How to File a Solar Complaint With Your State Attorney General (Step by Step)

If a solar company misled you about savings, buried a fee in your loan, or left you with a system that never worked, filing a complaint with your state attorney general is one of the most effective — and completely free — steps you can take. It requires no lawyer, takes about fifteen minutes online, and it does something most homeowners do not realize: it feeds the exact enforcement actions that regulators across the country are now bringing against solar companies. This guide walks through exactly how to report a solar company — how to file a solar complaint with your attorney general, where to report solar fraud beyond the AG, and how to write a complaint that actually gets acted on. Credible Law is a national legal resource and attorney referral network, not a law firm, and connects homeowners with attorneys who handle solar contract disputes.

Why Filing an AG Complaint Actually Matters

It is easy to assume a single complaint disappears into a government inbox. It does not. State attorneys general track complaint volume by company, and a cluster of complaints against the same solar seller is frequently what triggers a formal investigation. Many of the major 2026 solar lawsuits — in Ohio, Texas, Michigan, New York, and elsewhere — grew directly out of solar fraud complaints that piled up until a pattern was undeniable.

There are two things a complaint does for you specifically. First, an AG complaint carries far more weight with a company than an individual phone call — the office has the authority to contact the business about your specific issue and, in many cases, to compel a response. Second, it builds an official, dated record of what happened to you, which strengthens any private claim you might bring later. Understanding one limitation up front, though, is important: agency complaints primarily drive investigations and enforcement, not individual refunds. If your main goal is getting your own money back, a complaint is a valuable step but usually not the whole answer — which is where a private claim comes in.

Before You File: Gather Your Documentation

A complaint backed by documents is far easier for an agency to act on than a bare narrative. Before you start, collect:

• Your signed contract and any addenda or change orders.
• All financing documents — the loan or lease agreement and the Truth in Lending disclosure.
• The savings projection or any marketing materials you were shown during the pitch.
• Before-and-after utility bills — the single clearest proof of a savings shortfall.
• All communications — texts, emails, and notes with the sales rep, including dates, times, and names.
• Photos of the installation and any damage or incomplete work.

Send copies, never originals — keep the originals safe. This documentation package is the same one an attorney would want, so gathering it now serves double duty.

Step by Step: Filing With Your State Attorney General

Every state attorney general has a consumer protection division that accepts complaints about deceptive business practices. If you have been wondering how to report a solar company to the people with actual enforcement power, this is it. Here is the process:

1. Find your state AG’s consumer complaint page. Search “[your state] attorney general consumer complaint,” or use the National Association of Attorneys General directory at naag.org to locate your state’s office.

2. Open the online complaint form. Most states let you file online in under fifteen minutes. Some also accept complaints by mail or phone if you prefer.

3. Enter the company’s full information. The solar company’s legal name, address, phone, and website, plus the installer and the lender separately if they are different entities — they often are.

4. Describe what happened, factually. A clear, chronological narrative: what you were told, what you signed, and what actually happened. Stick to facts and dates; avoid speculation.

5. Attach your documentation. Upload copies of the contract, the disclosures, the savings projection, and your before-and-after bills.

6. Submit and save your confirmation. Keep the confirmation number and a copy of everything you submitted. That record matters if you later pursue a private claim.

Where to Report Solar Fraud: Which Agency for Which Problem

The attorney general is the right destination for deceptive sales, but knowing where to report solar fraud is not always obvious, because solar problems often span more than one agency — and filing with more than one is normal and encouraged. Match your issue to the right office:

State Attorney General — Deceptive Sales and Fraud

For misrepresented savings, hidden fees, false “free solar” or tax-credit claims, and other deceptive tactics. The AG enforces your state’s consumer-protection statute (in California, the Consumer Legal Remedies Act and Business & Professions Code 17200; in Texas, the Deceptive Trade Practices Act; every state has its own). File at your state AG’s website via naag.org.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Loans and Financing

If a solar loan, lease, or lender is involved — hidden dealer fees, disclosure failures, servicing problems — file with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. The CFPB forwards your complaint to the company and requires a response, which makes it one of the more direct routes when your issue is financial. Choose the product type that fits your financing, often “personal loan” or “mortgage.”

Federal Trade Commission — National Patterns

File deceptive-advertising and sales-practice complaints at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The FTC does not resolve individual disputes, but it collects complaints nationally to spot patterns and build enforcement cases — and consumer complaints are a primary data source for what it prioritizes.

State Contractor Licensing Board — Bad Installation

For unlicensed work, substandard or incomplete installation, roof damage, or a system that never passed inspection, file with the board that issued the installer’s contractor license. In California, that is the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). This can lead to license discipline, required remediation, and a public record — and you can file against the installer separately from the solar company itself, which you often should.

Better Business Bureau — Public Record

The BBB has no enforcement power, but a complaint at bbb.org triggers a response requirement and creates a public record that affects the company’s rating and warns other homeowners.

How to Write a Solar Fraud Complaint That Gets Acted On

The difference between a complaint that gets attention and one that gets filed away often comes down to how it is written. A few principles:

• Lead with the deception, not the frustration. “I was told my bill would be $0 and shown a projection dated [date]; my actual bills average $[amount]” lands harder than “this company ripped me off.”
• Be specific and chronological. Dates, names, dollar figures, and what was said at each step. Specifics are what an investigator can verify and act on.
• Quantify the harm. The gap between promised and actual savings, the size of an undisclosed fee, the cost of repairs — concrete numbers make the case.
• Name the tactic. If you were told not to read the contract, not to get a second quote, or that the credit was guaranteed — say so. Regulators recognize these as classic deceptive practices.
• Attach, don’t just assert. Every claim you can back with a document is a claim the agency can move on.
• Keep it factual and calm. A measured, well-documented complaint reads as credible; an angry one is easier to dismiss.

