Quick Answer
Yes. Plug-in solar is legal in Colorado. HB26-1007 was signed in May 2026 and took effect August 12, 2026. You can install up to 1,920 watts of plug-in solar without your utility’s approval, and starting January 1, 2027, landlords and HOAs can’t unreasonably prohibit it. Colorado has the highest wattage ceiling of any US state.
What Colorado’s Law Allows
Colorado HB26-1007, signed May 7, 2026, lets any resident, renter or homeowner, plug in a solar system of up to 1,920 watts, one per address, without:
- Utility approval, an interconnection agreement, or fees (your utility can ask you to tell it the system’s size)
- Extra controls or equipment demanded by the utility
- An unreasonable ban from a landlord, starting January 1, 2027 (they can still set reasonable rules and ask for notice first)
- An HOA ban, starting January 1, 2027 (the HOA can require the system to be reasonably secured to your unit, patio or balcony)
The 1,920W ceiling (equivalent to roughly 4–5 standard panels) is 60% higher than the 1,200W standard in Utah, Maryland, and other states. At that scale, a Colorado household could offset a significant portion of their average monthly electricity use.
Law Details
| Bill | HB26-1007 |
| Signed | May 7, 2026 |
| Maximum system size | 1,920 watts (highest in the US) |
| Safety certification required | Listed by a nationally recognized testing lab |
| Landlord and HOA bans | Not allowed from January 1, 2027; reasonable rules are |
| Status | In effect since August 12, 2026 |
A note on that certification line: Colorado asks for a system labeled and listed by a nationally recognized testing lab, and from January 1, 2027, systems over 391W can’t be sold in the state without a UL label and listing. UL 3700, the standard written specifically for plug-in solar, launched in early 2026; so far two microinverters carry it, but no complete kit does. In practice, kits with inverters meeting the established UL 1741 standard, like the ones on our recommended kits page, are what’s actually available today.
Colorado Savings Estimates
Colorado’s average residential electricity rate is around $0.17/kWh (EIA, June 2026). At that rate, with each 400W panel producing about 54 kWh a month:
| System size | Monthly savings | Payback |
| 1 panel (400W) | ~$9/month | ~5–6 years |
| 2 panels (800W) | ~$18/month | ~5 years |
| 4–5 panels (1,920W, max) | ~$37–46/month | ~4–5 years |
Colorado also has excellent solar resources: Denver averages over 300 sunny days per year, giving plug-in solar systems here some of the highest real-world output in the country.
See all US state plug-in solar laws at the Solarly state law tracker. Last updated: September 19, 2026.
