Is Plug-In Solar Legal in Maine?
Legal — signed (eff. Jul 15, 2026) Avg rate ~24¢/kWh
Last verified: August 1, 2026 · source data
What Maine law requires of the equipment
Maine 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.
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 applies today. Until the Hoymiles unit reaches its US warehouse in early September, the choice in Maine 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
Maine now has a plug-in solar law. LD 1730, signed by Gov. Janet Mills on April 6, 2026, takes effect July 15, 2026. The 420W split is real. Under 35-A MRSA §3475(3) you may install and operate systems with a combined inverter output of up to 420 watts AC per service address yourself. Above 420W and up to 1,200W, each system must be installed by an electrician licensed in Maine and must use a dedicated circuit with a single outlet — and you must notify your utility, on a form prescribed by the Commission, within 30 days of installation (§3475(5)). The utility cannot refuse a compliant system. Note also §3475(4): an eligible system may not be used for net energy billing, so exported power earns you nothing — size it to what you actually use. The statute requires UL or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory. Because electricity here is among the most expensive in the country, even a small plug-in kit can pay for itself unusually fast — one of the best states in the U.S. for balcony solar economics. Residential power mostly comes from Central Maine Power and Versant; before buying, confirm their interconnection or notification steps, stay within the wattage rules, and choose a UL-listed kit.
Before you buy in Maine
Call your electric utility and ask: (1) do they allow small plug-in / behind-the-meter grid-tied solar, and (2) is any notification or interconnection form required? Stay within the wattage they specify, use a UL-listed microinverter, and keep written confirmation.
Then estimate your numbers with our savings calculator (pre-loaded with Maine's rate).
Ready to start? If you want backup power for outages rather than a grid-tied kit, see our power stations guide →
Nearby states: New Hampshire · Massachusetts · Vermont · see the full 50-state tracker.