Solar UCC-1 lien removal: your options
It encumbers the panels, not the house. Here is how to get it off the record.
Written by HyreSolar Research Desk Primary-source research; not legal or financial advice
The short answer
For solar UCC-1 lien removal, your options are a termination the lender files after payoff, a subordination so a new mortgage can go ahead of it, or, if the lender fails to act, a termination you file yourself.
A UCC-1 fixture filing gives notice of a security interest in the panels and inverter, not your land, but it is recorded with mortgages, so it shows up on a title search.
Home solar is consumer goods, so under UCC § 9-513 the lender must file a termination within one month of payoff, or within 20 days of your written demand.
Check your contract first
- The security agreement in your loan
It names the collateral: usually the equipment, sometimes described as fixtures.
- The county record
Search the recorder’s office for a UCC-1 or “fixture filing” with your name and address. Note the file number and the secured party.
- Your payoff status
Paid in full, being refinanced, or being sold.
Your options
| Situation | Option | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Loan paid off | Lender files a termination (UCC-3) | § 9-513: one month, or 20 days after demand |
| Refinancing or selling, loan stays | Lender subordinates the filing to the new mortgage | Fannie Mae: a senior fixture filing “must be subordinated” |
| Lender ignores your demand | You file the termination yourself | § 9-513(d); § 9-509 authorisation |
| Lender caused you loss | Claim $500 statutory damages plus actual loss | § 9-625 |
| Nothing done, no payoff | The filing lapses after five years unless continued | § 9-515 |
Step by step after payoff
- 1Get the paid-in-full letter
- 2Send an authenticated demand for termination
In writing, quoting the file number. This starts the 20-day clock.
- 3Wait 20 days, then check the record
- 4If nothing was filed, file it yourself
The recorder’s office has the UCC-3 form; the code lets a debtor file when the secured party fails to.
- 5Keep copies for your title company
When to get help
A title company or real estate attorney can handle a subordination when a closing date is set. If a lender will not respond, the CFPB complaint portal often prompts action, and § 9-625 gives you a claim.
When you are ready
Ready to explore solar for your home?
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Keep learningQuestions
Is a solar UCC-1 a lien on my house?
How long does a lender have to remove a UCC-1 after payoff?
Can I file the UCC-3 termination myself?
Sources and retrieval dates
- UCC § 9-102, definitions (fixtures, consumer goods) Retrieved 22 October 2026.
- UCC §§ 9-501 and 9-502, where fixture filings are made Retrieved 22 October 2026.
- UCC § 9-513, termination statement , one month after payoff, or 20 days after an authenticated demand Retrieved 22 October 2026.
- UCC § 9-625, remedies, including $500 statutory damages Retrieved 22 October 2026.
- UCC § 9-515, five-year duration of a financing statement Retrieved 22 October 2026.
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide B2-3-04, properties with solar panels , lease value excluded; senior fixture filing must be subordinated Retrieved 22 October 2026.
- CFPB, Issue Spotlight: Solar Financing , published 7 August 2024: dealer fees, re-amortization at month 19, PPA escalators of 1 to 5% Retrieved 22 October 2026.
This page explains how solar contracts and consumer rules usually work and links the documents it relies on.
It is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice; your own contract and your state’s law decide your case.
For a dispute, speak to a lawyer licensed in your state or your state attorney general’s consumer office. HyreSolar does not install, finance, lease or sell solar.