Is Plug-In Solar Legal in California?
Yes. California has passed a plug-in solar law, so the state sets the rules for a small solar system that plugs into a standard outlet instead of leaving the question to your utility. The bill tracked for California is SB 868, and where it stands is below.
View Recommended ProductsCalifornia Plug-In Solar Legislation: Where It Stands
California passed a plug-in solar law. This is the record behind it.
What California Passed, and When It Takes Effect
Governor Newsom signed SB 868 into law on September 30, 2026. In effect from January 1, 2027, it stops utilities from blocking plug-in solar.
SB 868, by Senator Scott Wiener, stops utilities from blocking plug-in solar. It cleared the Legislature on August 26, was sent to Governor Newsom on August 31, and he signed it on September 30, 2026. The law is in effect from January 1, 2027.
Last updated September 2026. Legislation data sourced from LegiScan (CC BY 4.0 ) and other public sources.
What to Check Before Buying in California
- ℹCheck the dates before you buy. A California law can be signed on one date and take effect on another, and protections for renters and HOA members sometimes start later still.
- ℹCheck whether the California law requires certification to UL 3700, the safety standard written for plug-in solar. No complete system carries that certification yet, only individual inverters, so a law that requires one can mean nothing on the market qualifies today.
- ℹConfirm the system shuts itself off in an outage, so it cannot energize the wiring while a line worker is on the pole.
- ℹAsk your utility what notice it wants before you switch the system on. Several of these laws remove the approval step but keep a notification.
A full California guide is in progress. It will lay out the wattage cap, what your utility can require, and the protections for renters and HOA members, the same way the comparison table does for the states already written up.
Solar Payback Calculator
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Plug-In Solar Panels, Inverters and Mounts
Plug-in solar products available for purchase in California. Check the requirements in the law against the product listing before buying.
EZ1-LV Plug-In Microinverter
Purpose-built plug-in solar. No complexity. Just works.
Skip the complexity of multi-input systems. EZ1-LV is designed to do one thing really well—efficiently power two panels with true dual MPPT and a clean plug-and-play setup. No oversizing, no guesswork—just reliable performance you can plug into your home outlet and start using right away. Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth make setup and monitoring simple, with no installer required.
Buy NowAvailable in: US · UL 1741
Callsun 200W Bifacial Solar Panel (2-Pack)
Pairs with the EcoFlow STREAM series
A 2-pack of 200W N-type bifacial panels. Pairs with the EcoFlow STREAM Microinverter or STREAM Ultra. Each panel fits cleanly into one of the inverter's PV inputs, with room to add more panels as your setup grows. The APsystems EZ1-LV is designed for larger panels (315W and up), so for that inverter see the Callsun 450W or BougeRV 400W panel.
Buy NowAvailable in: US
Callsun 450W Bifacial Solar Panel (2-Pack)
Pairs with the APsystems EZ1-LV
A 2-pack of 450W N-type bifacial panels. One panel goes to each input on the APsystems EZ1-LV, using both of its independent MPPT channels for a 900W array that matches the inverter's 900W output. These panels are not compatible with the EcoFlow STREAM Microinverter or the STREAM Ultra. Both of those inverters cap each input at 14A, and this panel puts out 14.97A at its maximum power point, so it exceeds the rated input current. Check your mounting surface before ordering: each panel is 69.4 x 44.7 inches and weighs 54 lbs.
Buy NowAvailable in: US
BougeRV 400W Bifacial Solar Panel
Pairs with the APsystems EZ1-LV and the EcoFlow STREAM series
A single 400W N-type bifacial panel that pairs with the APsystems EZ1-LV, the EcoFlow STREAM Microinverter, and the STREAM Ultra. The price is per panel, so order one for each inverter input you plan to fill: two for the EZ1-LV (800W), three for the STREAM Microinverter, one on each of its MPPTs for a 1,200W array, or up to four for the STREAM Ultra. Check your mounting surface before ordering: each panel is 67.8 x 44.6 inches and weighs 44.4 lbs.
Buy NowAvailable in: US
IntegraRack IR-30 Ground Mount Frame
Durable ground mount for a yard array
A durable ground mount for anyone with yard space to spare. The aluminum frame sets a panel at a fixed 30° tilt, the right angle almost anywhere in the contiguous US, and stands up to serious wind and snow once anchored. No rails, augers, or concrete footings, and each frame goes together in about two minutes. The price is per frame, and you need one per panel plus one extra to start each row, so a two panel array takes three.
Buy NowAvailable in: US
Want to see where plug-in solar stands in other states? View the interactive map, compare the laws that passed, or browse advocacy resources.
This page summarizes the plug-in solar legislation tracked for California for general information and is not legal advice. Verify details with your utility and your state legislature before installing.