Starting Jan. 1, 2027, Californians can plug up to 1,200 watts of solar panels into a wall outlet with no utility approval and no fees. That exemption ends Jan. 1, 2030.
20262027202820292030
3-year exemption
Sept. 30, 2026
Signed into law
Jan. 1, 2027
Plug-in solar allowed
Jan. 1, 2030
Exemption ends
California requires the whole kit to be certified as a plug-in solar system, not just the microinverter. EcoFlow, APsystems, CraftStrom and Bright Saver need to step it up. The world’s fifth-largest economy only has 3 years!
There are currently 0 complete systems announced as certified the way California requires
Sources: SB 868 (2026); UL 3700 announcements by Hoymiles, APsystems and Mango Power (as of Oct. 21, 2026); 2025 GDP: BEA, IMF.