Is Plug-In Solar Legal in New Jersey?
Signed — takes effect 1 Mar 2027 Avg rate ~18¢/kWh Updated: October 7, 2026
For outages: backup power that ships fast
A plug-in kit lowers your bill while the sun is up and switches off in a blackout. For power during an outage you need a portable power station — a separate purchase.
Specs from the manufacturers’ published figures, read 15 October 2026. Prices change often — check the listing.
- APsystems EZ1 microinverter — APsystems states it is “CSA Certified to UL3700 standards” (usa.apsystems.com, 15 July 2026).
- Mango Power S 120V 1200W plug-in kit — Mango Power announced on 18 September 2026 that Mango Power S “has been certified by Intertek to UL 3700”.
What the Garden State Balcony Solar Act does (the plug-in solar part)
The Act (S2368/A4836) creates a clear state-level path for plug-in / balcony solar in New Jersey. Verified terms:
- Cap: a maximum power output of not more than 1,200 watts. The Act measures output — what the device sends out — not the rated capacity of the panels behind it.
- Certified equipment. The Act’s own wording: a device must be “listed or certified in accordance with Underwriters Laboratories Standard No. 3700… or a comparable standard, or a combination of standards” by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
- It must stop exporting in a blackout. The definition requires a device or feature that prevents export to the distribution system during an outage.
- 1,200W is also a per-address cap. The combined output of all such devices at one service address — or one dwelling unit in multi-family housing — may not exceed 1,200W without an interconnection agreement.
- Landlords and HOAs cannot ban it. A landlord may not prohibit a tenant who pays their own electric bill from using one within the leased premises, including a leased balcony or patio; reasonable restrictions on size and placement are allowed. Homeowners’ and condominium associations may not enforce a prohibition either.
- 14 days’ written notice. A tenant must notify the landlord or association at least 14 days before placing or using the device, with documentation that it meets the definition.
- No municipal permit or fee. A municipality may not prohibit use on a residential property, nor require a permit, application, fee or licence for it — but building or electrical work is still subject to the usual codes and inspections.
- Passed both chambers on June 30, 2026.
- Effective date: March 1, 2027 (six months after enactment).
For the exact conditions — including any notification or fee provisions — see the bill text (linked in Sources below). This puts New Jersey alongside Utah, Maine, Virginia, Colorado, Maryland, Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire.
National context: New Jersey is the 9th state to sign
New Jersey is the 9th U.S. state to sign a plug-in solar law. The signed-into-law list now (chronological):
- Utah — HB 340 (March 2025) — first ever
- Maine — LD 1730 (April 6, 2026)
- Virginia — HB 395 / SB 250 (April 22, 2026)
- Colorado — HB26-1007 (May 7, 2026) — highest cap (1,920W)
- Maryland — HB 1532 (May 12, 2026)
- Connecticut — HB 5340 (June 4, 2026)
- Vermont — S.202 (June 16, 2026)
- New Hampshire — SB 540 (July 2, 2026)
- New Jersey — S2368/A4836 (September 1, 2026)
- California — SB 868 (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. California signed SB 868 on 30 September 2026; it takes effect 1 January 2027.
Why New Jersey matters: it is one of the most renter- and apartment-dense states in the country — the Jersey City / Newark commuter belt alone is hundreds of thousands of rental units — and residential electricity runs above the national average (~18¢/kWh). A plug-in kit is one of the only solar options open to a renter, so a statewide plug-in solar law reaches a very large audience here.
What you can do now (before March 1, 2027)
You don’t have to wait until March 1, 2027 to install plug-in solar — you just do it under your utility’s existing interconnection rules until then. New Jersey’s main residential utilities:
- PSE&G (largest, most of the state)
- JCP&L (Jersey Central Power & Light)
What to ask (and get in writing):
- Maximum wattage allowed behind-the-meter without a permit before March 1, 2027.
- Whether a one-page interconnection notification is required.
- Which microinverter certification they will accept. That is the utility’s own requirement for the route you would use today — it is not what the Act says.
From March 1, 2027 onwards: the 1,200W cap under the Garden State Balcony Solar Act applies statewide, and the certification standard that matters is the one the Act itself names — UL 3700 or a comparable standard, quoted in full above — rather than whatever your utility asks for today.
Run your numbers with our savings calculator (pre-loaded with New Jersey’s rate).
Ready to start? Compare the top kits for your home in our Best balcony solar kits 2026 guide →
Renting an apartment or condo? Read our renters guide first — even under the new law, building and lease rules still apply.
FAQ
- Is balcony solar legal in New Jersey now?
- Not yet under the new law. Gov. Sherrill signed the Garden State Balcony Solar Act (S2368/A4836) on September 1, 2026, but its plug-in / balcony solar provisions do not take effect until March 1, 2027 — six months after enactment. Until then your utility’s existing interconnection rules apply. From that date a plug-in solar system up to 1,200W is allowed, provided the device is “listed or certified in accordance with Underwriters Laboratories Standard No. 3700… or a comparable standard” by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
- What does the Garden State Balcony Solar Act allow?
- It establishes a state-level allowance for plug-in (balcony) solar with a maximum power output of not more than 1,200 watts, using equipment certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. The bill passed both chambers on June 30, 2026. For the exact conditions, see the bill text.
- When does the plug-in solar provision take effect?
- March 1, 2027 — six months after enactment. The Act was signed September 1, 2026 but the plug-in solar provisions are not in force until then.
- What can I do before March 1, 2027?
- You can still install a plug-in solar kit today, but until March 1, 2027 you do it under your utility’s existing interconnection rules. In New Jersey, call PSE&G or JCP&L, ask what wattage they allow behind-the-meter, use a UL-listed microinverter, and keep written confirmation.