Plug-In Solar Rules in the UK (2026)

What changed on 27 August

Until this summer, plugging a generator into a wall socket broke two sets of rules. One covered plugs and sockets, the other covered how generation connects to the grid. Both were amended by SI 2026/848, which came into force on 27 Aug 2026.

The same day, the network operators' technical rulebook (called G98) was updated to cover plug-in devices, so there is now a proper route for connecting one. The rules apply in Great Britain. Northern Ireland has its own arrangements, covered further down.

The 800 W limit explained

The cap is on what comes out of the inverter, not on what the panels are rated at. A kit can carry more panel capacity than 800 W as long as the inverter never sends more than 800 W (800 VA) into your home. The product specification also caps current at 3.5 A.

Panels have their own ceiling too. The total rating of the panels in one device can be up to 2 kW. If you go above 960 W of panels, the specification says manufacturers must tell you to consider having someone check your existing wiring first. That is advice, not a legal limit, but it is sensible. If you want to know why the inverter is the part that is capped, our guide to how plug-in solar panels work explains what it does between the panel and the plug.

How many plug-in panels can I have?

One device per household. Here is where people get confused. The government's product specification talks about one device per final circuit, which would let a big house run several. But the network rules in G98 say one per customer installation, and the specification itself says that G98 wins for now.

So the answer today is one. A single device can have several panels in it, and it can sit alongside a rooftop system, provided everything you have connected stays under the 16 A per phase limit for small generators. Both rules could change later, so this page gets rechecked.

Telling your network operator

Your network operator (the company that runs the local cables, not the one you pay for electricity) has to know that you are generating. You tell them through a short online form. The timing rule is simple: before you commission the device, or within 28 days afterwards, counting the day you switch on as day one.

1. 1
   Buy a device that is on the register

   Check the make and model against the ENA register. Only entries marked Compliant count.
2. 2
   Find your network operator

   It depends on where you live, not on who sends your bill. The table below shows the six groups. If you are unsure, ring 105.
3. 3
   Fit it and switch on

   Mount the panels safely, plug the lead into a normal socket and check the inverter lights show it is working.
4. 4
   Send the notification

   Fill in the operator's online form before you switch on or within 28 days of doing so. Expect to give your name, email and address, and to pick your device from a list.

You do not need a photo of your meter cut-out or an installer's sign-off. Those parts of the G98 process are switched off for plug-in devices, and you count as your own installer. The notification forms are still being rolled out, so read your operator's own page before you send anything.

Does Northern Ireland follow the same rules?

Not yet. The change to the plug rules covers the whole UK, but the duty to follow the new specification only covers Great Britain. G98 itself is a Great Britain document. Northern Ireland has its own version, called G98/NI, and its plug-in wording is still at consultation stage. Until that is settled, do not treat plug-in solar as legal in Northern Ireland.

Renters and flats

The law lets you use a plug-in kit. It does not give you the right to bolt one to a building you do not own. GOV.UK tells people to check what permission they need first, which may mean asking a landlord, a building owner or a freeholder, and possibly planning permission or listed building consent.

Ofgem, the energy regulator, adds that insurance is your job to check too. Ring your home insurer before you buy. If you are a renter or leaseholder, get consent in writing. Once you know you are allowed, the UK plug-in solar calculator shows what a kit might save you where you live.

Timeline of the change

• 24 Mar 2026: the government says plug-in solar will be on sale "within months".
• 1 Apr 2026: the Energy Networks Association proposes the G98 change that plug-in devices need.
• 16 Jul 2026: the government publishes its response and the regulations are made.
• 11 Aug 2026: Ofgem approves the G98 change.
• 18 Aug 2026: the first plug-in devices appear on the ENA register.
• 27 Aug 2026: the regulations and the new G98 take effect in Great Britain.

Want to see how the kit itself works, from panel to plug? Our UK explainer covers it. Wondering whether it pays? Read what the £400 kit really costs. Hoping for a supermarket own-brand one? Here is where Lidl's plug-in solar panels stand. Living in the US instead? The law there is made state by state, and the plug-in solar laws by state tracker shows where each one stands.