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Hawaii Solar Contract Cancellation

Trying to Get Out of a Solar Contract in Hawaii?

If your solar deal does not match the savings pitch, your export credits are different than expected, your payment keeps increasing, your installer stopped responding, or solar is complicating a home sale, Solar Exit Hawaii can help you review the contract, utility program, financing, and documents together.

  • Solar loans, leases, and power purchase agreements
  • Smart DER, export-credit, and legacy net-metering questions
  • Hawaiian Electric and Kauai utility differences
  • Rising payments and high electric bills
  • Tax-credit and sales-promise concerns
  • Installer, transfer, UCC, and home-sale problems
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Solar Exit Hawaii 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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Find the Help You Need

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

Hawaii solar problems can change substantially by island, utility, program vintage, system ownership, export-credit structure, financing, and what the salesperson promised. Use the shortcuts below to jump directly to the part of the deal you need to review.

Common Hawaii 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

Hawaii has unusually high retail electricity costs, but installing solar does not make every utility charge disappear. Under current Hawaiian Electric programs, the value of exported energy can depend on the island, program, and time period, while electricity imported from the grid is billed under the applicable retail rate structure.

  • Compare current usage with the system production estimate
  • Identify the exact utility program attached to the system
  • Review imported energy, exported energy, fixed charges, and battery behavior separately
U.S. EIA Hawaii Energy ProfileHawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Programs

Your Export Credits Do Not Match the Sales Pitch

A statement such as "the utility will buy back your extra power" leaves out important Hawaii details. Hawaiian Electric currently uses time-varying Smart Renewable Energy Export values that differ by island, and older customers may still be governed by a legacy program instead.

  • Confirm the program name and original approval date
  • Compare the salesperson's estimate with the utility's actual credit structure
  • Check whether credits expire or are handled differently under a battery program
Hawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy ExportHawaii PUC DER Programs

You Were Told You Had "Net Metering"

Hawaiian Electric closed its original Net Energy Metering program to new applications in October 2015. Existing NEM and NEM Plus customers can have materially different treatment from homeowners enrolled in Smart DER, Smart Renewable Energy Export, or another later program.

  • Do not assume every Hawaii rooftop system is on NEM
  • Find the interconnection agreement and program approval
  • Check whether a legacy program has reached or is approaching a transition date
Hawaiian Electric Program InformationHawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Programs

Your Solar Payment or PPA Keeps Increasing

A rising solar payment can become especially painful when the utility savings do not match the original projection. The review should separate the private loan, lease, or PPA payment from the utility bill and from any export-credit or tax-credit assumptions used in the sales presentation.

  • Starting payment and any annual escalator
  • Loan re-amortization or tax-credit assumptions
  • Actual utility savings compared with the sales proposal
Hawaii DCCA Fraud Prevention and Resource Guide

You Want to Cancel a Recent Solar Agreement

Some qualifying door-to-door sales in Hawaii carry a three-business-day cancellation right, but that rule should not be treated as a universal right to cancel every solar agreement. Contract terms, where and how the sale occurred, timing, financing, installation status, and other facts all matter.

  • Find the signed cancellation notice and agreement date
  • Document where the contract was signed and how the sale began
  • Act quickly when a contractual or statutory deadline may still be open
Hawaii Door-to-Door Sales Law

Solar Is Creating a Home Sale or Refinance Problem

Hawaiian Electric treats a property sale differently from a private solar loan, lease, or PPA. A new owner can assume rights and responsibilities under an existing utility interconnection agreement, but that does not automatically satisfy private transfer, payoff, approval, or UCC requirements.

  • Utility interconnection change of ownership
  • Loan, lease, or PPA transfer and payoff terms
  • UCC records, title requests, and termination requirements
Hawaiian Electric Change of OwnershipHawaii Bureau of Conveyances

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 cancellation, payment, utility bill, export-credit, Smart DER, installer, company-closure, or home-sale problem.

02

Gather the Important Documents

The signed agreement, sales proposal, financing, utility program records, bills, production history, contractor documents, warranties, and communications help show what was promised and what is happening now.

