Is Plug-In Solar Legal in California?
Signed — takes effect 1 Jan 2027 Avg rate ~31¢/kWh
Last verified: October 7, 2026 · source data
What California law requires of the equipment
California is one of ten states that write certification into the statute. This section is about what satisfies it, not about what we can earn from.
§8530(c)(6) — “Includes a feature, certified by Underwriters Laboratories or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory, that isolates the portable solar generation device from the building’s electrical system to prevent the portable solar generation device from backfeeding electricity to the electrical grid during a power outage.” from 1 January 2027
We have not listed products for California yet. What UL listing means, which ten states write it into law, and what eight popular products actually declare.
A grid-tie kit feeds power into your home while the sun is up, which lowers what you draw from the utility. It shuts down in a blackout by design, so that line workers are not exposed to your power.
A power station does the opposite. It will run your fridge in an outage and it lowers nothing on an ordinary day.
Most people who arrive on this page want the first one. If you want backup as well, that is a second purchase, not a bigger version of the first.
→ For daily bill offset: balcony solar kits
→ For outages: power stations
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
California's high electricity prices make even a small kit attractive, and its solar framework is mature. SB 868 is now law, but it does not apply until 1 January 2027: until then grid-tied systems fall under standard interconnection rules, and most utilities expect generation to be registered.
SB 868 — what the new law does
SB 868 (Sen. Wiener) was signed on 30 September 2026 and filed with the Secretary of State the same day as Chapter 985, Statutes of 2026. It adds Sections 8530 to 8532 to the Public Utilities Code. From 1 January 2027 a portable solar generation device is exempt from all interconnection requirements imposed by state law, the Public Utilities Commission, electrical corporation rules or local publicly owned electric utility rules (§8531(a)). To qualify, a device must meet all six conditions in §8530(c):
- a maximum aggregated AC output of no more than 1,200 watts per dwelling;
- designed to be connected to and disconnected from a building’s electrical system through a receptacle;
- intended to offset the customer’s onsite electricity consumption;
- meets the most recent National Electrical Code and the California Electrical Code;
- certified as a plug-in photovoltaic system by UL or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory;
- includes a certified feature that stops it backfeeding the grid during a power outage.
Your utility may not require approval, a fee or charge, or extra controls or equipment (§8531(b)). It may ask you to report the address, make, model and size through a simple online registration form, and that notification “shall not require approval” (§8531(c)). A device that misses any of the six conditions does not qualify (§8531(d)).
When it starts, and when it ends
The act states no operative date. Under the California Constitution, Art. IV §8(c)(1), a statute goes into effect on January 1 next following a 90-day period from enactment, so SB 868 takes effect on 1 January 2027.
The exemption carries a sunset, quoted in full: “This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.” (§8531(e)). From the same date, §8532 bars the sale of a receptacle-connected plug-in device that does not meet the code, certification and anti-backfeed conditions. California is the only state in our tracker whose plug-in exemption is time-limited.
Where it stands, from the official bill record:
- Introduced 5 January 2026.
- Passed the Senate 35-1 on 21 April 2026.
- Amended in the Assembly 15 June 2026 and re-referred to Appropriations.
- 29 June 2026: the 1 July hearing was postponed by committee.
- 5 August 2026: August 5 set for first hearing; placed on the suspense file.
- 17 August 2026: from committee, “Do pass as amended” (Ayes 11, Noes 0); Assembly Rule 63 suspended; read second time and amended.
- 18 August 2026: read second time, ordered to third reading.
- 20 August 2026: read third time and amended, ordered to third reading.
- 28 August 2026: enrolled.
- 31 August 2026: enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m.
- 30 September 2026: approved by the Governor.
- 30 September 2026: chaptered by the Secretary of State — Chapter 985, Statutes of 2026.
Before you buy in California
Until 1 January 2027, call your electric utility and ask whether they allow small plug-in grid-tied solar and what notification or interconnection form they require; stay within their wattage, use a UL-listed microinverter, and keep written confirmation. From 1 January 2027, check the device against the six conditions above — the certification is the one most kits do not state.
Then estimate your numbers with our savings calculator (pre-loaded with California'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: Oregon · Nevada · Arizona · Hawaii · see the full 50-state tracker.
Frequently asked questions
Is plug-in solar legal in California?
SB 868 was signed on 30 September 2026 (Chapter 985, Statutes of 2026). It takes effect on 1 January 2027 under the California Constitution, Art. IV §8(c). Until then a grid-tied plug-in system is treated like any other generation, so your utility’s interconnection process applies. From 1 January 2027 a portable solar generation device — no more than 1,200 W aggregated AC output per dwelling, certified as a plug-in photovoltaic system by UL or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory, with a certified anti-backfeed feature — is exempt from all interconnection requirements until 1 January 2030. Average residential rate is around 31¢/kWh.
Do I need utility permission in California?
Not from 1 January 2027 for a device that meets SB 868: a utility may not require approval, a fee or extra equipment, though it may ask you to register the address, make, model and size with a simple online form. Until then, and for anything outside the definition, your utility’s interconnection rules apply.
When does SB 868 take effect, and when does it end?
It takes effect on 1 January 2027. The act states no date itself; the date comes from the California Constitution, Art. IV §8(c)(1), which puts a statute into effect on January 1 next following a 90-day period from enactment. The exemption in Section 8531 is repealed on 1 January 2030, and from that date Section 8532 bars the sale of plug-in devices that do not meet the code, certification and anti-backfeed conditions. Last reviewed October 7, 2026.
How much can plug-in solar save in California?
California’s average residential electricity rate is around 31¢/kWh. Estimate your own savings with our free savings calculator, pre-loaded with California’s rate.