Plug-in solar: is it legal where you live?
Balcony or plug-in solar is a small panel kit, usually 400 to 1,200 watts, that plugs into an ordinary wall socket and cuts what you buy from the grid. In 2026 it became legal in Great Britain and in a fast-growing list of US states. We read the laws so you don't have to, and we link every one.
US states with a plug-in solar law
10 states have signed a law; New York has passed a bill that is not yet signed. Tap a state for its rules.
- Law in force
- Signed, starts later
- Passed, awaiting signature
- No law found
Last checked: · every state page links the bill or statute (full table and sources)
Official texts: UT · ME · VA · MD · CO · CT · NH · VT · NJ · CA · NY · UK (read 2026-11-03)
🇬🇧 In Great Britain
Since 27 August 2026, plug-in solar up to 800 W AC is allowed in England, Wales and Scotland, if the product meets the government's Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification (SI 2026/848). One device per household for now, and you must tell your network operator.
Last checked: 2026-11-03
What would it save you?
Our calculator uses your state's average home electricity price from the US Energy Information Administration (or the Ofgem price cap in Britain) and real sun data for your state, then shows the sum: kWh a year × price = dollars a year, and the payback on a $500, $1,000 or $1,500 kit.
How plug-in solar works
California
SB 868 signed Sept 30, 2026: 1,200 W, reported start Jan 1, 2027.
Colorado
Highest US limit (1,920 W) and HOA bans void from 2027.
New Jersey
Landlords and HOAs can't broadly ban it.
Utah
The first state: legal since May 2025.
800 W vs 1,200 W
What the limit means and what you can plug in.
Certified kits
What "UL 3700" means and which products can show it.
Common questions
Do I need my utility's permission?
In the states with a law, no approval is needed and the utility cannot charge a fee. Some states still want a notice: Virginia and Maryland before or when you install, Maine within 30 days for systems over 420 W, and the New York bill within 30 days. Colorado and New Hampshire let the utility ask for one. Your state page has the exact wording.
Can I plug in more than one kit?
Usually not. The laws cap the total per meter, address or household (1,200 W in most states, 1,920 W in Colorado), and Maryland, Connecticut and New Hampshire allow one system per meter. In Great Britain, network rules currently allow one device per household.
Will I get paid for power I send back to the grid?
Generally no. Utah, Maine, Virginia and Maryland keep plug-in systems out of net metering, and the New York bill says exported power is uncompensated unless you sign a separate agreement. Savings come from power you use yourself.
Does it work in a power cut?
No. The laws we've read (for example Utah, Virginia, Colorado and Connecticut) require a feature that stops the device energizing your home's wiring during an outage. A plug-in battery is a different product: of the law texts we've read, only Maine's covers plug-in batteries, and Britain's rules exclude them.