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Is Plug-In Solar Legal in Connecticut?

Signed — takes effect 1 Oct 2026   Avg rate ~29¢/kWh   Updated: June 14, 2026

Last verified: August 1, 2026 · source data

Quick answer: Plug-in / balcony solar will be legal in Connecticut from 1 October 2026 under HB 5340, signed 4 June 2026 as Public Act 26-127. Until then your utility's existing rules apply. From that date one portable solar generation device per meter, with a maximum power output of not more than 1,200W, needs no interconnection agreement, no utility approval and no fee, provided the equipment is certified by UL or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory. Watch your meter: the act requires a consumer warning that any generation above what you use on site is charged to you as usage, unless you have a meter that allows net metering, effective October 1, 2026. Average residential rate is around 29¢/kWh.
Connecticut law names the certification. Connecticut Public Act 26-127, Sec. 9(a)(7) requires equipment certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and names UL 1741 — and most plug-in kits sold today do not state one. What counts, what does not, and what each popular product actually declares →

Legal — but will it actually pay off in Connecticut? Run your numbers →

What Connecticut law requires of the equipment

Connecticut is one of eight states that write certification into the statute. This section is about what satisfies it, not about what we can earn from.

Connecticut Public Act 26-127, Sec. 9(a)(7) — “is certified by Underwriters Laboratories or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory, and meets the requirements set forth in Underwriters Laboratories Standard Number 1741, as amended from time to time” from 1 October 2026, in 58 days

What meets it today

  • Hoymiles HiFlow Pro — certified to UL 3700 and UL 1741. $152.78 from NAZ Solar Electric. Pre-order — Expected arrival at our warehouse is early September. (manufacturer page for the certification; seller product page for price and availability, read 4 August 2026.)
  • APsystems EZ1 Microinverter — certified to UL 3700. $325 from APsystems USA direct. We have not checked stock or lead time. (product page, read 2 August 2026.)

What does not

  • AUECOOR 600W Complete Grid-Tie Kit — its listing says “Certification: CE”: no NRTL listing stated.
  • Y&H 600W Grid-Tie Microinverter — its listing says “The inverter is not UL1741 certified.”: the seller states it does not have it.

What that means in practice. This starts on 1 October 2026. From that day a device without the listing does not qualify for Connecticut’s simplified route. Until the Hoymiles unit reaches its US warehouse in early September, the choice in Connecticut is narrow: the APsystems EZ1 at $325, sold direct by the manufacturer, and the Hoymiles unit, which can be ordered but not yet delivered. We have not checked APsystems’ stock or lead time, so confirm that before you rely on it. We would rather say all of that than point you at something cheaper that does not meet your own state’s wording.

We earn nothing from either of these. Neither manufacturer runs a programme that pays publishers, so there are no tracking links here. What UL listing means, which eight states require it, and what eight popular products actually declare. Prices and availability read 4 August 2026.

Two systems, one job. For plug-in solar that feeds your home and lowers the bill, the head-to-head worth reading is EcoFlow Stream vs Anker SOLIX — two balcony systems doing that same job.

A different job: a portable power station is backup power for an outage. It is not a substitute for a grid-tie kit and it does not lower your bill. If that is what you are after: Anker C1000 vs EcoFlow DELTA 3 · C1000 vs C2000 · Anker vs EcoFlow at brand level

Thinking about installing? See our best plug-in solar kits for 2026 and estimate your yearly savings.
✅ HB 5340 signed into law June 4, 2026. Gov. Ned Lamont signed Connecticut’s omnibus 2026 solar bill (HB 5340) on June 4, 2026. The plug-in / balcony solar provisions allow any utility customer to use one plug-in solar device up to 1,200W per household, with no utility approval, no interconnection paperwork, and no fees — provided the device is certified by an accredited testing laboratory (UL or equivalent). The balcony-solar provisions take effect October 1, 2026. Until then, your utility’s existing interconnection rules apply (Eversource, United Illuminating).

What HB 5340 actually does (the plug-in solar part)

HB 5340 is an omnibus solar bill — plug-in / balcony solar is one of several measures. Key terms for the plug-in part:

  • Cap: 1,200 watts of power output per household (one plug-in solar device per customer).
  • UL-certified equipment. The microinverter (and panels where required) must be certified by an accredited testing laboratory — in practice this means a UL listing or equivalent.
  • No utility approval, no interconnection agreement, no fees for systems within the cap. This removes the case-by-case utility gatekeeping that previously governed plug-in solar in CT.
  • Effective date: October 1, 2026. Other parts of HB 5340 (streamlined residential solar permitting, incentive extensions) take effect on different dates set by the bill text.