03

Understand the Strongest Next Step

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

Why Hawaii Solar Problems Are Different

Hawaii Has One of the Country's Most Solar-Dependent Residential Markets, but the Rules Are Not One-Size-Fits-All

Solar supplied about 24% of Hawaii's electricity generation in 2025, and roughly two-thirds of the state's solar generation came from small-scale customer-sited systems. That makes rooftop solar a major part of the state's electric system rather than a niche product.

The homeowner problem is that Hawaii has several generations of distributed-energy programs. A system approved years ago may still be under legacy Net Energy Metering, while a newer Hawaiian Electric customer may be under Smart DER and Smart Renewable Energy Export. Kauai is different again because KIUC operates its own interconnection and export framework.

That means the first useful question is not simply whether the home has solar. It is which island and utility serve the property, when the system was approved, which program applies, who owns the system, and what the contract promised about savings, export credits, batteries, tax benefits, and future payments.

U.S. EIA Hawaii Energy ProfileHawaii PUC DER ProgramsHawaiian Electric Program Information
24%Approximate share of Hawaii electricity generation supplied by solar in 2025
~2/3Approximate share of Hawaii solar generation from small-scale customer-sited systems
2015Year Hawaiian Electric closed original NEM to new applications
2024Year Smart DER launched for Hawaiian Electric customers

Start With the Island and Electric Utility

The Same Solar Contract Can Produce a Different Utility Outcome Depending on Where the Home Is Located

Hawaiian Electric serves Oahu, Maui County, and Hawaii Island, but export values and grid conditions can differ by island. Kauai is served by Kauai Island Utility Cooperative and does not use the Hawaiian Electric Smart DER framework.

Oahu - Hawaiian Electric

Oahu customers can participate in current Hawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy programs, including Smart DER. Export compensation under Smart Renewable Energy Export varies by time period, so a sales estimate based only on annual kilowatt-hours can miss the value difference between when energy is produced and when it reaches the grid.

Hawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Export

Maui, Molokai, and Lanai - Hawaiian Electric

These islands are within Hawaiian Electric's service territory, but the utility posts different export values for Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. A homeowner should use the rate and program that actually applies to the island rather than an Oahu example or a statewide average.

Hawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Export

Kauai - KIUC

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative is a separate utility with its own interconnection process and export treatment. Hawaiian Electric Smart DER, Smart Renewable Energy Export, and legacy Hawaiian Electric program rules should not be applied to a KIUC customer without checking KIUC's current requirements.

KIUC Residential Interconnection Packet
Why this matters:Before reviewing a Hawaii savings promise, identify the island, utility, program name, original interconnection date, and whether the system includes a battery. Those details can change the economics of the deal.

Smart DER and Current Export Compensation

Newer Hawaiian Electric Solar Customers Are Not Simply on Old-Style Net Metering

Smart DER became Hawaiian Electric's long-term distributed-energy framework in 2024. It includes export and non-export options, while Smart Renewable Energy Export compensates qualifying exports using values that vary by island and time period.

Hawaii PUC DER ProgramsHawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Export

Smart DER Is the Current Framework

Smart DER launched April 1, 2024 for Hawaiian Electric customers. The program is designed for new and existing distributed-energy systems and includes both Export and Non-Export pathways. Hawaiian Electric also requires an advanced meter for participation in its current Smart Renewable Energy programs.

A homeowner reviewing a recent sale should find the interconnection application, approval, Permission to Operate or equivalent utility documentation, and the specific program rider rather than relying on a salesperson's shorthand description of "net metering."

Hawaii PUC DER ProgramsHawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Programs

Export Value Depends on Island and Time of Day

Hawaiian Electric currently posts 2024-2026 Smart Renewable Energy Export rates in three time periods. In cents per kilowatt-hour, the posted overnight, daytime, and evening-peak values are 18.9 / 13.5 / 32.9 on Oahu; 13.1 / 6.6 / 18.2 on Maui; 25.9 / 26.7 / 40.8 on Lanai; 17.4 / 17.9 / 27.2 on Molokai; and 14.8 / 10.6 / 23.1 on Hawaii Island.

Those are export-compensation values, not a promise that every kilowatt-hour produced offsets every retail utility charge at the same rate. The timing of generation, household consumption, battery behavior, and grid exports can materially affect the outcome.

Hawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Export

Credits Have Their Own True-Up Rules

Under Smart Renewable Energy Export, export credits are applied through the utility billing process and Hawaiian Electric describes an annual true-up. Remaining credits can expire under the general export structure, while BYOD Plus export credits receive different treatment and do not expire under the utility's current guidance.

A homeowner comparing a proposal with actual bills should look at how the salesperson modeled self-consumption, exports, battery charging and discharge, credit carryover, and the annual true-up.

Hawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Export

Battery Programs Are a Separate Layer

Hawaii's current distributed-energy framework also includes battery participation through Bring Your Own Device programs. Battery incentives and grid-service requirements are separate from the basic question of what the solar array produces and how exported electricity is credited.

If a sale included a battery, the review should identify whether the homeowner enrolled in a utility battery program, what dispatch or performance obligations apply, and whether the sales proposal counted an incentive that required continued participation.

Hawaii PUC DER ProgramsHawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Programs

For a Smart DER or Export-Credit Problem, Review These Items

  • Island and Hawaiian Electric service territory
  • Smart DER Export or Non-Export status
  • Current Smart Renewable Energy Export rate period
  • Advanced meter and interconnection approval
  • Actual imports, exports, and utility credits on recent bills
  • Battery enrollment, dispatch obligations, and incentive assumptions
  • Sales proposal assumptions about retail rates and exported energy
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Kauai Is a Separate Solar Market

KIUC Customers Need KIUC Rules, Not Hawaiian Electric Smart DER Rules

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative operates separately from Hawaiian Electric. A Kauai homeowner should not assume that an Oahu, Maui, or Hawaii Island export-credit explanation applies to the property.

KIUC uses its own distributed-generation interconnection documents and can limit or curtail exports when needed for system reliability. Current compensation and technical requirements should be verified directly with KIUC because avoided-cost values and program rules can change.

For a Kauai contract review, the most important records are the KIUC interconnection agreement, the system size approved for the property, any export limitation, battery configuration, Permission to Operate or approval records, current utility bills, and the private solar agreement.

KIUC Residential Interconnection Packet

For a Kauai Solar Problem, Check

  • KIUC interconnection application and agreement
  • Whether the system was designed as right-sized, export-capable, or otherwise limited
  • Current KIUC export-compensation schedule
  • Any curtailment or grid-reliability provisions
  • Battery settings and approved system configuration
  • What the salesperson said about selling excess energy back to KIUC
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Legacy Programs Matter

The Original Interconnection Date Can Be as Important as the Solar Contract Date

Hawaiian Electric has moved through several rooftop-solar programs. Original Net Energy Metering closed to new applications in October 2015, Customer Grid-Supply later reached its program cap, and Customer Grid-Supply Plus, Smart Export, and Customer Self-Supply closed to new applications when the long-term Smart Renewable Energy framework launched in 2024.

Existing NEM and NEM Plus customers are not required to move into Smart DER simply because the new program exists. Other legacy customers can face transitions based on the original program and contract vintage. Hawaiian Electric states that CGS, CGS Plus, and Smart Export customers transition to Smart Renewable Energy Export seven years after the initial contract date, with the first transitions beginning October 1, 2024.

This makes program identification critical. A homeowner who bought a house with older solar, added panels later, added a battery, or was told a legacy rate would last indefinitely should review the original interconnection agreement and every later amendment.

Hawaiian Electric Program InformationHawaiian Electric Program Transition

Build the Program Timeline

  • Original utility application and approval date
  • NEM, NEM Plus, CGS, CGS Plus, Smart Export, CSS, Smart DER, or other program name
  • Any seven-year transition date that applies to the legacy program
  • Later panel, inverter, or battery additions
  • Utility amendments and revised export treatment
  • Sales representations about how long a particular credit structure would last

Hawaii Solar Contract Disclosures

Hawaii Gives Homeowners Specific Sales and Contractor Documents to Compare With the Pitch

Hawaii law requires a seller of a solar energy device to clearly disclose the cost of the solar device, accessories, and installation separately from unrelated items. The statute specifically addresses unrelated offers such as free gifts, offers to pay electric bills, rebates, and other incentives.

For covered homeowner construction work, Hawaii contractor law also requires a written contract before work begins and requires important contractor, scope, price, timing, subcontractor, lien-right, and bonding information. The detailed administrative rules give homeowners a useful record for comparing what was sold with what was actually contracted and installed.

