Is Plug-In Solar Legal in Maryland?
Yes. Maryland passed a plug-in solar law: HB 1532, the Utility RELIEF Act (Chapter 353), effective July 1, 2026. Qualifying portable solar devices up to 1,200 W can plug into a standard outlet with no utility approval and no fees. A lower 391 W threshold applies for the UL product-listing exemption.
View Recommended ProductsMaryland Plug-In Solar: Key Facts
What HB 1532 allows and requires for portable solar generation devices.
Your utility
- ✓No utility approval needed before you install or use the system
- ℹYou must notify your utility before installing the system
- ✓No utility fees allowed for the system
- ✓Exempt from interconnection requirements and agreements
- ℹNot part of the net metering program (offsets your own use)
- ℹThe utility is not liable for damage or injury caused by the device
How to notify your utility
Maryland requires you to notify your electric company before installing your system, along with a certification of its safety features and maximum generating capacity. Each utility handles this differently. Check with your utility on the specifics for notification, or send them an email if they don’t provide any guidance.
What HB 1532 Means for You
Maryland passed a plug-in solar law in HB 1532, the Utility RELIEF Act, which Governor Wes Moore signed on May 12, 2026 as Chapter 353. While much of the Act took effect immediately under an emergency clause, the plug-in solar provisions sit in a section that the Act schedules to take effect on July 1, 2026.
The law defines a "portable solar energy generating system" as a movable photovoltaic device that connects to a building through a standard electrical outlet, is intended to offset part of the building’s electricity use, supplies no more than 1,200 watts back to the building, and is certified by UL or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory. You may install one such system per electric meter, for residential use only. These systems are exempt from the interconnection requirements that apply to other generation, but they are not eligible for net metering or the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard and cannot earn renewable energy credits.
Before installing, you must notify your electric company and give it a certification of the system’s safety features and maximum generating capacity. Your utility cannot require its approval first, cannot charge a fee related to feeding power back to the grid, and cannot require extra controls or equipment beyond what the system already includes. If a system happens to require an automatic locking disconnect switch, the customer pays for that installation. Systems rated at or below 391 watts are exempt from UL listing provisions that would otherwise require alterations to the building’s premises, wiring, or electrical panels. Like Utah’s law, HB 1532 governs only your relationship with the utility. It does not grant renters or HOA members any right to install against a landlord or association rule, so get written permission first if either applies to you.
- Plug-in solar is legal in Maryland under the Utility RELIEF Act (HB 1532), which takes effect July 1, 2026.
- You may purchase and install one portable solar energy generating system per electric meter, for residential use only.
- Covered systems plug into a standard electrical outlet and supply no more than 1,200 watts back to the building.
- The device must be certified by UL or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory.
- You must notify your electric company before installing the system and provide a certification of its safety features and maximum generating capacity.
- Your electric company cannot require its approval before you install or use the system, and cannot charge a fee related to feeding electricity back to the grid.
- Systems at or below 391 watts are exempt from UL listing provisions that would require changes to your building wiring or electrical panel.
- The system is not eligible for net metering or the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard and cannot generate renewable energy credits.
Solar Payback Calculator
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Plug-In Solar Panels, Inverters and Mounts
Plug-in solar products available for purchase in Maryland. These systems automatically shut off during outages as required by HB 1532.
STREAM Microinverter
One-Step Plug & Play Solar System
A plug-and-play microinverter with 3 MPPTs, 4 PV inputs, and 1,200W output, designed specifically for Utah's HB 340 framework. Pair with compatible solar panels and plug into any standard outlet to start offsetting your electricity bill immediately.
Buy NowAvailable in: CO, MD, UT · UL 1741
STREAM Ultra
Plug-in solar with battery for time-of-use savings
Combines a 1.92 kWh LFP battery with a built-in 800W grid-tied microinverter. Store solar production for evening use or charge from the grid during off-peak hours and discharge during peak rates (if your utility offers time-of-use billing). During outages, the grid-tied inverter shuts down, but you can plug devices directly into the battery's built-in outlets for up to 1,200W of portable backup power. Expand storage from 1.92 kWh up to 11.52 kWh by plugging additional STREAM Ultra units into a standard NEMA 5-15/5-20 outlet, or integrate with EcoFlow DELTA Series batteries.
Buy NowAvailable in: CO, MD, UT
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 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
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 1532 for general information and is not legal advice. Verify details with your utility and the official bill text before installing.