Is plug-in solar legal in the UK?

legal in Great Britain from: 27 Aug 2026
max inverter output: 800 W
to tell your DNO: 28 days

Where in the UK is plug-in solar legal?

Nation	Legal to use?	Source
England	Yes, from 27 Aug 2026	SI 2026/848 reg 1
Wales	Yes, from 27 Aug 2026	SI 2026/848 reg 1
Scotland	Yes, from 27 Aug 2026	SI 2026/848 reg 1
Northern Ireland	Not yet	The ESQCR change doesn’t extend to NI (SI reg 1(4))

For Northern Ireland, the DESNZ Impact Assessment says use would only be legal once the NI regulations are reformed, which “is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive”. See plug-in solar in Northern Ireland and Scotland and Wales.

Which law made it legal?

The regulation 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 made on 16 July 2026, laid before Parliament on 17 July and came into force on 27 August 2026. It followed a two-week public consultation (16–30 June 2026) that drew 466 responses.

It removed two legal obstacles, which the Explanatory Memorandum sets out:

The plug. BS 1363, the UK plug standard, prohibits using plugs to connect generators. The SI lets a plug made for a plug-in microgenerator be approved if it meets BS 1363 in every other respect and complies with the product specification.
The wiring rules. Regulation 22 of the ESQCR required generators on a home installation to meet “British Standard Requirements”, in practice BS 7671. The SI adds an alternative: a plug-in microgenerator can comply with the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification instead.

The SI’s Explanatory Note puts it plainly: a plug-in microgenerator “must not be installed or operated unless it complies with the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification.”

What counts as a legal plug-in kit?

The SI defines a “plug-in microgenerator” as something that:

generates electricity directly from sunlight;
has “a maximum rated alternating current output not exceeding 800 watts”;
connects to a home’s wiring “by means of a standard plug and socket”;
runs in parallel with the grid; and
doesn’t import power to store it for later, so batteries are out.

The Interim Product Specification (v2, 16 July 2026) adds the detail:

Rule	Limit
Inverter output	800 VA, 3.5 A
Total panel power	2,000W DC
Panels above 960W	Manufacturer must advise you to consider a professional assessment of your wiring
Plug	Moulded, non-rewireable BS 1363-1, fuse no more than 5A
Socket	Fixed BS 1363-2 socket; no extension leads or adaptors
Outdoor parts and sockets	At least IP55
Where not allowed	Timber balconies, timber cladding, ACM/MCM/HPL cladding, buildings under external wall remediation
Register	Manufacturer must have the device listed as Compliant on the ENA Type Test Register before selling it

The specification is interim. The Explanatory Memorandum says a full revision of the underlying British Standards is planned “within around 2-3 years”.

On sale doesn't mean legal

Kits that aren’t listed as Compliant on the register, have a battery, or are over 800W don’t meet the rules, even if a marketplace sells them. Check before you buy with the compliance checklist.

What do you have to do?

Buy a Compliant kit. Check it on the ENA Type Test Register or our device list.
Get any permissions. The specification makes you responsible for landlord, freeholder or managing-agent permission, planning permission and listed building consent. See landlord permission and planning permission.
Install it following the manufacturer’s instructions. The policy covers devices “installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions” (Explanatory Memorandum).
Notify your DNO. G98, as amended and approved by Ofgem, requires you to notify your DNO of installation and removal. DESNZ and the G98 text say within 28 days; one DNO says before use. See how to register.

G98 also limits you to one plug-in microgenerator per customer installation, “effectively one per household”. See G98 explained.

Do you need planning permission?

In England, SI 2026/896 added plug-in solar to permitted development from 27 August 2026. There are exclusions for listed buildings and for timber walls, balconies and fences, and some limits in conservation areas. We haven’t found an equivalent change for Scotland or Wales. See planning permission.

What didn’t change?

No new right for renters or leaseholders. Neither SI creates a right to install.
No new enforcement regime. The Government Response says existing product safety law applies.
No export payments by default. Plug-in kits generally can’t get the Smart Export Guarantee. See export.
BS 7671 Amendment 4 didn’t legalise it. The change came through the ESQCR, not the wiring regulations. See BS 7671 and plug-in solar.

What to do next

Check a specific kit with the compliance checker, or see which Compliant kits you can buy today on in stock now.