A disagreement does not automatically prove a violation or create a cancellation right. The value of these rules is that they identify documents and disclosures that should exist and can help separate the salesperson, contractor, subcontractor, electrical work, financing, and utility approval.

Hawaii Solar Device Disclosure LawHawaii Homeowner Contract LawHawaii Contractor Administrative Rules

Compare the Sales Pitch With

  • The separately stated solar equipment and installation price
  • Any free gift, electric-bill payment, rebate, or incentive included in the pitch
  • The signed homeowner construction contract
  • Contractor name, license information, scope, total price, and schedule
  • Named subcontractors and the work they were expected to perform
  • Lien-right and bonding disclosures
  • Warranties, production estimates, and utility-program representations
A Hawaii solar sale can involve several documents. Review the sales proposal, solar contract, construction contract, financing, and utility application together rather than assuming they all contain the same promises.
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Hawaii Solar Contract Cancellation

Some Hawaii Solar Sales May Have a Three-Business-Day Cancellation Right, but It Is Not Universal

Hawaii's door-to-door sales law provides a three-business-day cancellation period for qualifying door-to-door transactions. Solar agreements can also contain their own cancellation provisions, financing cancellation terms, installation milestones, or other rights that depend on the contract and facts.

The safest wording is not that every Hawaii homeowner gets three days to cancel. Whether a statutory cancellation right applies can depend on how and where the sale occurred, the transaction structure, timing, and other requirements. Homeowners who are still inside a possible deadline should act promptly and keep proof of any cancellation notice they send.

If installation has already begun or the rescission period has passed, the review shifts to the agreement, sales representations, financing, contractor performance, utility status, and any other facts that could affect available options.

Hawaii Door-to-Door Sales Law

What to Look For

  • Date the agreement was signed
  • Where the sale and signing occurred
  • How the salesperson first contacted the homeowner
  • Any door-to-door cancellation notice supplied with the agreement
  • Contract-specific cancellation language and deadlines
  • Financing agreement and funding status
  • Whether permitting, installation, or interconnection work has begun
  • Proof of any cancellation request already sent
Do not stop making loan, lease, or PPA payments based only on a cancellation request. Payment obligations should be reviewed separately unless the creditor or other qualified professional confirms otherwise.
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Contractor and Electrical Licensing

Verify Who Sold, Contracted, Installed, and Performed the Electrical Work

Hawaii regulates contractors through the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Solar power systems and electrical work can involve different contractor classifications and licensed individuals, so the company name on the sales presentation does not necessarily identify every party responsible for the project.

The Contractors License Board includes a C-60 Solar Power Systems classification, while electrical contracting and electrical work are subject to separate licensing requirements. For a disputed installation, homeowners should verify the licensed contractor, the electrical contractor or workers involved, subcontractors, permits, and the party that actually signed the homeowner contract.

DCCA's Regulated Industries Complaints Office accepts complaints involving licensed professionals and unlicensed activity. Technical defects should still be evaluated by appropriately qualified professionals rather than diagnosed from contract paperwork alone.

Hawaii Contractors License BoardHawaii RICOHawaii Contractor Administrative Rules

A Hawaii Solar Project May Involve Several Different Parties

  • Solar salesperson or dealer
  • Licensed solar or general contractor
  • Licensed electrical contractor and electrical workers
  • Subcontractors
  • Solar lender or loan servicer
  • System owner under a lease or PPA
  • Equipment manufacturer or warranty provider
  • Hawaiian Electric or KIUC

Do not assume the company that sold the solar system performed the installation, electrical work, financing, servicing, and utility interconnection.

Solar Financing and Payment Problems

Separate the Solar Payment From the Utility Savings Promise

A Hawaii solar loan, lease, or PPA is a private payment obligation that should be reviewed separately from the utility account. A high electric rate can make a savings presentation look compelling, but the outcome still depends on system production, household usage, export compensation, battery behavior, financing costs, and the accuracy of the assumptions in the proposal.

If the installer closes, the utility program changes, or the system underperforms, a lender or system owner may still assert that the payment agreement remains in force. Company closure does not automatically cancel a financing obligation, and homeowners should not stop making payments without reviewing the creditor, contract, servicing notices, and qualified advice.

