PACE / Ygrene Assessment on Your Florida Tax Bill? How to Dispute or Remove It
By Juan C. Burgos, Esq. | Florida Bar #84056 | Bankruptcy Attorney, Orlando FL
Direct answer: A PACE or Ygrene assessment is a tax assessment attached to your property, not a personal loan or a UCC-1 lien — so it behaves differently than solar loan debt, both in and out of bankruptcy. If the required Truth in Lending Act (TILA) disclosures weren't provided when you signed, a rescission claim may be available depending on your specific facts and timeline.
Why PACE/Ygrene Is a Different Legal Animal
A Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program — Ygrene is one PACE administrator active in Florida — finances a home improvement (often solar, but not always) through a voluntary tax assessment rather than a conventional loan. That assessment is collected as part of your county property tax bill, which is why it can spike your escrow payment even though you never received a traditional loan statement. It's this structure — a tax assessment, not a security interest in personal property — that makes PACE/Ygrene legally distinct from a solar loan secured by a UCC-1.
TILA and Regulation Z Rescission
PACE financing is subject to certain federal Truth in Lending Act and Regulation Z disclosure obligations. If the required disclosures weren't properly given to you at signing, you may have grounds to seek rescission of the assessment — but this is a fact-specific claim tied to strict timelines, and it requires a real review of your closing documents, not a general assumption. If you're not sure whether you received proper disclosures, that's exactly the kind of question worth bringing to an attorney with your paperwork in hand.
This is a government-heavy topic — verify with primary sources
Florida's own PACE program information is available directly from the state and from county PACE administrators. Before making any decision, it's worth reviewing the official program rules alongside legal advice, not relying on secondhand summaries.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between PACE/Ygrene and a solar loan?+
A solar loan is a personal loan, typically secured by a UCC-1 against the panels. PACE/Ygrene is a tax assessment on the property, collected through your county tax bill — a fundamentally different legal structure.
Can bankruptcy get rid of a PACE or Ygrene assessment?+
Because it's a tax assessment rather than a conventional secured loan, it's treated differently than solar loan debt in a bankruptcy case. This needs a case-specific review rather than a general answer.
What is TILA rescission and how do I know if it applies to me?+
TILA rescission is a right to cancel certain financing when required disclosures weren't properly provided. Whether it applies depends on your closing documents and strict deadlines — bring your paperwork for a review rather than assuming either way.
Can a PACE assessment stop me from selling or refinancing my house?+
It can complicate a sale or refinance, since the assessment typically needs to be paid off or transferred as part of the transaction. Identifying it early gives you more options than discovering it at closing.
Also dealing with a solar loan lien?
See our full Solar Panel Lien Removal guide, which covers both PACE/Ygrene disputes and UCC-1 solar loan liens.
Read the Full Guide →Legal Notice: This page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws, statutes, dollar amounts, and procedures can change after this page was published — do not assume anything here is current or factual. Contact an attorney to confirm how the law applies to your specific situation before relying on this information. Juan Burgos Law is a law firm duly licensed to practice law throughout the State of Florida. Juan Burgos Law is a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
Bring Your PACE or Ygrene Paperwork
We'll review your closing documents and tell you what options actually exist.
Call (407) 505-4190 →