California Solar Energy Licensing Law

California Code · 3 sections

The following is the full text of California’s solar energy licensing law statutes as published in the California Code. For the official version, see the California Legislature.

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7162

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any representation by a person licensed pursuant to this chapter with respect to a trademark or brand name, quality, or size of any goods or materials, in reference to bathroom fixtures, a sink, stove, refrigerator, lighting, carpeting and other floor surfaces, burglar and smoke alarms, a solar energy system, paints, textured coatings, siding and other wall surfaces, insulation, roofing, air conditioning and heating systems, and appliances, to be provided by the person pursuant to a home improvement contract, as defined in Section 7151.2, shall set forth, in writing, in the contract or specifications and shall include a description of the goods or materials, including any brand name, model number, or similar designation. (b) Failure to install the specific goods or materials as represented as required by this section constitutes a cause for disciplinary action under this chapter. (Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 249, Sec. 5. (SB 757) Effective January 1, 2022.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7169

(a) The board, in collaboration with the Public Utilities Commission, shall develop and make available a “solar energy system disclosure document” or documents that provide a consumer, at a minimum, accurate, clear, and concise information regarding the installation of a solar energy system, total costs of installation, anticipated savings, the assumptions and inputs used to estimate the savings, and the implications of various financing options. (b) On or before July 1, 2018, the board, in collaboration with the Public Utilities Commission, shall develop, and make available on its internet website the disclosure document described in subdivision (a) that a solar energy system company shall provide to a consumer prior to completion of a sale, financing, or lease of a solar energy system. The “solar energy system disclosure document” shall be printed on the front page or cover page of every solar energy contract. The “solar energy system disclosure document” shall be printed in boldface 16-point type and include the following types of primary information: (1) The total cost and payments for the system, including financing costs. (2) Information on how and to whom customers may provide complaints. (3) The consumer’s right to the applicable cancellation period pursuant to Section 7159 of the Business and Professions Code. (c) At the board’s discretion, other types of supporting information the board and the commission deem appropriate or useful in furthering the directive described in subdivision (a) may be included in the solar energy disclosure document following the front page or cover page, including, but not limited to: (1) The amounts and sources of financing obtained. (2) The calculations used by the home improvement salesperson to determine how many panels the homeowner needs to install. (3) The calculations used by the home improvement salesperson to determine how much energy the panels will generate. (4) Any additional monthly fees the homeowner’s electric company may bill, any turn-on charges, and any fees added for the use of an internet monitoring system of the panels or inverters. (5) The terms and conditions of any guaranteed rebate. (6) The final contract price, without the inclusion of possible rebates. (7) The solar energy system company’s contractor’s license number. (8) The impacts of solar energy system installations not performed to code. (9) Types of solar energy system malfunctions. (10) Information about the difference between a solar energy system lease and a solar energy system purchase. (11) The impacts that the financing options, lease agreement terms, or contract terms will have on the sale of the consumer’s home, including any balloon payments or solar energy system relocation that may be required if the contract is not assigned to the new owner of the home. (12) A calculator that calculates performance of solar projects to provide solar customers the solar power system’s projected output, which may include an expected

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7170

(a) The Contractors State License Board shall receive and review complaints and consumer questions regarding solar energy systems companies and solar contractors. The board shall also receive complaints received from state agencies regarding solar energy systems companies and solar contractors. (b) Beginning on July 1, 2019, the board annually shall compile a report documenting consumer complaints relating to solar contractors. The report shall be made available publicly on the board’s and the Public Utilities Commission’s internet websites. The report shall contain all of the following: (1) The number and types of complaints. (2) The ZIP Code where the consumer complaint originated. (3) The disposition of all complaints received against a solar contractor. (Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 249, Sec. 6. (SB 757) Effective January 1, 2022.) BPC Business and Professions Code - BPC 10.

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)