Hawaii's Division of Financial Institutions handles complaints only for institutions within its state jurisdiction. National banks, federally chartered institutions, and other creditors may be handled by a different federal regulator or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

  • Cash price and total financed amount
  • Dealer fees or finance-related charges embedded in the transaction
  • Interest rate, term, payment schedule, and re-amortization terms
  • Lease or PPA starting price and escalator
  • Tax-credit assumptions used to present a lower future payment
  • Utility savings and export-credit assumptions
  • Current lender, servicer, and payment instructions
A solar payment and an electric bill are two separate obligations. The right comparison is what the homeowner was promised, what the contracts require, what the utility program actually does, and what the system is producing now.
Hawaii DFI Complaint GuidanceHawaii DCCA Fraud Prevention and Resource Guide

Hawaii Solar Tax-Credit Expectations

Hawaii Still Has a State Solar Tax Credit in 2026, but the State Rules Changed

Hawaii's Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit remains available in 2026. Department of Taxation guidance describes a photovoltaic credit equal to 35% of qualifying actual cost, subject to applicable system caps. For a qualifying single-family residential photovoltaic system, the commonly applicable system cap is $5,000 under the existing state guidance.

Act 24, signed in May 2026, added a $40 million annual aggregate cap to the RETITC. Department of Taxation Tax Information Release 2026-02 explains that the cap applies to credits claimed in 2027 for systems placed in service in 2026, subject to Executive Order 26-02 relief for systems completed before May 21, 2026 and certain 2026 systems tied to qualifying investment made before that date.

The state credit is therefore not a guaranteed $5,000 payment. Eligibility, system treatment, ownership, tax liability, the aggregate-cap rules, refundable elections, carryforward rules, and other facts matter. Department guidance also distinguishes the economic owner of the system, which is especially important for leases and PPAs.

The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit is different. Under current federal law and IRS guidance, the homeowner credit is not available for qualifying property placed in service after December 31, 2025. A 2026 sales pitch should not simply assume the former federal homeowner credit still applies.

  • Whether the homeowner or a third party is the economic owner
  • Qualifying project cost used for the Hawaii credit calculation
  • Applicable per-system cap and system-size treatment
  • Whether Act 24 aggregate-cap rules or Executive Order 26-02 relief affect the claim
  • State carryforward or refundable-election rules that may apply
  • What the salesperson represented about state and federal tax benefits
  • Whether the financing payment assumed that a tax benefit would be applied to principal
Solar Exit does not provide tax advice. Tax-credit eligibility and filing decisions should be confirmed with the Hawaii Department of Taxation, IRS, and a qualified tax professional.
Hawaii Department of Taxation RETITCHawaii RETITC Tax FactsHawaii Tax Information Release 2026-02IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit
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Selling or Refinancing a Hawaii Home With Solar

Utility Change of Ownership and Private Solar Transfer Terms Are Two Different Questions

Hawaiian Electric states that when a property changes ownership, the new owner assumes the rights and responsibilities of the existing interconnection agreement. Since October 25, 2022, Hawaiian Electric no longer requires a separate change-of-ownership agreement for that utility relationship, although supporting documents can still be requested.

That does not mean a private solar loan, lease, PPA, or security filing transfers automatically. The seller may still face lender payoff requirements, buyer qualification, system-owner approval, lease or PPA assignment terms, title-company questions, or UCC termination requests.

Hawaii's Bureau of Conveyances handles UCC records and forms. A solar-related UCC filing should be reviewed for what collateral it actually describes and what the closing or refinancing party is requesting. It should not automatically be characterized as a mortgage lien against the entire home.

  • Hawaiian Electric or KIUC interconnection agreement
  • Loan payoff or assumption requirements
  • Lease or PPA transfer and buyer-approval terms
  • System ownership and equipment title
  • UCC filing, amendment, continuation, or termination record
  • Title-company, lender, buyer, and solar-company correspondence
  • Any panel or battery addition that changed the original utility approval
Hawaiian Electric Change of OwnershipHawaii Bureau of Conveyances FAQHawaii Bureau of Conveyances Forms

If the Solar Company Closed

Installer Closure Does Not Automatically End the Utility or Payment Side of the Deal

A closed or unresponsive installer can create separate problems involving monitoring, warranties, roof work, equipment service, utility interconnection, and financing. The first task is to identify which obligations belonged to the installer and which belong to a lender, servicer, system owner, manufacturer, utility, or another contractor.

