California makes plug-in solar official: what it means for you

California’s plug-in solar law is now official (KQED). Here’s what that means for you.

What the law allows

• The Plug and Play Solar Act (SB 868) lets a home use plug-in solar up to 1,200 watts without a utility interconnection agreement (Canary Media).
• A utility may require customers to notify it before using a device (pv magazine).
• Kits sold in California must meet Underwriters Laboratories (UL) requirements (Newspress).
• From Jan 1, 2030, installs need utility sign-off again unless the law is extended (Canary Media).

When you can buy

Compliant kits are expected around spring to mid-2027 (KQED). Current products don’t yet meet all of the requirements, so for now buyers still follow rooftop-solar registration rules (TechSpot). Plug-in kits sell for roughly $300 to $2,200 (TechSpot).

Where certification stands

• UL 3700, the plug-in solar safety standard, 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 UL 3700 microinverters were the Hoymiles HiFlow 360 Pro, then the APsystems EZ1 (Solar.com).

Where the utilities stand

PG&E supports plug-in solar. SCE moved from opposed to neutral (TechSpot). SDG&E opposed the bill (KQED).

Average residential rates on Jun 1, 2026, before the Climate Credit: PG&E 33.7¢, SCE 34.4¢ and SDG&E 45.5¢ per kWh (NRG Clean Power).

Other states

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

What to do now

Estimate your savings, follow the kit tracker, and get launch alerts so you hear when the first California-compliant kit arrives.