Federal solar credit ended Dec 31, 2025
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Installers · New York

How to Check a Solar Installer in New York

Fact-checked by Sorted & Saved data desk
Updated Data verified Nov 5, 2026

We do not rank or rate solar companies, and nobody pays to appear on this site. What we can do is show you how to check any installer in New York yourself in about ten minutes: the license they must hold, where to look it up, and the consumer rules that protect you when you sign.

On this page [ 6 ]

The license a New York solar installer needs

New York has no statewide solar or contractor license. Licensing is local: each authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) may require an electrical and/or home improvement license. In New York City, the electrical permit for solar PV is issued to a NYC Licensed Master Electrician (Department of Buildings), and only DOB licensees or the employees they supervise may do the work. NYC's Home Improvement Contractor license is issued by DCWP (formerly DCA), not DOB, and NYC 311 lists electrical work as not requiring a DCWP license. Per the NY Attorney General, home-improvement contractors must be licensed in NYC and Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties, and the City of Buffalo. Suffolk County Consumer Affairs also issues Master Electrician licenses.[1]

Find a NY-Sun participating contractor[2]

NYSERDA's live site blocked automated fetches (403). Content was confirmed from the 2026-08-13 Wayback capture. NY-Sun participation is program eligibility, not a license.

Consumer protections when you buy or lease

  • Written home improvement contract over $500 (GBL Art. 36-A): NY law requires a written contract for home-improvement work over $500. It must include the contractor's name, address and phone; approximate start and completion dates; a description of work and materials (make/model) with price; the 3-business-day cancellation notice; and the escrow notice.[3]
  • 3-business-day right to cancel: Under GBL §771, home improvement contracts must include notice of the owner's right to cancel until midnight of the third business day after signing. The right can be waived in writing in an emergency.[3]
  • Deposits held in escrow (or bonded): Payments received before the work is finished must be deposited in an escrow account, or the contractor may post a bond. The AG says contractors must tell you within five days where the funds are held, or prove bond coverage.[3]
  • NY-Sun customer agreement requirements: NY-Sun participating contractors must sign a written agreement with each customer that meets the NY-Sun Program Manual requirements and incorporates NYSERDA's 'Addendum to Agreement'. For storage, the agreement must state the battery will not power the entire home in an outage (Participation Agreement, Version 11, Oct 2023).[4]

A ten-minute installer check

  1. Look up the company's license by number with the official lookup above, and confirm the name and address match the contract.
  2. Ask whether the crew lead holds the NABCEP PV Installation Professional certification (check it in the NABCEP directory[5]). It is voluntary but shows tested experience.
  3. Get at least three written quotes for the same system size, with the price per watt, panel and inverter models and warranty terms spelled out.
  4. Ask who will handle the utility interconnection application and the permit, and who pays if the utility requires a meter or panel upgrade.
  5. Never sign on the first visit; check your cancellation rights and the financing terms, including dealer fees.

Installers we have verified

We only list a company after checking its license record ourselves, and we never show prices or star ratings for installers. No New York installers are listed yet; use the checks above for any company you are considering.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a solar company's license in New York?

Use the official lookup: Find a NY-Sun participating contractor. Search by license number, which should be on the contract and the company's ads.

Can I cancel a solar contract after signing?

Often, yes. For sales made at your home, the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule applies: you can cancel until midnight of the third business day after the sale (Saturdays count) for sales of $25 or more made at your home.[6] New York adds its own rules, listed above.

sources

[ 6 ]

Every number on this page links to one of these sources. Dates show when we last checked each one.

  1. Licensing rulenyserda.ny.gov · checked Nov 5, 2026
  2. NYSERDA NY-Sun - Residential & Small Commercial Solar Contractors (find a participating / Quality Solar Installer contractor)nyserda.ny.gov · checked Nov 5, 2026
  3. Written home improvement contract over $500 (GBL Art. 36-A)ag.ny.gov · checked Nov 5, 2026
  4. NY-Sun customer agreement requirementsnyserda.ny.gov · checked Nov 5, 2026
  5. NABCEP directoriesdirectories.nabcep.org · checked Nov 5, 2026
  6. 16 CFR Part 429, Cooling-Off Ruleecfr.gov · checked Nov 5, 2026