Do not assume a solar loan, lease, or PPA disappears because the installer stopped operating. Review the current creditor or system owner, payment notices, warranty documents, equipment manufacturer, utility program status, and whether another licensed contractor can safely evaluate the system.

For licensing, workmanship, or unlicensed-activity concerns, DCCA and RICO may be relevant. For deceptive sales practices, the Office of Consumer Protection may be a better starting point. The correct route depends on the actual problem and the party involved.

  • Current lender, servicer, lessor, or PPA system owner
  • Equipment and workmanship warranties
  • Monitoring portal and production history
  • Hawaiian Electric or KIUC interconnection status
  • Contractor license and subcontractor records
  • Open permits or incomplete inspections
  • Company-closure notices, emails, and service requests
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Who Handles What in Hawaii?

Start With the Agency or Utility That Actually Has Jurisdiction

A Hawaii solar dispute can involve consumer sales practices, contractor licensing, electrical work, a regulated utility, a cooperative utility, a lender, tax issues, or a property record. Sending the complaint to the right organization is more useful than treating every problem as the same kind of solar complaint.

Misleading solar sales, deceptive advertising, door-to-door conduct, or unfair business practicesHawaii Office of Consumer Protection

The Office of Consumer Protection enforces Hawaii consumer-protection laws and addresses unfair or deceptive trade practices.

Important: OCP is a regulator and enforcement agency, not the homeowner's private attorney, and the facts of the transaction determine whether a law applies.

Official Resource
Contractor licensing, workmanship, or suspected unlicensed contractingHawaii Regulated Industries Complaints Office (RICO)

RICO receives complaints involving professions and vocations regulated by DCCA, including contractor-related complaints and unlicensed activity.

Important: Technical repair needs and private contract remedies may require additional licensed professionals or legal advice.

Official Resource
Contractor license classification or license verificationHawaii Contractors License Board

The Contractors License Board regulates contractor licensing and classifications, including classifications relevant to solar and electrical contracting.

Important: License status alone does not decide whether a particular contract was breached or whether cancellation is available.

Official Resource
Hawaiian Electric billing, Smart DER, export-credit, or interconnection issueHawaiian Electric, then Hawaii Public Utilities Commission when appropriate

Start with Hawaiian Electric for account-specific billing, program, meter, and interconnection questions. If a regulated utility dispute remains unresolved, the PUC provides an informal complaint process.

Important: The PUC complaint process is for regulated utility matters and does not replace a private dispute with a salesperson, installer, or lender.

Official Resource
Kauai rooftop-solar interconnection or export issueKauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC)

KIUC customers should start with KIUC because Kauai has its own interconnection documents and export framework rather than Hawaiian Electric Smart DER.

Important: Current export compensation and technical rules can change, so use KIUC's current tariff and interconnection guidance for the specific account.

Official Resource
Hawaii solar income-tax creditHawaii Department of Taxation

The Department of Taxation publishes guidance for the Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit and related forms and tax information.

Important: Solar Exit does not determine tax eligibility. Homeowners should use current Department guidance and a qualified tax professional for filing decisions.

Official Resource
Solar lender or finance-company complaint within Hawaii state jurisdictionHawaii Division of Financial Institutions

DFI accepts complaints involving financial institutions and licensees that fall within its state supervisory authority.

Important: DFI does not supervise every creditor. National banks, federal savings institutions, federal credit unions, and other entities may belong with a federal regulator or CFPB.

Official Resource
UCC record connected with solar equipment or a home transactionHawaii Bureau of Conveyances

The Bureau of Conveyances provides Hawaii UCC forms and record information that may be relevant to a solar financing or closing issue.

Important: The legal effect of a filing depends on the actual record, collateral description, agreement, and transaction. A filing should not automatically be described as a mortgage lien.

Official Resource
Federal homeowner solar tax-credit questionInternal Revenue Service / qualified tax professional

The IRS publishes the current federal Residential Clean Energy Credit rules, including the current placed-in-service deadline.

