Is balcony solar legal in Virginia?
Yes, from January 1, 2027. Virginia Code § 56-596.8 allows plug-in solar up to 1,200 W per customer, but you must notify your utility on the SCC's form before you install.
Last checked: · Law: HB 395 / SB 250 (2026), Va. Code § 56-596.8
What the law says
| Status | Enacted (2026 Acts chapters 998 and 1052, per the Code history line) law text |
|---|---|
| In force | January 1, 2027 (section heading) law text |
| Size limit | Not more than 1,200 watts per customer, or per residential unit in multi-family housing law text |
| How it connects | Through an electrical outlet, on the customer's side of the meter law text |
| Certification | Certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (29 C.F.R. § 1910.7) or equivalent; must meet the current National Electrical Code law text |
| Utility notice | Notify the utility on the Commission's form BEFORE installing. If the utility does not respond within 15 days, notice is deemed given law text |
| Utility approval | Not required; no fee; no extra controls. The utility may require a locking disconnect where there is more than one device or the circuit requires it law text |
| Net metering | Interconnection and net energy metering rules do not apply law text |
| 391 W rule | A device putting no more than 391 W into the outlet is exempt from product-listing provisions that would require alterations to wiring or panels law text |
| Landlords / HOAs | Not in this section. Some trackers report a separate landlord rule; we have not verified it reported |
law text = read in the bill, statute or an official government page. reported = from news or a tracker; we could not confirm it in an official source yet.
Does not apply to rental units billed under ratio utility billing (RUBS).
Where sources disagree
One tracker says core provisions were active July 1, 2026; the Code section says it is effective January 1, 2027. Another says up to three systems per meter; the statute says 1,200 W per customer.
Sources
- Code of Virginia § 56-596.8 official
- Virginia LIS: HB 395 (2026) official
- PluginSolarUS: Virginia tracker secondary
All sources read on 2026-11-03.
Before you plug in
- Check with your utility whether it wants a notice, and how (the rules above say what it may and may not ask).
- Renting or in an HOA? Read renters & HOAs and ask your landlord or board in writing.
- Buy a kit with a certification you can look up. See certified kits.
- Estimate what it saves in Virginia: savings calculator.
This page quotes the rule; it is not legal or electrical advice.