Is plug-in solar legal in Maryland? (2026)
Yes. Maryland allows plug-in solar under HB 1532, in effect since 2026-07-01. The limit is 1,200 watts. No interconnection agreement is required.
Legal
Since July 1, 2026, Maryland law lets a household install one outlet-connected portable solar system of up to 1,200 watts per meter without utility approval, provided the customer notifies the utility before installing.
- Watt cap
- 1,200 W
- Permit
- —
- Interconnection
- Not required
- Utility notice
- Required
- Equipment
- Certified by Underwriters Laboratory or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory (no specific UL standard number named). Systems with output to a standard outlet of 391 W or less are exempt from UL/NRTL product listing provisions that would require alterations to premises, wiring or panels.
- Law
- HB 1532 · Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act
- Signed
- 2026-05-12
- Effective
- 2026-07-01
Official sources
- HB 1532, mgaleg.maryland.govmgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb1532?ys=2026RS
- HB 1532, mgaleg.maryland.govmgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_353_hb1532e.pdf
- HB 1532, mgaleg.maryland.govmgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/fnotes/bil_0002/hb1532.pdf
Research notes
Plug-in solar is one provision inside a large omnibus energy bill (2026 Laws of Maryland, Chapter 353); new Public Utilities Article § 7-321. Approved by the Governor May 12, 2026. Effective date: the bill is an emergency bill (effective on enactment) except sections listed in its Section 22, which take effect July 1, 2026; § 7-321 is in Section 4 of the Act, and the Department of Legislative Services' enrolled fiscal and policy note states 'Effective Date: July 1, 2026' for the Portable Solar Energy Generating Systems provision. (The bill page's generic field reads 'Effective Date(s): Upon Enactment'; the section-specific July 1, 2026 date governs this provision. A third-party tracker's 'effective May 12, 2026' is wrong for this section.) Rules: 'portable solar energy generating system' = movable PV device connected through a standard electrical outlet, primarily offsetting the building's consumption, supplying not more than 1,200 W back to the building's electric system, UL/NRTL-certified. One system per electric meter, residential use only. Not subject to PUA §§ 7-306 (net metering) and 7-306.1 (interconnection agreements); not RPS-eligible; no RECs. Utility may not require approval, may not charge a fee related to feeding electricity back, and may not require extra controls/equipment except that the customer must pay for an automatic locking disconnect switch 'if the generating system requires' one. Customer must (1) notify the utility before installation and (2) provide certification of safety features and max generating capacity. No landlord/HOA provisions found in § 7-321. Statute silent on permits (permitRequired=null). Could not confirm § 7-321 on the online Maryland Code viewer (StatuteText returned 'File Not Found'); relied on the chaptered law.
“—” means our record has no sourced value · Not legal advice
If you rent
The state law is on your side, but your lease still decides what you can attach to the building. Ask your landlord before you clamp anything to a railing. This email is a starting point:
If you own your home
You can install within the limits above. If you’re in a condo or HOA, the association’s rules on balconies and exterior equipment still apply. Above 1,200 watts the plug-in law no longer applies, and a system goes through the standard permit and interconnection process.
What Maryland's law says
One portable system per electric meter, for residential use, supplying no more than 1,200 watts and certified by a nationally recognized testing lab such as UL.
“provided the device does not supply more than 1,200 watts and is certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL)”
psc.maryland.gov ↗A device of 391 watts or less is exempt from product-listing rules that would require changes to the building's wiring or electrical panels.
“If the device has a maximum power output of not more than 391 watts, it is exempt from product listing provisions”
psc.maryland.gov ↗The utility cannot require its approval before a customer installs or uses the system.
“MAY NOT REQUIRE A CUSTOMER USING A PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM TO: (I) OBTAIN THE ELECTRIC COMPANY’S APPROVAL BEFORE INSTALLING OR USING THE PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM”
mgaleg.maryland.gov ↗The utility cannot charge a fee tied to the system feeding power back into the grid.
“MAY NOT REQUIRE A CUSTOMER USING A PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM TO: … (II) PAY ANY FEE OR CHARGE RELATED TO THE PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM’S ABILITY TO FEED ELECTRICITY BACK INTO THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM”
mgaleg.maryland.gov ↗The customer must notify the utility before installing.
“NOTIFY THE ELECTRIC COMPANY PROVIDING SERVICE IN THE SERVICE TERRITORY IN WHICH THE GENERATING SYSTEM WILL BE INSTALLED BEFORE INSTALLATION”
mgaleg.maryland.gov ↗
What Maryland's largest utilities say
What each utility's own tariff or interconnection page says about generation a customer connects on their side of the meter.
Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE)
The Maryland PSC's balcony-solar page tells BGE customers to notify BGE through its customer call center.
“Please contact BGE’s Customer Call Center at 1-800-685-0123 with any inquires regarding balcony solar and to notify the utility of installation.”
psc.maryland.gov ↗Pepco
Pepco's balcony and portable solar page says customers must notify Pepco before installing, and a full interconnection application is not required.
“Customers must notify their electric utility before installing a balcony/portable solar system to support safe operation of the electric distribution system. A full interconnection application is not required.”
pepco.com ↗Potomac Edison (FirstEnergy)
Potomac Edison's Maryland page says customers must notify it before installing a portable solar system, and links a notification form.
“Under Maryland law, customers must notify Potomac Edison before installation of a portable solar energy generating system.”
firstenergycorp.com ↗
Who to ask
- Maryland Public Service Commission, Consumer Affairs Division ↗
Answers customer questions and handles complaints about utility service.
Sources read and quotes checked 2026-09-22.
What an 800 W kit makes in Maryland
A railing-mounted panel hangs close to vertical, so it makes less than a tilted rooftop panel. These figures use a vertical panel on purpose.
Yearly output
749
kWh / year
800W, south-facing railing, no shade
Electricity rate
22.1
¢ / kWh
EIA, 2025-07 to 2026-06
Yearly savings
$132
per year, before kit cost
assumes 80% self-use
Sun
4.86
peak sun hours / day
optimal tilt, Baltimore
Output is modeled at Baltimore with PVGIS 5.3, European Commission Joint Research Centre, ERA5 weather data.
Kits sold in the US
These kits are sold in the US. We rank them on published specs, certification and price and have not tested them. Maryland's law covers systems up to 1,200 W, so check the kit's output against that.
Lowest cost per watt
Bright Saver Balcony 360 W
360 W
Two panels and a 360 W microinverter, sold at cost by a nonprofit. The cheapest way into plug-in solar we can find, and the only kit here whose inverter is described against UL 3700.
- Panels
- Two 180 W panels, 46 × 34 in, 11 lb each
- Certification
- Inverter listed as “UL 3700 compliant” (Hoymiles HiFlow Pro LV)
- Warranty
- 12-year inverter warranty
- Price
- $414.17 · Sep 22
Built-in battery
EcoFlow STREAM Ultra
800 W
800 W of on-grid output with 1.92–11.52 kWh of storage, so power made in the afternoon can run the evening. Pairing it with the STREAM Microinverter raises output to 1,200 W.
- Panels
- Not included
- Certification
- “UL1741-Certified & IEEE1547-Certified”
- Warranty
- 10 years
- Price
- See site
Complete kit on Amazon
PluggedSolar 800 W Plug and Play
800 W
A complete kit sold as one box on Amazon. The panels sit in the sun and the cord goes to an outlet, so nothing is hard-wired.
- Panels
- Four 200 W panels, with a microinverter and a 50 ft cord
- Certification
- Maker calls it “UL 1741 code compliant” but publishes no lab listing.
- Warranty
- Not published
- Price
- $1,395.00 · Sep 22
Most power
Craftstrom 1200 W Plug-in Solar Kit
1,200 W
Six panels and three 350 W microinverters with a smart power meter, for a yard, fence or long deck. The most output of anything here, at the highest price per watt.
- Panels
- Six 200 W bifacial semi-flexible panels
- Certification
- Inverters “ETL-certified to UL 1741 and IEEE 1547”
- Warranty
- 10 years on panels, inverters and power meter
- Price
- $3,309.00 · Sep 22
- Anker SOLIX sells balcony systems in Europe, not in the US. We'll add them when a US model ships.
Questions about Maryland
Is plug-in solar legal in Maryland?
Yes. Maryland allows plug-in solar under HB 1532, in effect since 2026-07-01. The limit is 1,200 watts. No interconnection agreement is required.
Is there a wattage limit in Maryland?
Yes. Maryland's law covers systems up to 1,200 watts.
Do I have to tell my utility?
Yes, according to the law cited on this page.
How much could an 800W kit save in Maryland?
About $132 a year, before the kit's cost, for an unshaded 800W panel on a south-facing railing at 22.1¢/kWh. That assumes you use 80% of what it makes. Run the calculator for your own numbers.