This puts Connecticut on the same legal footing as Utah, Maine, Virginia, Colorado, and Maryland — with Connecticut now the largest high-rate Northeast state to legalize plug-in solar at the state level (~29¢/kWh average residential rate).

National context: CT is the 6th state to sign, the largest high-rate Northeast market

Connecticut is the 6th U.S. state to sign a plug-in solar law. The full signed-into-law list now (chronological):

  1. Utah — HB 340 (March 2025) — first ever
  2. Maine — LD 1730 (April 6, 2026)
  3. Virginia — HB 395 / SB 250 (April 22, 2026)
  4. Colorado — HB26-1007 (May 7, 2026) — highest cap (1,920W)
  5. Maryland — HB 1532 / Utility RELIEF Act (May 12, 2026)
  6. Connecticut — HB 5340 (June 4, 2026) — largest high-rate Northeast market
  7. Vermont — S.202 (June 16, 2026)
  8. New Hampshire — SB 540 (July 2, 2026)

Vermont (S.202) became the 7th state to sign on June 16, 2026 (effective July 1, 2026). New York (SUNNY Act, A.9111C / S.8512C) and New Hampshire (SB 540) have also passed their legislatures and are awaiting their governors’ signatures.

Why Connecticut is a big deal even at 6th: the state has among the highest electricity rates in the contiguous U.S. (~29¢/kWh) — meaning an 800W kit pays back in ~3 years, vs 5–7 years in lower-rate states. The state-level legalization removes the last meaningful barrier in CT.

What you can do now (before October 1, 2026)

You don’t have to wait until October 1 to install plug-in solar — you just have to do it under your utility’s existing interconnection rules until then. Connecticut residential power is dominated by two utilities:

  1. Eversource (most of CT) — ask about small net energy metering / behind-the-meter interconnection for systems under their stated cap.
  2. United Illuminating (southwest CT, New Haven area) — similar process; written confirmation is your protection.

What to ask (and get in writing):

  • Maximum wattage allowed behind-the-meter without a permit before October 1.
  • Whether a one-page interconnection notification is required.
  • Whether they require a specific microinverter UL-listing (UL 1741 / UL 3700).

From October 1, 2026 onwards: the 1,200W cap under HB 5340 applies statewide; no utility paperwork is required for compliant kits.

Run your numbers with our savings calculator — Connecticut’s default rate is 29¢/kWh, which makes payback unusually fast: an 800W kit typically offsets ~$230/year here, payback in ~3 years on a typical $500–700 kit.

Ready to start? If you want backup power for outages rather than a grid-tied kit, see our power stations guide →

Renting an apartment / condo / co-op? Read our HOA & balcony solar guide first — even with HB 5340, building rules still apply.

FAQ

Is balcony solar legal in Connecticut now?
Signed, but not in force yet. Gov. Ned Lamont signed HB 5340 (the omnibus 2026 solar bill) on June 4, 2026. The plug-in / balcony solar provisions take effect October 1, 2026. Between now and then, your utility’s existing interconnection rules still apply; from October 1, 2026 a single plug-in solar device up to 1,200W is legal without utility approval, interconnection paperwork, or fees.
What does HB 5340 actually allow?
It allows any utility customer to use one plug-in solar device up to 1,200W of power output per household. The device must be certified by an accredited testing laboratory (UL or equivalent). No utility approval, no interconnection agreement, and no fees are required for systems within the cap. HB 5340 also includes streamlined permitting and incentive extensions for larger residential solar.
When does the plug-in solar part take effect?
October 1, 2026. The bill was signed June 4, 2026 but the balcony solar provisions are not in force until October 1. Other parts of HB 5340 (streamlined permitting, incentive extensions) take effect on different dates set by the bill text.
What can I do before October 1, 2026?
You can still install a plug-in solar kit today, but until October 1 you have to do it under your utility’s existing interconnection rules — not under HB 5340. Call Eversource or United Illuminating, ask what wattage they allow behind-the-meter, use a UL-listed microinverter, and keep written confirmation. From October 1, 2026 the 1,200W path becomes the default for compliant kits anywhere in CT.

Sources

Nearby states: New York · Massachusetts · Rhode Island · see the full 50-state tracker.

Last reviewed June 14, 2026. Status: signed into law (HB 5340); plug-in solar provisions effective October 1, 2026. Informational, not legal advice. Verify current Connecticut rules and your utility’s policy directly.

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