Plug-in solar by state › Maryland
In effectLaw checked Oct 13, 2026 against HB 1532 (Chapter 353), § 7-321 · Last change: rows matched to the statute: feed-back fee wording, net metering, credits and liability · Change log
Maryland’s plug-in rules came in a larger energy affordability law and is in effect. The key design facts are one device per meter, residential use only, and a notice to the utility before you install.
What you can build today
Up to 391 W: inspector’s call. The law waives listing rules that would require rewiring (§ 7-321(F)), but not your county’s electrical code.
Over 391 W: no plug-in path yet. The listing’s conditions apply in full, and its parts aren’t on sale.
Always an option: a permitted, hardwired system under NEC 690 and 705 with your utility’s approval, or an off-grid power station that never connects to house wiring. UL Solutions notes the 2026 NEC “does not recognize the use of plug-in photovoltaic (PIPV) modules”; NFPA expects them in the 2029 edition (source). Where a law requires the NEC and gives no size waiver, the inspector decides. Sun Safe’s reading, not legal advice.
- Limit
- 1,200 W, one device per meter
- Law
- HB 1532 (Utility RELIEF Act)
- Signed
- May 12, 2026
- Effective
- In effect (July 1, 2026 per the fiscal note; the bill page lists it as an emergency bill)
- Electrical code
- No single statewide edition: your county or city sets it, so ask your local inspector
What the law says
| Size limit | 1,200 W maximum output back to the building’s electric system (§ 7-321(A)(3)) |
|---|---|
| How it’s measured | One system per electric meter, residential use only (§ 7-321(B)). |
| Definition | Movable, connects through a standard electrical outlet, and meant mainly to offset part of the building’s use (§ 7-321(A)). |
| Small-device break | Devices of 391 W or less to the outlet are exempt from product-listing provisions that would require alterations to the building’s premises, wiring or electrical panels (§ 7-321(F)). |
| Listing | Certified by UL or an equivalent nationally recognized testing lab. |
| Utility notice | Before installing, with a certification of the device’s safety features and maximum generating capacity (§ 7-321(E)). |
| Utility approval and fees | No approval, no fee for the system’s ability to feed power back, and no extra controls or equipment, except that you pay for an automatic locking disconnect switch if the system requires one (§ 7-321(D)-(E)). |
| Utility liability | The utility isn’t liable for damage from the device (§ 7-321(D)(2)). |
| Power sent to the grid | Not subject to the net metering sections (§§ 7-306, 7-306.1); no renewable portfolio credit and no renewable energy credits of any type (§ 7-321(C)). The Public Service Commission warns exported power may be counted as zero or added to your usage, depending on the meter. |
| Renters and HOAs | Not addressed in § 7-321. |
Effective date: the fiscal note says July 1, 2026; the bill page lists HB 1532 as an emergency bill, effective on enactment (May 12, 2026). Either way it is in effect.
In the law’s words
Short excerpts from HB 1532 (Chapter 353), Public Utilities § 7-321, quoted as written and checked word for word against the official text on October 13, 2026; each with what it means for a plug-in design.
10 excerpts with what each means
- Definition
“…a movable photovoltaic solar energy generation device that is: (1) designed to be connected to a building’s electrical system through a standard electrical outlet; (2) primarily intended to offset part of the building’s electricity consumption…”
§ 7-321(A)Standard outlet, movable, meant mainly to offset the building’s own use. - Size
“…limited to supplying a maximum power output of not more than 1,200 watts back to the electric system of the building…”
§ 7-321(A)(3)1,200 W measured as power fed back into the building’s wiring. - Certification
“…certified by Underwriters Laboratory or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory.”
§ 7-321(A)(4)Lab certification required (UL or equal). - One per meter
“A person may purchase and install not more than one portable solar energy generating system per electric meter for residential use only.”
§ 7-321(B)One system per meter, homes only. - Net metering and credits
“…is not subject to the requirements of §§ 7–306 and 7–306.1 … is not eligible for inclusion in meeting the renewable energy portfolio standard; and may not generate renewable energy credits of any type.”
§ 7-321(C)Not part of net metering; no renewable energy credits. - Utility approval and fees
“…may not require a customer … to: obtain the electric company’s approval before installing or using … pay any fee or charge related to the portable solar energy generating system’s ability to feed electricity back into the electric system…”
§ 7-321(D)(1)No approval; the fee ban covers fees for feeding power back. - Utility liability
“…is not liable for any damage caused by a portable solar energy generating system.”
§ 7-321(D)(2)The utility isn’t liable. - Notice
“…notify the electric company … before installation; provide … a certification of the safety features and maximum generating capacity of the generating system…”
§ 7-321(E)Notify the utility before installing, with the safety and capacity certification. - Locking disconnect
“…if the generating system requires an automatic locking disconnect switch to be installed, pay for the switch installation.”
§ 7-321(E)(3)If the system needs a locking disconnect, you pay for it. - 391 W exemption
“…a maximum power output to a standard electrical outlet of not more than 391 watts is exempt from product listing provisions from Underwriters Laboratory or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory that would require alterations to the building’s premises, wiring, or electrical panels.”
§ 7-321(F)At 391 W or less, listing rules that would force rewiring are waived; county electrical code still applies, so it’s the inspector’s call.
What it means for your design
- One device per meter means one inverter. Choose a single inverter sized for your whole system rather than planning to add a second later.
- Ask the utility what meter you have before you plug in. On some meters, exported power can be added to your bill as usage. Sizing to your daytime use avoids exporting at all.
- Ask whether your utility will require a locking disconnect switch, and budget for it if so.
- Send the notice and certification before installing, and keep a copy.
Designs that fit, and one that doesn’t
The engineering behind it
Why the circuit matters as much as the law, in four short points.
Circuit current, continuous output, outdoor outlets, AC vs panel watts
Why the circuit matters. A plug-in inverter pushes current into a branch circuit from the outlet end. The breaker in your panel only sees the current coming from the panel, not what the inverter adds. With other loads on the same circuit, part of the wire can carry the breaker’s full rating plus the inverter’s output without anything tripping. At 1,200 W the inverter adds 10 A at 120 V. That’s why we recommend a dedicated circuit for any plug-in system, even where the law doesn’t require one.
Continuous output. Code treats inverter output as continuous and sizes the circuit at 125% of it (NEC 705.28): 1,200 W is 10 A, times 1.25 is 12.5 A, which fits a 15 A circuit. Anything over 1,440 W needs a 20 A circuit.
Outdoors. Outdoor receptacles need GFCI protection (NEC 210.8) and an in-use weatherproof cover (NEC 406.9).
AC, not panel watts. These laws limit what the inverter puts out, not what the panels are rated for. You can put more panel on a small inverter; it trims the brightest hours and fills out the rest of the day. The Designer models that trimming hour by hour.
Questions
Is plug-in solar legal in Maryland?
Yes. The plug-in provisions of HB 1532 (Chapter 353) took effect July 1, 2026, according to the General Assembly’s Department of Legislative Services.
How many plug-in solar devices can I have in Maryland?
One per electric meter, for residential use, up to 1,200 W.
Do I have to tell the utility in Maryland?
Yes, before installing, with a certification of the device’s safety features and capacity.