Common Mistakes That Get Complaints Dismissed

Because an overloaded consumer-protection division has to triage, avoidable errors can send an otherwise strong complaint to the bottom of the pile. Steer clear of these:

• Filing with only one agency. A deceptive-sales issue that also involves a loan belongs with both the AG and the CFPB. Filing narrowly can mean the office best positioned to help never sees it.
• Vague, emotional narratives. “They scammed me” gives an investigator nothing to verify. A dated, specific account of what you were told and what happened does.
• No documentation attached. An unsupported complaint is far harder to act on. Even a few key documents — the contract, the savings projection, a couple of bills — change how seriously it is treated.
• Naming the wrong company. The installer, the sales company, and the lender are often three different entities. Naming all of them, correctly, matters, because the AG may have files on some but not others.
• Sending originals. You may need your originals later for a private claim. Always send copies.
• Waiting too long. Memories fade, companies dissolve, and legal deadlines run. The sooner you file, the stronger your complaint and any later claim.

How Long Do You Have to File?

There is no single nationwide deadline for filing a consumer complaint with an attorney general — offices generally accept them on a rolling basis — but timing still matters for two reasons. First, the underlying legal claims that a complaint can support do have deadlines. State deceptive-practices statutes carry their own statutes of limitation, which vary widely; Arizona, for example, allows six years for written-contract fraud claims, while other states are shorter. Second, TILA rescission on a home-secured solar loan runs out three years from consummation. So while you can file a complaint almost any time, waiting can quietly close the door on the private remedies that actually recover money.

The practical rule: file the complaint promptly, and if you think you may also have a private claim, have your documents reviewed before any deadline approaches. Acting early keeps every option open; waiting narrows them one by one.

What Happens After You File

Timelines and outcomes vary by state and by how many complaints an office is handling, but the general path is predictable. The agency reviews your complaint and may contact the company on your behalf, ask you for more information, or add your complaint to a file it is already building on that company. You may hear back within a few weeks, or your complaint may quietly become one more data point that tips an investigation into a lawsuit months later — both are meaningful outcomes. What a complaint generally will not do is produce an immediate refund check, which is why, if recovering your own losses is the goal, it is worth pairing your complaint with a look at your private legal options.

Filing a Complaint Is a Step — Not Always the Whole Solution

Filing with your attorney general is genuinely worthwhile: it is free, it pressures the company, it builds your record, and it fuels the enforcement wave that is holding solar companies accountable. But because agencies prioritize patterns over individual refunds, a complaint is often best understood as one part of a larger strategy. If you want to actually cancel your contract, remove a lien, or recover money, that usually runs through a private claim — the kind of solar contract dispute a solar fraud attorney handles. The strongest approach is often to do both at once: file the complaints to build the record and apply pressure, and pursue the private claim to seek your own remedy. The documentation you gathered for the complaint is exactly what an attorney needs to start.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I file a complaint against a solar company?

Start with your state attorney general’s consumer protection division, which accepts complaints about deceptive sales online, usually in under 15 minutes. Find your office through naag.org or by searching your state plus attorney general consumer complaint. For financing issues also file with the CFPB, for national patterns the FTC, and for bad installation your state contractor licensing board.

Is it free to file a solar complaint with the attorney general?

Yes. Filing a consumer complaint with your state attorney general is free and requires no lawyer. Most states offer an online form that takes about fifteen minutes.

Will filing an AG complaint get my money back?

Usually not directly. Agency complaints primarily drive investigations and enforcement rather than individual refunds. They pressure the company, build your record, and can lead to broader action, but to recover your own losses you typically need a private claim through an attorney.

Where else should I report a solar company?

Filing with more than one agency is normal. Use the CFPB (consumerfinance.gov/complaint) for loan, lease, or lender issues, the FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov) for deceptive advertising and national patterns, your state contractor licensing board for installation or licensing problems, and the BBB (bbb.org) for a public record.

What should I include in my solar fraud complaint?

A clear, factual, chronological account of what you were told versus what happened, with dates, names, and dollar figures, plus copies (not originals) of your contract, financing documents, savings projection, before-and-after bills, and photos of any installation problems.

Does a single complaint really make a difference?

Yes. Attorneys general track complaint volume by company, and clusters of complaints are frequently what trigger investigations. Many of the 2026 solar lawsuits began as consumer complaints that revealed a pattern.

Can I file a complaint and still hire an attorney?

Absolutely, and doing both is often the strongest approach. The complaint builds the public record and applies pressure; a private claim pursues your own remedy. The documentation you assemble for one serves the other.

Filed a Complaint but Want Your Money Back?

Choosing to report a solar company to your attorney general is a powerful first step — but if you were misled about savings, charged a hidden fee, or left with a lien or a broken system, recovering your losses usually takes a private claim. Credible Law connects homeowners nationwide with independent, licensed attorneys who handle deceptive solar sales, contract cancellation, and lien removal. An attorney can review what happened and tell you whether you have a case — and the documents you gathered for your complaint are exactly what they need. There is no cost to be matched with counsel.

Credible Law is a national legal resource and attorney referral network, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice or representation. This article is for educational purposes only and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Complaint processes, agencies, and outcomes vary by state; confirm the current process with the relevant agency. Consult a licensed attorney in your state about your specific situation. Information is current as of September 2026.