure can disrupt service without automatically ending every financing or contractual obligation.

Massachusetts' Attorney General tells solar customers to consult their contracts and warranties if a maintenance provider becomes unavailable or goes out of business and to identify any successor provider. Homeowners with contractor losses may also need to check HIC registration, complaint options, arbitration eligibility, and the Guaranty Fund requirements.

Massachusetts is also warning residents about false claims of affiliation with the paused Solar for All program. Preserve any "free solar," "government solar," or state-program sales representations because those claims may be relevant to a consumer complaint.

  • Signed solar agreement
  • Financing, lease, or PPA documents
  • Current payment recipient
  • HIC registration information
  • Installer and electrical-contractor records
  • Equipment and workmanship warranties
  • Monitoring access
  • Interconnection and Permission to Operate records
  • Company-closure notices
  • Sales messages claiming government or Solar for All affiliation
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Massachusetts Complaint and Assistance Guide

Who Handles What in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts has separate complaint paths for solar sales practices, home-improvement contracting, electrical work, utility net metering, SMART qualification, municipal utilities, financing, UCC records, and tax questions. The correct starting point depends on the problem and the company involved.

Solar sales, misleading representations, aggressive sales, or company closureMassachusetts Attorney General Consumer Advocacy & Response Division

CARD accepts consumer complaints involving problems with businesses, including home-improvement contracts, business closures, and utility disputes.

Important: The Attorney General does not become the homeowner's private attorney and cannot guarantee a particular resolution.

Official Resource
Home-improvement contractor, installation, contract, deposit, or payment issueMassachusetts Home Improvement Contractor Program

The HIC program handles contractor registration, certain complaints, arbitration, and Guaranty Fund processes.

Important: Coverage, deadlines, arbitration eligibility, and Guaranty Fund eligibility depend on the contractor, contract, property, loss, and procedural requirements.

Official Resource
Electrical work, electrical permit, or electrician licensingBoard of State Examiners of Electricians

The Board licenses electricians and electrical contractors and publishes guidance addressing photovoltaic installations.

Important: Technical safety or code questions should be handled by licensed professionals and the local authority having jurisdiction.

Official Resource
Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil net-metering or interconnection issueElectric utility first, then Massachusetts DPU when appropriate

The DPU administers the statewide net-metering framework for customers of the regulated electric companies and provides distributed-generation guidance.

Important: The applicable utility tariff, rate class, interconnection status, and type of dispute determine the correct process.

Official Resource
SMART qualification, incentive, disclosure, or program issueMassachusetts DOER / SMART Program

DOER administers SMART program qualification, program-year rules, guidelines, and customer disclosure requirements.

Important: SMART 3.0 has active and recently amended program materials, so current DOER documents should control over older summaries.

Official Resource
Municipal Light Plant billing, interconnection, or local solar-program issueLocal municipal utility

Municipal Light Plants generally set their own rates and local programs and do not use the same statewide EDC structure.

Important: DPU regulation of MLP rates is limited, so the local utility is usually the starting point.

Official Resource
Solar lender or loan-servicer problemMassachusetts Division of Banks when within its jurisdiction

DOB handles complaints involving Massachusetts state-chartered or state-licensed financial institutions and licensees within its authority.

Important: Federally chartered banks and credit unions may need to be handled by the CFPB, NCUA, or another federal regulator.

Official Resource
UCC financing statement or fixture-filing questionSecretary of the Commonwealth or the appropriate real-property filing office

The Secretary maintains ordinary Article 9 UCC records, while Massachusetts UCC rules exclude certain fixture filings and real-property records from that filing office.

Important: Review the actual record, collateral description, and filing office before characterizing the effect of a filing.

Official Resource
Massachusetts solar income-tax creditMassachusetts Department of Revenue / qualified tax professional

DOR publishes the Massachusetts residential renewable-energy credit rules and filing information.

Important: Tax eligibility depends on the taxpayer and transaction. Solar Exit Massachusetts does not provide tax advice.

Official Resource
Federal residential solar tax issueIRS / qualified tax professional

The IRS publishes current federal Residential Clean Energy Credit rules and the post-2025 termination guidance.

Important: Do not rely on an older sales presentation for current federal tax eligibility.

