Is Plug-In Solar Legal in Connecticut?
Yes. Connecticut passed a plug-in solar law: HB 5340, an act concerning renewable power generation (Public Act 26-127), effective October 1, 2026. Qualifying portable solar devices up to 1,200 W can plug into a standard outlet with no utility approval and no fees.
View Recommended ProductsConnecticut Plug-In Solar: Key Facts
What HB 5340 allows and requires for portable solar generation devices.
Your utility
- ✓No utility approval needed before you install or use the system
- ✓No utility notification required
- ✓No utility fees allowed for the system
- ✓Exempt from interconnection requirements and agreements
- ℹThe law does not say whether the system can be part of net metering
- ℹThe utility is not liable for damage or injury caused by the device
Other Connecticut requirements
- ℹThe law covers one device per electric meter, and the device cannot be permanently attached to your building.
- ℹThe device has to come with a warning that any power it makes beyond what your home is using at that moment is billed to you as usage, unless your meter is set up for net metering. A system that regularly makes more than your home uses can cost you money instead of saving it.
- ℹYour utility cannot charge a fee for the device, but it can still bill you for charges the device runs up through its use.
- ℹThe State Building Code, the fire codes, and local ordinances still apply to the device. State building and fire code officials are also directed to consider rules for installing these devices safely the next time they update those codes.
Renter, HOA & local rules
- ℹConnecticut does not give renters a right to install, so get your landlord’s permission in writing first.
- ℹNothing in the law stops an HOA or condo association from restricting plug-in solar, so check your association’s rules and get approval in writing before you buy.
- ℹThe law says outright that local ordinances still apply, so check with your town before you install.
What HB 5340 Means for You
Connecticut set clear rules for plug-in solar in HB 5340, which the Governor signed on June 4, 2026 as Public Act 26-127. The plug-in solar rules are in effect from October 1, 2026. Plug-in solar means a small system you can set up yourself: panels and an inverter that plug into a regular outlet, rather than a rooftop array wired into your electrical panel. Connecticut allows one device per electric meter at up to 1,200 watts, the same cap as Utah, Maryland, Vermont, and Maine. Most of the act deals with larger solar programs, so the plug-in solar rules sit in one section of it.
You can plug a device in without asking your utility, paying it a fee, or signing an interconnection agreement. The catch is power you send back to the grid. The device has to carry a warning that anything it makes beyond what your home is using at that moment is billed to you as usage, unless your meter allows net metering. Ask your utility how your meter handles that, and size the system to what your home uses while the sun is up.
On certification, Connecticut asks for UL 1741 and IEEE 1547 rather than UL 3700, the standard Vermont and Maine point to, so check a product’s spec sheet for both. The law gives renters, condo owners, and HOA members no protection, and it keeps local ordinances in force, so get written permission from your landlord or association and check with your town first.
- Connecticut passed a plug-in solar law. HB 5340, also known as Public Act 26-127, is in effect from October 1, 2026.
- You can run one device per electric meter, up to 1,200 watts of output.
- The device plugs into a standard 120-volt outlet and cannot be permanently attached to your building.
- It has to meet UL 1741, be certified by UL or an equivalent recognized testing lab, and meet IEEE 1547 and the National Electrical Code.
- It has to shut itself off during a power outage so it cannot energize your wiring.
- Your utility cannot require its approval before you install or use the device, charge you a fee for it, or make you add equipment beyond what comes with it. No interconnection agreement is needed.
- Power the device makes beyond what your home is using is billed to you as usage unless your meter allows net metering.
- The law does not protect renters, condo owners, or HOA members, and local ordinances still apply.
Solar Payback Calculator
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Plug-In Solar Panels, Inverters and Mounts
Plug-in solar products available for purchase in Connecticut. These systems automatically shut off during outages as required by HB 5340.
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 laws, or browse advocacy resources.
This page summarizes HB 5340 for general information and is not legal advice. Verify details with your utility and the official bill text before installing.