Is plug-in solar legal in New York? (2026)
Not yet. New York has no law allowing plug-in solar, but A 9111-C / S 8512-C would create one. Here is where it stands, with the official bill page.
Bill pending
New York's SUNNY Act passed both houses on May 28, 2026 but has not yet been delivered to or signed by the governor.
- Watt cap
- —
- Permit
- —
- Interconnection
- —
- Utility notice
- —
- Equipment
- —
- Law
- —
- Signed
- —
- Effective
- —
Official sources
- nyassembly.govnyassembly.gov/leg/?default_fld=&leg_video=&bn=A09111&term=2025&Summary=Y&Action
- nysenate.govwww.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8512
Research notes
'Solar Up Now NY Act' (SUNNY Act), sponsors Gallagher (Assembly) / Krueger (Senate). Passed text (A9111-C) would amend Public Service Law sec. 66-j and Executive Law sec. 378: portable solar generation device = PV system connected through a standard electrical outlet, limited to max aggregate continuous AC inverter nameplate output of 1,200 W to the grid, listed/certified by an accredited NRTL as a complete plug-in PV system, installed per NY fire/building code and manufacturer instructions, with anti-islanding feature. Exempt from interconnection and net metering requirements (exports uncompensated unless customer opts in); utility may not require approval, fees or extra equipment; owner MUST notify the utility within 30 days of installation using a simple utility web form (name/contact, service address and account number, make/model, rated size). Takes effect 90 days after becoming law. Fields left null because the bill is not law. Senate passed earlier print 62-0 on 2026-04-21 before the final amended version. NY rules on when the governor must act after delivery were not separately fetched; bills not delivered and acted on before the end of the 2025-2026 session would need reintroduction (general rule, not verified in this pass).
“—” means our record has no sourced value · Not legal advice
If you rent
Without a state law, you need two yeses: your landlord’s, and your utility’s. Start with the utility, because a landlord will ask whether it’s allowed. Ask these three questions and get the answers in writing:
- “Do you have an interconnection requirement for a plug-in solar device under 1,200 watts with a UL-listed inverter?”
- “If it never sends power back to the grid, does that change your answer?”
- “Can you send me that in writing, or point me to the tariff section?”
If you get a written answer, send it to hello@mlighthouse.com. We’ll add it to this page with the utility named and you left out.
If you own your home
You have the same utility question as a renter, and one more option: a conventional rooftop or ground-mount system goes through your utility’s standard interconnection process instead. It costs more and takes longer, but the rules are written down.
Where the bill stands
A 9111-C / S 8512-C
Passed Assembly and Senate (Senate substituted A9111C, 59-1) on 2026-05-28; returned to Assembly 2026-05-28. No 'delivered to governor', signature or veto recorded on the Assembly bill page as of 2026-09-20.
nyassembly.govWhat an 800 W kit makes in New York
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
762
kWh / year
800W, south-facing railing, no shade
Electricity rate
28.06
¢ / kWh
EIA, 2025-07 to 2026-06
Yearly savings
$171
per year, before kit cost
assumes 80% self-use
Sun
4.82
peak sun hours / day
optimal tilt, New York City
Output is modeled at New York City 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. New York has no plug-in solar law yet, so ask your utility before you connect one.
Some links in this section are affiliate links. We earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you.
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 as of 2026-09-22
At-cost price from a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, not a retail price.
Bright Saver is a nonprofit we cover editorially. We earn nothing from this link.
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
- Not published
EcoFlow lists no price until you configure the system.
Panels are not included, and EcoFlow's own page says plug-and-play use is currently available only in Utah, under H.B. 340.
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
- “UL 1741 code compliant for anti-islanding safety protection” (pluggedsolar.com); no lab listing published
- Warranty
- Not published
- Price
- $1,395.00 as of 2026-09-22
Amazon price read through the Creators API.
PluggedSolar publishes no lab listing for this kit and no warranty term we could find. Its Amazon listing estimates 1,500 kWh a year, which assumes panels angled at the sun.
We earn a commission if you buy through this link. It costs you nothing extra.
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 as of 2026-09-22
Listed by the reseller My Own Watts.
Craftstrom sells through dealers, so prices differ by seller. We have no affiliate relationship with any of them.
- Anker SOLIX sells balcony systems in Europe, not in the US. We'll add them when a US model ships.
Questions about New York
Is plug-in solar legal in New York?
Not yet. New York has no law allowing plug-in solar, but A 9111-C / S 8512-C would create one. Here is where it stands, with the official bill page.
When could plug-in solar become legal in New York?
A 9111-C / S 8512-C: Passed Assembly and Senate (Senate substituted A9111C, 59-1) on 2026-05-28; returned to Assembly 2026-05-28. No 'delivered to governor', signature or veto recorded on the Assembly bill page as of 2026-09-20.
How much could an 800W kit save in New York?
About $171 a year, before the kit's cost, for an unshaded 800W panel on a south-facing railing at 28.06¢/kWh. That assumes you use 80% of what it makes. Run the calculator for your own numbers.