Official Resource
Current Status

SMART 3.0 August 2026 Rulemaking Follow-Up

Massachusetts SMART 3.0 regulations and related DOER guidelines include program requirements and consumer-protection provisions that can affect participating systems. Because program documents can be revised, homeowners should compare the agreement, disclosure forms, and current DOER materials applicable to their project.

Verify With Official Source
Current Status

Massachusetts Solar for All Is Paused

Massachusetts says Solar for All funding is paused and warns residents about false program-affiliation claims. Official program partners will not offer "free" solar or roof replacements, use door-to-door sales, contact residents unsolicited to encourage enrollment, or pressure residents to participate.

Verify With Official Source
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What We Review

Your Complete Solar Situation

  • Identify the electric utility and whether statewide net metering and SMART apply.
  • Separate net-metering bill credits from SMART production incentives.
  • Compare the sales pitch with the signed SMART Customer Disclosure Form when applicable.
  • Review lease or PPA starting rates, escalators, savings calculations, and current utility rates.
  • Compare the solar installation contract with Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor requirements.
  • Review cancellation language and where the agreement was signed.
  • Identify the registered HIC contractor, licensed electrical contractor, lender, servicer, and system owner.
  • Compare financing terms with state and federal tax-credit representations.
  • Review transfer, payoff, UCC, and fixture-filing issues before a home sale or refinance.
  • Identify warranty and service options if the installer has closed.
  • Route complaints to the Massachusetts agency that actually has jurisdiction.

Prepare the Record

Documents to Gather

  • Signed solar purchase, financing, lease, or PPA agreement
  • SMART Customer Disclosure Form, if applicable
  • Original solar proposal and savings presentation
  • Financing agreement
  • Recent solar payment statements
  • Recent electric bills
  • Net-metering enrollment and credit information
  • SMART qualification or program documents
  • Interconnection application
  • Permission to Operate
  • Production and monitoring records
  • HIC contractor registration information
  • Electrical permit and inspection records
  • Equipment and workmanship warranties
  • Roof inspection or repair records
  • Tax-credit representations
  • Emails, texts, advertisements, and sales materials
  • UCC or fixture-filing records
  • Home-sale or refinance correspondence
  • Servicer or company-closure notices

Massachusetts Solar Contract FAQs

Questions Massachusetts Homeowners Are Asking

The answer often depends on the agreement, financing, timing, utility, project status, and specific facts.

Start My Free Review
Does Massachusetts still have net metering for residential solar?

Yes, eligible customers of regulated electric companies can still participate in Massachusetts net metering. Customers generally must be served by Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil, and the generating facility must meet interconnection and program requirements. Qualifying renewable systems of 25 kW or less can be nameplate cap exempt, but municipal-light-plant customers use different local programs.

Massachusetts DPU Net Metering EligibilityMassachusetts DPU Net Metering Guide
What is the difference between Massachusetts net metering and SMART 3.0?

Net metering and SMART are separate programs. Net metering provides electric-bill credits based on eligible generation and grid exports under DPU rules. SMART 3.0 is a DOER solar incentive program that pays qualifying production incentives to the system owner. A homeowner can therefore have net-metering bill treatment while a separate owner receives SMART payments.

Massachusetts DPU Net Metering EligibilityMassachusetts DOER SMART 3.0 Program Details
Does SMART 3.0 limit how much a solar PPA can increase each year?

Current SMART 3.0 materials state that covered residential third-party-owned systems have a maximum annual rate escalator of 3%. They also include a first-year savings requirement and a PPA per-kWh ceiling tied to the customer's utility rate. These protections should not be applied to every Massachusetts PPA without first confirming SMART 3.0 participation and applicability.

Massachusetts DOER SMART 3.0 Program Details
How long do I have to cancel a solar contract in Massachusetts?

Some Massachusetts solar transactions carry a three-business-day cancellation right, including certain covered home-improvement agreements signed at the homeowner's residence or away from the contractor's normal place of business. Not every solar agreement receives the same cancellation right, so the contract, signing location, transaction structure, timing, and applicable law should be reviewed immediately.

Massachusetts Home Improvement Contract Sample Language
Does Massachusetts still have a state solar tax credit in 2026?

