Is Balcony Solar Legal in My State? 2026 Map of All 50 States

Short answer: as of October 22, 2026, plug-in solar laws are in force in 6 states (Utah, Maryland, Maine, Vermont, Colorado and Connecticut) and signed in 4 more that start in 2027 (Virginia, California, New Hampshire and New Jersey). New York's bill is waiting for the governor. Everywhere else, your utility's interconnection rules decide, and they usually require approval before you connect.

Plug-in solar (often called balcony solar) means a small solar kit, usually one to four panels and a microinverter, that feeds power into your home through a regular wall outlet. Until 2025 no US state had a rule written for these kits. Since Utah went first, states have been passing laws at a fast pace, and each one sets its own wattage cap, certification rule and paperwork. Use the map to find your state, then read the details below.

Plug-in solar status by state (map)

Green states have a law in force. Light green means the governor has signed but the law has a later start date. Yellow means the legislature passed a bill that isn't signed yet. Beige means a bill was filed in 2026 but did not become law, and gray means no bill. Select any state to see its details. States with their own guide link straight to it.

What "legal" means here

A state plug-in solar law typically does four things for systems below a wattage cap (usually 1,200 W):

• it exempts the system from the utility's interconnection agreement and approval process;
• it bans fees and extra equipment requirements by the utility;
• it requires the kit to be certified by a nationally recognized lab (UL or equivalent) and to shut off during a power outage;
• in some states it also limits bans by landlords or homeowner associations.

Laws differ in the details. Some require you to notify your utility first (Virginia, Maryland), some name the new UL 3700 safety outline (New Jersey, Maine), and some only become usable once a state agency approves a standard (New Hampshire). Our guide to how plug-in solar laws work explains each piece.

Every state at a glance

The table is sorted by status. "Limit" is the maximum AC output allowed by the law or proposed in the bill. Dates are the day the law takes effect, not the day it was signed.

States where plug-in solar is legal now

• Utah was first: HB 340 took effect on May 7, 2025, for portable systems up to 1,200 W that plug into a standard 120-volt outlet.
• Maryland: HB 1532 was signed on May 12, 2026, and took effect on enactment. Utilities may ask you to notify them.
• Maine: LD 1730 took effect in July 2026. You can self-install one device of 420 W or less; larger systems up to 1,200 W need a certified electrician.
• Vermont: Act 149 (S.202), in effect since July 1, 2026, with a 1,200 W cap per meter and a UL 3700 requirement.
• Colorado: HB26-1007 allows up to 1,920 W, the highest cap in the country. From January 1, 2027, landlords and HOAs can't unreasonably block properly secured devices, and devices above 391 W must be listed.
• Connecticut: HB 5340, in effect since October 1, 2026, with a 1,200 W cap per meter.

Signed, but not in effect yet

• Virginia (January 1, 2027): you must notify your utility before installing, and landlords with more than four units can't ban exterior devices.
• California (January 1, 2027): SB 868 creates the largest market. Utilities may require a simple registration, not approval.
• New Hampshire: SB 540 caps systems at 1,200 W per meter, but use only becomes legal once the state Department of Energy certifies a safety standard.
• New Jersey (March 1, 2027): requires UL 3700 listing above 400 W and protects renters and HOA residents from outright bans.

Buying a kit before your state's start date is fine, but connecting it early is not covered by the new law. Until the start date, your utility's existing rules apply.

Bills to watch in 2027

New York's SUNNY Act passed both chambers on May 28, 2026, and is the next likely state. In Massachusetts, both chambers passed energy bills with plug-in solar language, and a conference committee has been negotiating since July 29, 2026. Bills were in committee in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Delaware and Washington, D.C., and stalled in about a dozen other states, many of which are expected to try again when sessions reopen in January 2027. Bills failed in Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, Wyoming and Georgia in 2026. Texas and Florida had no bill at all. Illinois and Arizona bills stalled in 2026.

What to do if your state has no law yet

No state law does not automatically mean "illegal", but it does mean you have no special protection. Any device that sends power into your home's wiring while connected to the grid counts as a generator under most utility rules, and utilities normally require an interconnection application before you connect one. If you want to go ahead:

1. Ask your utility in writing (we have a template) whether it has a process for small plug-in or "behind-the-meter" systems and what it requires (application, certified inverter, disconnect switch).
2. Buy only certified equipment: a microinverter listed to UL 1741 or the newer UL 3700 outline. See our kit buying guide.
3. Check your lease or HOA rules. Without a state law, the property owner decides (see balcony solar for renters).
4. Consider a non-grid option while you wait: a portable power station charged by panels doesn't connect to your home's wiring, so interconnection rules don't apply.

Want to know whether it would even pay off where you live? Try the savings calculator.

Frequently asked questions