Important: Tax consequences are fact-specific and should be confirmed with current IRS guidance and a qualified tax professional.

Official Resource
Current Status

Hawaiian Electric Does Not Endorse Rooftop Solar Companies

Hawaiian Electric warns customers that it does not partner with or endorse rooftop solar companies. A salesperson should not create trust by implying that the utility has selected or approved the solar company.

Verify With Official Source
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What We Review

Your Complete Solar Situation

  • Identify the island, electric utility, and current solar program.
  • Determine whether the system is under NEM, NEM Plus, a legacy program, Smart DER, Smart Renewable Energy Export, or KIUC rules.
  • Compare utility export credits and billing with the salesperson's savings assumptions.
  • Review battery enrollment, dispatch requirements, and incentive assumptions.
  • Compare the solar sale with Hawaii solar-device disclosures and homeowner contractor requirements.
  • Review cancellation language and whether a qualifying door-to-door cancellation period may apply.
  • Identify the salesperson, licensed contractor, electrical contractor, lender, servicer, and system owner.
  • Compare financing terms with state and federal tax-credit representations.
  • Review utility change-of-ownership, private transfer, payoff, and UCC issues before a sale or refinance.
  • Identify warranty and service options if the installer closed or stopped responding.
  • Route the problem to the Hawaii agency, utility, cooperative, or regulator with the right jurisdiction.

Prepare the Record

Documents to Gather

  • Signed solar purchase, financing, lease, or PPA agreement
  • Original solar proposal and savings presentation
  • Hawaii solar-device cost disclosures
  • Homeowner contractor agreement and change orders
  • Financing agreement
  • Recent solar payment statements
  • Recent Hawaiian Electric or KIUC bills
  • Utility program enrollment or interconnection agreement
  • Permission to Operate or utility approval
  • Smart DER, legacy-program, or KIUC documents
  • Battery-program enrollment or incentive documents
  • Production and monitoring records
  • Contractor and electrical license information
  • Permits and inspection records
  • Equipment and workmanship warranties
  • Roof inspection or repair records
  • State and federal tax-credit representations
  • Emails, texts, advertisements, and sales materials
  • UCC records and home-sale or refinance correspondence
  • Servicer or company-closure notices

Hawaii Solar Contract FAQs

Questions Hawaii Homeowners Are Asking

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

Start My Free Review
Can I cancel a solar contract in Hawaii?

Possibly, but the answer depends on the contract, timing, how and where the sale occurred, financing, and project status. Qualifying Hawaii door-to-door sales can carry a three-business-day cancellation right, but that rule should not be treated as a universal right to cancel every solar agreement. Review the signed cancellation notice and contract immediately if the sale was recent.

Hawaii Door-to-Door Sales Law
Does Hawaii still have net metering for residential solar?

Existing Hawaiian Electric NEM and NEM Plus customers can still have legacy net-metering treatment, but original NEM closed to new applications in October 2015. Newer Hawaiian Electric systems use later distributed-energy programs such as Smart DER, and Kauai customers follow KIUC rules. The exact program on the property matters more than the generic phrase "net metering."

Hawaiian Electric Program InformationHawaii PUC DER Programs
How do Hawaii solar export credits work under Smart DER?

For qualifying Hawaiian Electric customers, Smart Renewable Energy Export uses compensation values that vary by island and time period. The current 2024-2026 values are not a simple promise that every exported kilowatt-hour receives the full retail electricity rate. Homeowners should compare the applicable island rate, actual imports and exports, battery operation, and the utility bill with the sales estimate.

Hawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Export
Does Hawaii still have a state solar tax credit in 2026?

Yes, but 2026 law changed the picture. Hawaii's Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit remains available, and existing Department guidance describes a 35% photovoltaic credit subject to system caps, including a commonly applicable $5,000 cap for a qualifying single-family residential system. Act 24 added a $40 million annual aggregate cap, and Tax Information Release 2026-02 explains how that cap applies to 2026 systems and the relief available under Executive Order 26-02. Eligibility, ownership, tax liability, timing, and filing choices matter, so homeowners should confirm the result with current Department guidance and a qualified tax professional.

