California's plug-in solar law, explained

Signed, and when it starts

Governor Newsom signed SB 868 on Sep 30, 2026 (LegiScan). It takes effect Jan 1, 2027, the standard start date for a non-urgency California law (official bill page).

Compliant kits are expected around spring to mid-2027 (KQED).

What counts as a plug-in solar device

Under the final text (§8530(c)(1)–(4)), a device:

• puts out up to 1,200 watts AC per dwelling, combined, so two kits in one home count together,
• is designed to plug into and unplug from a receptacle (an outlet),
• is meant to offset the home’s own electricity use, and
• meets the National and California Electrical Codes.

A device that misses any of these conditions, or the certification rules below, isn’t covered by SB 868. That doesn’t make it illegal before 2030; it just doesn’t get the law’s protections.

That’s why our savings calculator stops at 1,200 W.

Certification

The law doesn’t name a standard by number. A device must be certified “as a plug-in photovoltaic system” by UL or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory. It also needs a separately certified feature that stops it from backfeeding power during an outage (final text, §8530(c)(5)–(6)).

UL 3700 is the standard UL built for this category (UL Solutions). Here’s where it stands:

• UL 3700 was adopted in December 2025. As of July 2026, no whole boxed kit had it (Environment America).
• UL Solutions launched its UL 3700 testing program in January 2026 (UL Solutions).
• The first microinverters certified to UL 3700 were the Hoymiles HiFlow 360 Pro, then the APsystems EZ1 (Solar.com).

A certified inverter is not the same as a certified kit. That’s why our kit tracker shows three separate badges: inverter UL 3700, whole-kit UL 3700, and California status.

Telling your utility

Any utility, including SDG&E, PG&E, SCE and city-owned utilities, may require a simple online form with your address and the device’s make, model and size. It cannot require approval, fees or extra equipment (final text, §8531(b)–(c)).

As of Oct 2, 2026, we haven’t found a plug-in solar registration form from SDG&E, PG&E or SCE. That doesn’t mean nothing is required: your utility may still ask you to notify it, so check with it before you plug in, and get an alert from us when forms appear. See our guides for SDG&E, PG&E and SCE customers.

Until compliant kits arrive

Current products don’t meet the requirements, so owners must still register them like rooftop solar (KQED; TechSpot).

Local building and fire rules still apply

SB 868 doesn’t address local building or fire rules, so they still apply. Check with your city or county before you install. NRG Clean Power, a rooftop solar installer, makes the same point (NRG Clean Power).

What the law doesn’t give you

• No payment for extra power. The law creates none. Savings come only from power your home uses as it’s made (NRG Clean Power).
• No backup power. The required anti-backfeed feature means the device shuts off during an outage (final text, §8530(c)(6)).
• No federal tax credit. The residential clean energy credit (25D) expired Dec 31, 2025 (IRS; NRG Clean Power).

2030

SB 868’s protections for plug-in solar, including the limits on utility approval, fees and equipment, apply only until Jan 1, 2030, when that part of the law is repealed. From that date, plug-in devices that don’t meet the code and certification rules can’t be sold in California (final text, §8531(e) and §8532).

Other states

Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, Utah, Vermont and Virginia also have plug-in solar laws (Canary Media).