Is plug-in solar legal where you live?

Utah was the first US state to enact a plug-in solar law. You don’t need utility approval, an interconnection agreement, or any fees. The law doesn’t address landlords or HOAs, so your lease and any HOA rules still apply. Official bill page →

Colorado allows the highest wattage limit of any US state, 60% above the 1,200W standard. Whether you rent or own, you can plug in up to 1,920W without asking your utility’s permission, though it can ask you to tell it the system’s size. Starting January 1, 2027, landlords and HOAs can’t unreasonably prohibit these systems, but they can set reasonable rules and ask for notice first. Official bill page →

You have to notify your utility before you install and give it the system’s safety certification. The utility can’t require prior approval, charge fees for the power you send back, or make you add extra equipment. Systems at or below 391W are exempt from listing rules that would otherwise require changes to your wiring or outlets. The law doesn’t address landlords or HOAs, so your lease and any HOA rules still apply.

The law is signed and takes effect January 1, 2027. Systems must be certified by a nationally recognized testing lab, and you notify your utility on a state form before installing. Landlords with more than four rental units can’t prohibit a tenant’s system, though they can set reasonable rules on size and placement, and you give them 7 days’ notice. HOA rules aren’t overridden.

Took effect in July 2026. Systems up to 420W need no paperwork at all. Larger systems, up to 1,200W, must be installed by a licensed electrician on a dedicated circuit, and you notify your utility within 30 days. The law doesn’t address landlords or HOAs, so your lease and any HOA rules still apply.

Gov. Ned Lamont signed this as part of a larger omnibus solar bill. You’re allowed one device per electric meter, with no utility approval, no interconnection agreement, and no added fees. Devices must be tested by a nationally recognized safety lab such as UL Solutions. The law doesn’t address landlords or HOAs, so your lease and any HOA rules still apply.

Gov. Phil Scott signed this one after it passed the Senate unanimously, 29–0. Utilities can’t charge extra fees for certified devices, and installing one yourself requires no permit. If you rent, give your landlord at least 10 days’ notice before installing. They can respond with reasonable restrictions; if they don’t respond in that window, you’re free to go ahead. HOA and condo covenants can’t prohibit these devices.

Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed this one. It allows one plug-in solar device per household up to 1,200W, with no utility approval, interconnection paperwork, or fees, as long as the device is certified by an accredited testing lab (UL or equivalent). The law is signed but not yet in effect. It doesn’t address landlords or HOAs, so your lease and any HOA rules still apply.

Passed both chambers May 28, 2026, and is now waiting on Governor Hochul’s signature. If she signs, it would clear away the utility paperwork for plug-in systems statewide, including for New York City’s roughly 2.3 million renter households. It doesn’t address landlords, so leases would still apply. Official bill page →

Passed the Assembly August 25 and the Senate August 26, 2026, with over 90% support in both chambers. It was presented to Governor Newsom on August 31, which gives him until September 30 to sign or veto it. If he does neither, it becomes law without his signature. Either way, it would take effect January 1, 2027. Official bill page →

Introduced January 2026. No floor vote yet. Between its remote communities and its high electricity costs, the ROI case for plug-in solar is particularly strong in Alaska.

Introduced January 2026. No floor vote yet. Arizona has some of the strongest solar resources in the country.

A bill has been introduced in the D.C. Council. With so many of the city’s residents renting, the potential impact is significant.

Introduced March 2026. No floor vote yet.

Hawaii pays the highest electricity rates in the US, which makes it the best ROI for plug-in solar of any state. A bill was introduced in the 2026 session.

Introduced February 2026. No floor vote yet. Next door, Utah and Colorado have already enacted laws.

Advanced out of committee in 2026, though there’s been no floor vote yet. Illinois has the second-largest renter population in the Midwest.

Introduced January 2026. No floor vote yet.

Introduced January 2026. No floor vote yet.

A bill was introduced in the 2026 session. Massachusetts pays among the highest electricity rates in the country.

Introduced March 2026. No floor vote yet.

Introduced February 2026. No floor vote yet.

Bill introduced in the 2026 session. No floor vote yet.

Governor Sherrill signed the Garden State Balcony Solar Act on September 1, 2026, and it takes effect March 1, 2027. Devices up to 1,200W are exempt from utility interconnection and metering requirements, municipalities can’t require permits or ban them, landlords can’t prohibit them for tenants who pay their own electric bill (you give 14 days’ written notice), and HOAs and condo boards can’t ban them. Both can still set reasonable rules on size and placement. It’s one of the strongest sets of tenant protections in any state law so far. Equipment has to be certified to UL 3700 or a comparable standard. Official bill page →

Introduced January 2026. No floor vote yet. New Mexico sits right next to Colorado, which passed a law in 2026.

Introduced February 2026. No floor vote yet.

This was one of the earliest bills introduced anywhere in the country, back in October 2025. Pennsylvania has a large urban renter population in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Introduced January 2026. No floor vote yet.

Introduced January 2026. No floor vote yet.

Introduced January 2026. No floor vote yet. Washington has a strong clean energy track record, and Seattle is full of renters.

The bill was voted down in February 2026.

The bill didn’t advance in the 2026 session; it never got a floor vote.

Introduced, but it stalled in committee and never made it to a floor vote.