Plug-in solar for California renters, condo owners and HOA members

What the law covers

Governor Newsom signed the Plug and Play Solar Act (SB 868) on Sep 30, 2026 (LegiScan). It takes effect Jan 1, 2027 (official bill page). It lets a home use a certified plug-in device of up to 1,200 watts AC without a utility interconnection agreement (Canary Media; final text).

Your utility may require a simple online form with your address and the device’s make, model and size, but it can’t require approval, fees or extra equipment (final text, §8531(b)–(c)).

If you rent

Your lease and your landlord decide whether you can mount panels on a balcony, patio or window. SB 868 doesn’t give renters any right to install over a landlord’s objection. As far as we know, no court has applied California’s Solar Rights Act to residential leases, so don’t count on it. Get your landlord’s permission in writing before you buy, or you could be breaking your lease. Questions to ask your landlord:

• Can I put a small solar panel on my balcony railing, patio or window?
• Who is responsible if the equipment damages the building?
• Do you need anything from me in writing, such as product details?
• If I move out, do I take it with me?

If you’re in an HOA

This applies whether you own or rent your home. If you rent in an HOA community, you may need a yes from both your landlord and the HOA.

Your rights: what’s clear and what isn’t

• The new plug-in solar law doesn’t change your HOA’s rules. SB 868 only governs utilities (final text). It doesn’t by its terms give you a right to install over your HOA’s objection.
• California’s Solar Rights Act may protect you, but it’s not settled. A separate, older law protects “solar energy systems” from HOA bans (details below). Its definition covers “any solar collector or other solar energy device” whose main purpose is collecting solar energy for uses including electric generation (Civil Code §801.5). Whether plug-in kits count hasn’t been settled. We haven’t found a ruling either way, and NRG Clean Power calls the question unsettled (NRG Clean Power).
• Your utility still can’t charge you or require approval (until Jan 1, 2030). The HOA question is separate from your utility, which may only ask for a simple online form (final text, §8531(b)–(c)).

What the Solar Rights Act says about HOAs

If the Act does cover plug-in kits, here’s what it requires. Each point is from the official code text.

• No bans. An HOA rule that “effectively prohibits or restricts the installation or use of a solar energy system is void and unenforceable” (Civil Code §714(a)).
• Only reasonable restrictions. An HOA can set reasonable restrictions: ones that don’t significantly raise the system’s cost or cut its efficiency, or that allow a comparable alternative. For solar panels (photovoltaic systems), “significantly” means more than $1,000 over the system’s cost, or more than a 10% drop in efficiency (§714(b) and (d)).
• A written answer within 45 days. The HOA has to handle your application like any architectural change, and can’t willfully avoid or delay it. Its approval or denial must be in writing. If it doesn’t deny the application in writing within 45 days of receiving it, the application is deemed approved, unless the delay comes from a reasonable request for more information (§714(e)).
• Penalties. An HOA that willfully breaks these rules owes actual damages plus a civil penalty of up to $1,000. In a court fight over the Act, the side that wins gets reasonable attorney’s fees, which can cut either way (§714(f)–(g)).
• Safety still matters. A system that produces electricity must meet the California Electrical Code and other applicable safety standards, such as those from Underwriters Laboratories (§714(c)). That cuts against uncertified kits: an HOA can point to this rule to object to a kit that isn’t certified.
• Common areas. If you’d mount the kit on a common area, your HOA may limit common-area solar to systems it approves. It may also require installers to cover any damage, and set rules for maintaining or repairing building parts (Civil Code §714.1(a)). Whether your balcony, patio or railing counts as common area depends on your CC&Rs, so check them.
• Rooftop rules don’t cover balconies. The Act’s ban on blanket HOA policies, and on requiring a member vote, is written for rooftop systems on your building, garage or carport (§714.1(b)). It doesn’t mention balconies or windows.

If your HOA says no, you can ask the board which rule it’s relying on and how that rule is a “reasonable restriction” under the Act. Because it’s unsettled whether the Act covers plug-in kits, talk to a lawyer before you rely on it.

What to do

1. Read your HOA’s rules first: the CC&Rs and any architectural or design guidelines. Look for rules about balconies, railings, windows, patios and anything visible from outside, and whether your balcony or patio counts as common area.
2. Apply to the board or management company in writing before you buy, and keep a copy with the date you sent it. Include the product name, its size in watts, a photo or spec sheet, its safety certification, and where you’d mount it.
3. Get the answer in writing (NRG Clean Power), including any conditions such as color, placement or how it’s attached.

Questions to ask your HOA:

• Do our rules allow a small solar panel on a balcony railing, patio or window?
• Is there an architectural review or approval form, and how long does it take?
• Are there rules about what’s visible from outside, or how things attach to railings?
• Who is responsible if the equipment damages a shared wall, railing or roof?
• If the board says no, can you point me to the rule it’s based on?

Local building and fire rules

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).

Before you buy

1. Use the savings calculator to see whether it’s worth it at your rate.
2. Check the kit tracker. No kit is confirmed as California-compliant yet. Compliant kits are expected around spring to mid-2027 (KQED).
3. Get launch alerts so you hear when a compliant kit is available.