Hawaii Department of Taxation RETITCHawaii RETITC Tax FactsHawaii Tax Information Release 2026-02
Are the solar rules different on Kauai?

Yes. Kauai is served by KIUC rather than Hawaiian Electric. KIUC has its own interconnection documents, export treatment, and grid requirements, so Hawaiian Electric Smart DER and Smart Renewable Energy Export rules should not be applied to a Kauai account without checking current KIUC guidance.

KIUC Residential Interconnection Packet
What happens to solar when I sell my Hawaii home?

For Hawaiian Electric, a new property owner assumes the rights and responsibilities of the existing utility interconnection agreement, and the utility no longer requires a separate change-of-ownership agreement for that utility relationship. Private solar financing is separate. A loan, lease, PPA, or UCC record may still require payoff, assignment, buyer approval, termination, or other steps before closing.

Hawaiian Electric Change of OwnershipHawaii Bureau of Conveyances FAQ
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Review the Hawaii Solar Deal as a Whole

The Contract, Utility Program, Export Credits, Financing, and Sales Pitch Need to Tell the Same Story

Hawaii solar problems are easiest to understand when the island, utility program, interconnection date, payment agreement, tax assumptions, export credits, battery settings, production records, and sales disclosures are reviewed together. That full record can show where expectations and reality stopped matching and what should be addressed next.

Request My Free Solar Contract ReviewCall 833-765-2711

Official Sources and Hawaii 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 - Hawaii

State electricity, solar-generation, distributed-solar, and electricity-price context.

Official Resource

Hawaii State Energy Office - Renewable Energy Resources

State renewable-energy landscape and Hawaii clean-energy context.

Official Resource

Hawaii Public Utilities Commission - DER Programs

Official overview of Smart DER, BYOD, and Hawaii distributed-energy program structure.

Official Resource

Hawaiian Electric - Smart Renewable Energy Programs

Current Hawaiian Electric rooftop solar, battery, meter, and program information.

Official Resource

Hawaiian Electric - Smart Renewable Energy Export

Current island-specific export compensation, true-up, and credit treatment.

Official Resource

Hawaiian Electric - Program Information for Contractors

Status of NEM and later legacy programs, closures, caps, and current interconnection information.

Official Resource

Hawaiian Electric - Legacy Program Transition

Transition framework for older rooftop-solar program customers.

Official Resource

Hawaiian Electric - Change of Ownership

Utility treatment when a property with an existing distributed-energy system changes owners.

Official Resource

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative - Residential Interconnection Packet

KIUC interconnection requirements and Kauai-specific distributed-generation framework.

Official Resource

Hawaii Department of Taxation - Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit

Current state renewable-energy tax-credit information.

Official Resource

Hawaii Department of Taxation - RETITC Tax Facts

Detailed photovoltaic credit percentages, caps, ownership, carryforward, and refundable-election guidance.

Official Resource

Internal Revenue Service - Residential Clean Energy Credit

Current federal homeowner clean-energy credit rules and placed-in-service deadline.

Official Resource

Hawaii Revised Statutes §481B-6

Required solar energy device cost and unrelated-incentive disclosures.

Official Resource

Hawaii Revised Statutes §444-25.5

Homeowner contractor disclosure and written-contract requirements.

Official Resource

Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 16-77

Detailed contractor homeowner-contract and licensing requirements.

Official Resource

Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 481C

Door-to-door sale cancellation requirements for qualifying transactions.

Official Resource

Hawaii Contractors License Board

Contractor licensing and classifications relevant to solar installations.

Official Resource

Hawaii Regulated Industries Complaints Office

Complaints involving regulated professionals and suspected unlicensed activity.

Official Resource

Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection

Consumer complaints involving unfair or deceptive trade practices.

Official Resource

Hawaii Public Utilities Commission - Utility Complaint Process

Informal complaints involving regulated utility matters after working with the utility.

Official Resource

Hawaii Division of Financial Institutions - Complaint FAQs

Complaint routing for financial institutions within Hawaii state jurisdiction.

Official Resource

Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances - FAQs

Hawaii property-record and UCC information relevant to sale or refinance issues.

Official Resource

Hawaii DCCA Fraud Prevention and Resource Guide

Current state consumer guidance, including photovoltaic and contractor-related scam prevention.

Official Resource

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.