Home › State Legality › Connecticut

Is Plug-In Solar Legal in Connecticut?

In force since 1 Oct 2026   Avg rate ~29¢/kWh   Updated: October 7, 2026

Last verified: October 7, 2026 · source data

Quick answer: Plug-in / balcony solar has been legal in Connecticut since 1 October 2026 under HB 5340, signed 4 June 2026 as Public Act 26-127. 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: Sec. 9(a)(9) requires the device to carry a warning that generation above what you use on site is charged to you as usage, unless you have a meter that allows net metering. 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 ten 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” in force since 1 October 2026

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 has applied since 1 October 2026: a device without the listing does not qualify for Connecticut’s simplified route. When we read the listings on 4 August 2026 the Hoymiles unit was on pre-order for early September; we have not checked it since. The APsystems EZ1 was $325, sold direct by the manufacturer; we did not check its stock or lead time, so confirm both before you rely on either. 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 ten states write it into law, 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 June 4, 2026; in force since October 1, 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 took effect on October 1, 2026.

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 (in force). 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)
  9. New Jersey — S2368/A4836 (September 1, 2026)
  10. California — SB 868 (September 30, 2026)

Vermont (S.202) became the 7th state to sign on June 16, 2026 (effective July 1, 2026), New Hampshire the 8th on July 2, 2026, New Jersey the 9th on September 1, 2026 and California the 10th on September 30, 2026. New York (SUNNY Act, A.9111C / S.8512C) passed both chambers (A9111C, 28 May 2026); not yet delivered to the Governor as of 7 October 2026.

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

Since October 1, 2026 a compliant kit needs no utility paperwork under HB 5340. Anything outside Sec. 9 — more than 1,200W, more than one device on a meter, or equipment without the certification — still goes through your utility’s existing interconnection rules. 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 for a system outside HB 5340.
  • Whether a one-page interconnection notification is required.
  • Whether they require a specific microinverter UL-listing (UL 1741 / UL 3700).

Since October 1, 2026: 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?
Yes, since October 1, 2026. Gov. Ned Lamont signed HB 5340 (the omnibus 2026 solar bill) on June 4, 2026 as Public Act 26-127, and Sec. 9, the plug-in solar section, took effect on October 1, 2026. One plug-in solar device per meter, up to 1,200W, is legal without utility approval, interconnection paperwork, or fees, provided it is certified by UL or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory.
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 did the plug-in solar part take effect?
October 1, 2026. The bill was signed June 4, 2026; Sec. 9 is marked “(Effective October 1, 2026)” in the Public Act. Other parts of HB 5340 take effect on different dates set by the bill text.
What if my kit does not meet HB 5340?
Then it does not qualify for the simplified route, and your utility’s existing interconnection rules apply. Call Eversource or United Illuminating, ask what they allow behind the meter, and keep written confirmation.

Sources

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

Last reviewed October 7, 2026. Status: signed into law (HB 5340, Public Act 26-127); plug-in solar provisions in force since October 1, 2026. Informational, not legal advice. Verify current Connecticut rules and your utility’s policy directly.

📬 Get your savings report + your state’s 2026 rules

One email with your numbers, the legality rules for your state, and the best-value kits. No spam.