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State regulators may fine violators and require deals to be undone with refunds.
Photo Credit: iStock
Texas is set to roll out a slate of new laws, including one that could directly affect anyone shopping for rooftop solar.
The change is aimed at adding oversight to an industry that can help households save money but has also drawn complaints over aggressive or misleading sales tactics.
According to Fox 7 Austin, Senate Bill 1036 will require solar panel sellers in Texas, along with their employees, to register with the state. Companies will also be required to carry insurance and supervise their sales staff.
The solar law adds another layer of consumer protection. As of September 1, 2026, Texas will require people selling solar panels to register with the state, and the companies behind those sales must handle insurance coverage and supervision.
Consumers have five days to cancel a solar purchase or lease without penalty, and any loan associated with the deal must also be canceled.
It also bars unlicensed installation, misleading sales tactics, false claims of ties to a utility or the government, and ignoring no-soliciting notices.
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State regulators may fine violators, require deals to be undone with refunds, and seek tougher sanctions when the harmed consumer is 65 or older.
The package goes beyond solar. Texas is also becoming the ninth state with a right-to-repair law, under which manufacturers of certain electronics must provide consumers and independent repair businesses with the same parts, tools, and manuals that authorized repairers receive, Fox 7 reported.
That law does not apply to every product category. Excluded categories include medical devices, video game consoles, home appliances, motor vehicles, farm equipment, and industrial and aerospace equipment. Manufacturers also do not have to disclose trade secrets, source code, or tools used to bypass security features.
The practical effect could be lower repair barriers for eligible electronics and a better chance of keeping devices in use longer rather than replacing them outright. That can save money while also reducing unnecessary waste.
Another law will allow qualifying gold and silver specie to count as legal tender in Texas starting September 1, 2026, though no individual or business has to accept it. Beginning May 1, 2027, the comptroller may approve electronic payment systems tied to bullion stored in the Texas Bullion Depository.
When September 1 arrives, solar salespeople will need to be registered with the state, while buyers will continue to have a five-day period to cancel without penalty.
The right-to-repair law could make independent service a more realistic option. That may give consumers more control over repair costs and help smaller repair businesses compete.
Other laws taking effect include a bill that bars cities from banning manufactured homes and another that allows fire departments to pay a person classified as a volunteer up to 20% of a full-time firefighter’s yearly pay.
Texas’ new solar-sales rules are part of a larger fight over who gets to shape rooftop energy decisions and how homeowners are protected along the way. 
• Across Texas, solar and battery growth is helping the Electric Reliability Council of Texas meet punishing summer demand.
• In Connecticut and Virginia, faster home-solar permitting is becoming a new political goal.
• For some homeowners, firm HOA policy still complicates plans to install rooftop solar.
Local rules, HOA policies, and grid conditions can influence a solar purchase. For homeowners weighing the decision, that context can matter every bit as much as the contract itself.
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© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

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