Last reviewed: 3 September 2026. This page is checked
against primary sources only — legislation.gov.uk, GOV.UK publications and Energy Networks
Association documents. Where we have not been able to verify a detail at source, we say so on the
page rather than repeating it.
Yes, in Great Britain, since 27 August 2026. Plug-in solar devices
rated at no more than 800 watts of AC output may lawfully be used in England, Wales and Scotland,
provided the product meets the government’s Interim Product Specification and you notify your
distribution network operator within 28 days. Batteries are excluded from the device, one device is
allowed per household, and no electrician is required. Northern Ireland is not covered.
Before you do anything: the three things that can still stop you
The regulations answer one question — may this device lawfully be used. They do not answer the
other three, and those are the ones that actually stop people:
- Is the specific product you are buying compliant? A device that exceeds
800 W AC, or that contains storage, is not covered by the new route no matter where it was
bought. - Are you allowed to attach it to this building? A lease, a tenancy, a
freeholder, a managing agent or a listed building consent can each say no, and none of them was
changed in August 2026. - Have you notified the network operator? It is an obligation, not an optional
courtesy, and it is the one people forget.
The law itself
The instrument is SI 2026/848 — The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994
and Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2026. It
was laid before Parliament on 17 July 2026 and came into force on 27 August 2026.
Two provisions matter to a householder. First, the instrument defines a plug-in
microgenerator as a device with “a maximum rated alternating current output not exceeding 800
watts”, designed to operate in parallel with the distribution network and to connect through a
standard socket-outlet. Second, it excludes from that definition any device designed to import
electrical energy from the consumer’s installation in order to store it for later supply, other than
for control or auxiliary functions permitted by the Interim Product Specification. In plain terms:
800 W maximum, and no battery.
The instrument works by allowing approval of standard plugs for devices that comply with the
Interim Product Specification. That is why the specification, not the statutory instrument, is where
the detailed engineering requirements live.
Great Britain only
The provision that makes using a plug-in device lawful extends to England, Wales and
Scotland. Northern Ireland has its own electricity regulatory framework and was not included in this
amendment. We do not write “UK” where the correct word is “GB”; readers there should see
plug-in solar in Northern Ireland.
The Interim Product Specification
Published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in July 2026 alongside the government
response to its consultation, the specification is the document a manufacturer has to meet. Both are
available from the
plug-in solar consultation page on GOV.UK.
What we can state from the published material:
- The AC output ceiling is 800 W, matching the statutory definition.
- Panel capacity behind that inverter may go up to 2,000 W DC. Oversizing the DC
side relative to the inverter is normal engineering practice, not a loophole — see
how many panels behind an 800 W inverter. - The device must make itself safe when unplugged, so the plug pins do not stay live. Read at
source from version 2.0 of the specification: the plug must be a non-rewireable BS 1363-1
plug with a BS 1362 fuse of 5 A or less (clause 6.2.3.2), and on disconnection the
voltage at the pins must fall below 34 V within 100 milliseconds
(clause 6.2.3.3.3). Maximum current is 3.5 A and DC residual current must stay at
or under 5 mA (clause 5.7). - Extension leads, multi-way adaptors, travel adaptors, RCD adaptors and plug convertors
are prohibited (clauses 6.2.3.1, 8.2.3.2 and 8.3.2). The kit plugs directly into a fixed
socket outlet, and nothing goes in between. See
why an extension lead is not allowed. - Panel limits are also in the specification: no more than four modules, no more than two
in series, and 120 V DC maximum, with an enclosure rating of at least IP55. Mounting with
cable ties, rope, tape or straps is not permitted (clause 5.5.1), and there are restrictions on
fixing to cladding and timber balconies (clause 5.8). - A compliant kit must ship with instructions on how to notify the distribution network
operator.
The word interim is doing real work. This specification is expressly a first version and
will be replaced. Any kit you buy today is compliant against the interim document; when the permanent
specification arrives we will rewrite this section and
the specification page rather than
quietly editing a sentence.
Your obligation to the network: G98
Connecting any generator in parallel with the public distribution network engages Engineering
Recommendation G98, published by the Energy Networks Association and amended in 2026
to accommodate plug-in solar. Three points apply to you.
| Obligation | Detail | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Notify your DNO | Within 28 days of the device being commissioned | Notification only — the operator does not approve or refuse. It is free |
| One device per household | A single plug-in device per household, regardless of how many circuits or sockets you have | A second kit is not permitted on this route |
| Notify again on removal | Tell the operator if the device is taken away | Keeps the network’s records of embedded generation accurate |
Find the right operator for your postcode through the
Energy Networks Association lookup — it is your network operator, not your energy
supplier, and the two are different companies. The step-by-step is on
notifying your DNO and
how to fill in a G98 notification.
A note on precision: some guides cite a specific clause number and appendix form for the
28-day rule. We have taken the 28-day period and the one-device limit from the government response
and ENA material, but have not yet read the G98 clause numbering at source, so we do not cite clause
numbers here.
What the law did not change
Your tenancy or lease
Nothing in SI 2026/848 gives you a right to alter a building you do not own. If you intend to
clamp or screw a bracket to a balcony rail, a wall or a roof, that is an alteration and your
agreement governs it. A free-standing frame on a patio or lawn, plugged into an existing outdoor
socket, usually alters nothing at all — which is why we treat that as the default recommendation for
tenants. See renters and
leasehold flats.
Planning control
For most houses and gardens this does not arise. It does arise for listed buildings, for some
conservation area frontages, and in certain circumstances in Scotland and Wales where permitted
development differs from England. See
planning permission.
Export payments
The change did not create any right to be paid for exported electricity. The Smart Export
Guarantee requires MCS certification or an accepted equivalent and an export meter point; a
self-installed plug-in kit has neither, and suppliers cannot offer a regulated SEG tariff without
them. See SEG and plug-in solar.
Product safety law generally
Compliance with the specification does not displace ordinary consumer protection. If a kit is
unsafe or not as described, your remedies against the retailer are unchanged, and paying by credit
card adds a further route. See
warranty and your UK rights.
Frequently asked questions
Was plug-in solar illegal before 27 August 2026?
There was no lawful route to plug a generator into a domestic socket in Great Britain. Kits were
sold and imported, but using them was outside the regulatory framework. That is precisely what the
amendment set out to fix.
Is a kit I bought before that date now legal?
Only if it meets the current requirements — the 800 W ceiling, no storage, and the Interim
Product Specification. A European balcony kit bought in 2025, particularly one with an integrated
battery, may well not. See
how to spot a non-compliant kit.
Do I need to tell my energy supplier?
No. The notification is to your distribution network operator. Your supplier plays no part in it.
What if I don’t notify?
See what happens if you don’t notify,
where we give the honest answer rather than a scare story — but the obligation is real and the
process takes ten minutes.
Can I use an extension lead?
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, which for most compliant kits mean a direct connection to
a fixed, suitably rated outdoor socket. See
extension leads and plug-in solar.
Does this apply to wind turbines or other generators?
No. The route is specific to plug-in solar devices meeting the specification.
Primary sources.
SI
2026/848, made version (legislation.gov.uk) ·
DESNZ, Plug-in solar: regulatory amendment and interim product specification, and the
government response of July 2026 ·
Energy Networks Association ·
Ofgem, Smart Export Guarantee.
We are not a regulator and this page is general information, not legal advice — see
legal notice and
editorial methodology.