Panels on your balcony, one plug in the wall, a smaller power bill. We track every state law, run the numbers for your rate and explain how to do it safely — independently, with sources.
Tracker verified · 51 jurisdictions · primary-source links
10
states with a signed law
6 already in force
7
more with bills moving
New York awaits signature
1,200 W
standard cap per home
Colorado allows 1,920 W
18.31¢
avg US price per kWh
EIA, July 2026
How it works
Hang one to four panels on a balcony railing, patio, fence or garden stand. Nothing is drilled into the roof.
A certified microinverter turns DC into household AC and feeds it through a standard 120 V outlet.
Your fridge, router and laptop run on sunshine first, so your meter spins slower all day.
Savings calculator
Real state electricity prices, real sunshine, honest assumptions — no email required.
Estimated savings · California
$378/ year
≈ $31.51 per month
Monthly savings profile
Estimates only. Rate: EIA July 2026 state average; sun hours: long-term averages. See our methodology.
The 2026 wave
Utah went first in 2025. In 2026, 35 states debated plug-in solar and nine more signed laws — driven by electricity prices that have outpaced inflation since 2022.
Read the 2026 legislative recap →Guides
Plug-in (balcony) solar lets renters and homeowners plug a small solar system into a wall outlet. How it works, what it costs, what it saves, where it's legal and how to do it safely.
Ten states signed plug-in solar laws by October 2026. A complete recap of the 2026 legislative wave: who passed what, the common rules, the outliers, the bills that died and what to expect in 2027.
Renters are who plug-in solar was made for. Which state laws protect renters, what your lease can still require, how to ask your landlord, insurance, and taking your system with you when you move.
US electricity prices keep outpacing inflation. The forces behind rising bills in 2026 — grid upgrades, data centers, natural gas, extreme weather — plus how to tell if your own bill is abnormal.
UL 3700 is the first US safety standard written for plug-in solar. What it tests, how it differs from UL 1741, which products are certified, and whether your state's law requires it.
Adding a battery to a balcony solar kit raises self-consumption and can shift power into expensive evening hours. When it pays off, when it doesn't, and what to know about backup power.
A side-by-side comparison of plug-in (balcony), rooftop and community solar in 2026: cost, savings, payback, ownership, renters and what changed after the federal tax credit ended.
The SUNNY Act passed New York's legislature in May 2026 and awaits Gov. Hochul. What the bill does, what it leaves out for renters, the deadline, and what New Yorkers can do now.
Practical ways to cut your electric bill in 2026 — from free habit changes to plug-in solar — ranked by cost and impact, with options that work in apartments.
Plug-in solar (also called balcony solar) is a small solar system — usually one to four panels and a microinverter — that plugs into an ordinary wall outlet and feeds electricity into your home's circuits. It reduces the power you buy from the grid without a rooftop installation, permits or a utility interconnection agreement, where state law allows it.
As of October 2026, ten states have signed plug-in solar laws: Utah, Virginia, Maine, Colorado, Maryland, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey and California. New York's SUNNY Act has passed the legislature and awaits the governor's signature. Several laws only take effect in 2027, so check your state's effective date.
A typical 800 W kit saves roughly $100 to $300 a year depending on your electricity price, sunshine and how the panels are mounted. In high-price states like California, Massachusetts or Maine, savings and payback are the most attractive. Use our calculator for an estimate for your state.
Yes — renters are the main audience for plug-in solar. Some laws (New Jersey, Colorado and Virginia) limit landlords' or HOAs' ability to ban systems. Elsewhere you'll need your landlord's agreement. Nothing is drilled or hard-wired, and the system moves with you.
Most state laws cap plug-in systems at 1,200 watts of AC output, roughly the safe continuous load on a standard 15-amp, 120-volt household circuit. Colorado allows up to 1,920 W. Larger systems need a conventional permitted installation.