Massachusetts currently allows a residential renewable-energy credit equal to the smaller of 15% of the qualifying net expenditure or $1,000, with qualifying excess credit generally carried forward for up to three tax years. The separate federal Residential Clean Energy Credit is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025 under current IRS guidance. Individual eligibility should be reviewed with a qualified tax professional.

Massachusetts Residential Property Tax CreditsIRS Residential Clean Energy Credit
What should I do if my Massachusetts solar company closes or I need to sell my home?

Start by identifying the separate parties and obligations. The installer may not be the lender, loan servicer, system owner, warranty provider, or utility. For a sale, review whether the system is owned, financed, leased, or under a PPA, then check payoff or transfer terms and any actual UCC or fixture filing. Company closure does not automatically cancel financing or other contractual obligations.

Massachusetts Attorney General Solar FAQMassachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth UCC Regulations
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Review the Massachusetts Solar Deal as a Whole

The Utility Bill, SMART Status, Contract, Financing, and Disclosures Need to Tell the Same Story

Massachusetts gives homeowners unusually useful documents and program rules to compare against a solar sales presentation. The strongest review starts with the electric utility, system ownership, SMART and net-metering status, signed disclosures, payment terms, production records, and any contractor or home-sale problem that developed later.

Request My Free Solar Contract ReviewCall 833-765-2711

Official Sources and Massachusetts Resources

Verify the Rules That Apply to Your Situation

These government, regulator, utility, and first-party resources support the state-specific information on this page.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Massachusetts electricity generation and solar-market data.

Official Resource

Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities: Net Metering Guide

Current net-metering eligibility, cap exemptions, credit calculations, excluded charges, and utility guidance.

Official Resource

Massachusetts DPU: Net Metering Eligibility

Eligibility requirements for Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil customers and distinction between net metering and SMART.

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Massachusetts DPU: Net Metering Laws and Regulations

Current Massachusetts statutes, regulations, and DPU orders governing net metering.

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Massachusetts DOER: SMART 3.0 Program Details

Current SMART 3.0 regulations, tariff status, annual rates, guidelines, and disclosure-form resources.

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Massachusetts DOER: SMART 3.0 Consumer Protection Guideline

Current consumer-protection requirements for small SMART 3.0 projects, including third-party ownership savings and pricing rules.

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Massachusetts DOER: Qualified Generation Units

SMART and SMART 3.0 qualification and electric-distribution-company eligibility information.

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SMART 3.0 Third-Party Ownership Customer Disclosure Form

Residential lease and PPA disclosure fields covering rates, escalators, savings, transferability, warranties, and early termination.

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Massachusetts Attorney General Solar FAQ

Consumer guidance on solar ownership structures, long-term lease and PPA obligations, company closure, and government-program claims.

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Massachusetts Solar for All Consumer Protection

Current warning about paused Solar for All funding and false "free" or government-affiliation sales claims.

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Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor Program

Contractor registration, complaints, arbitration, and Guaranty Fund information.

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Massachusetts Home Improvement Contract Sample Language

Required written-contract terms, deposit limits, final-payment rules, and rescission language for covered HIC work.

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Massachusetts Electricians Board Policies and Guidelines

State guidance on licensed electrical work, PV installations, and electrical permits.

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Massachusetts HIC Guaranty Fund

Eligibility framework for qualifying unpaid HIC judgments and actual-loss compensation up to the statutory maximum.

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Massachusetts Department of Revenue

Residential renewable-energy income-tax credit amount, filing rules, and carryforward information.

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Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5

Current statutory solar and wind property-tax exemption criteria and 20-year exemption period.

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Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth: UCC

Massachusetts Article 9 filing resources and UCC record access.

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Massachusetts UCC Regulations, 950 CMR 140.00

Filing-office rules distinguishing ordinary UCC records from fixture filings and certain real-property records.

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Massachusetts Division of Banks

Consumer complaint jurisdiction for state-chartered and state-licensed financial institutions and licensees.

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IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit

Current federal homeowner clean-energy credit rules and post-2025 termination information.

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State information reviewed August 18, 2026. Laws, regulations, incentive programs, utility policies, agency responsibilities, and solar billing rules may change. Homeowners should verify current requirements with the appropriate agency, utility, lender, tax professional, attorney, or licensed contractor.