Plug-In Solar in New York: The Law and What It Means for Your Design

Passed, not yet law

Law checked Oct 13, 2026 against A 9111-C as passed (not law) · Last change: status, listing, notice form, outage and liability rows updated · Change log

New York’s SUNNY Act passed both chambers on May 28, 2026. The legislature’s record shows no delivery to Governor Hochul, signature or veto as of October 12, 2026. Under current utility rules, a plug-in system in New York needs the utility’s interconnection approval.

What you can build today

Not law. The utility’s interconnection rules apply. If signed, it requires a complete listed system, and none is certified (October 2026).

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 AC inverter nameplate, if signed
Law: SUNNY Act
Signed: Not yet. Passed both chambers May 28, 2026
Effective: 90 days after it becomes law
Electrical code: NEC 2023, through the 2025 New York Uniform Code, in effect since December 31, 2025 (New York City has its own code)

What the law says

Size limit (if signed)	1,200 W aggregate continuous AC inverter nameplate output to the grid.
Listing	Listed or certified by an NRTL as a complete plug-in PV system (§ 66-j(1)(j)). The passed version doesn’t name UL 3700.
Outage protection	Must keep the system from energizing the building or grid during an outage.
Codes	Installed to the state fire prevention and building code and the manufacturer’s instructions.
Utility notice	Within 30 days after installing, on a simple form on the utility’s website: name and contact information, service address and account number, make and model, rated size.
Utility approval and fees	No approval, fees (including for sending power back) or extra equipment. Exempt from interconnection unless you opt in.
Power sent to the grid	Unpaid unless you sign up for net metering or another compensation agreement.
Utility liability	The utility isn’t liable for damage or injury from the device, except where it would otherwise be liable (§ 66-j(7)).
Which utilities	Written for electric corporations; LIPA and municipal utilities aren’t named.
Today	Not law. Under current utility rules, connecting needs utility permission.

In the law’s words

Short excerpts from SUNNY Act, A 9111-C / S 8512-C as passed May 28, 2026 (not law); new text, printed in capitals in the bill, shown in normal case, 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.

11 excerpts with what each means

Size“…is limited to supplying a maximum aggregate continuous AC inverter nameplate output of not more than one thousand two hundred watts to the utility electric grid;”PSL § 66-j(1)(j)(II)1,200 W of inverter nameplate to the grid.
Connection“…is designed to be connected to a building's electrical system through a standard electrical outlet;”PSL § 66-j(1)(j)(I)A standard outlet.
Certification“…is listed or certified by an accredited nationally recognized testing laboratory as a complete plug-in photovoltaic system to a standard;”PSL § 66-j(1)(j)(III)A complete listed plug-in system: none exists yet (Oct 2026).
Codes“…is installed and operated in accordance with the New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code and manufacturer instructions;”PSL § 66-j(1)(j)(IV)State building code and maker’s instructions; the NEC isn’t named.
Future code“…the State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code shall be optimized to allow for portable solar generation devices … to be connected to a building's wiring through an electrical outlet.”Exec. Law § 378(21)The state code is to make room for outlet connection when next adopted.
Outage protection“…includes a mechanism or feature that prevents the system from injuriously energizing the building's electrical system or the local electric grid, during an electrical service outage…”PSL § 66-j(1)(j)(V)Outage protection required.
Exports“…shall not be subject to interconnection or net metering requirements. Any energy exported to the utility electric grid shall be uncompensated unless the customer voluntarily enters a net metering or other compensation agreement.”PSL § 66-j(7)(A)No interconnection; exports unpaid unless you opt in.
Utility approval and fees“…pay any fee or charge related to the device or for feeding energy back into the utility electric grid; or (III) install any additional controls or equipment…”PSL § 66-j(7)(B)No fee, including for feeding power back; no extra equipment.
Notice“Within thirty days of installing a portable solar generation device, the owner of such device shall notify the electric corporation serving the building…”PSL § 66-j(7)(D)Notify the utility within 30 days after installing.
Utility liability“…shall not be liable for any damage or injury caused by a portable solar generation device to the extent the electric corporation would not otherwise be liable under the law.”PSL § 66-j(7)(C)The utility isn’t liable, within existing law.
Effective date“This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.”Bill § 590 days after it becomes law; it isn’t law yet.

What it means for your design

Don’t connect a plug-in system to the grid in New York yet. Until the act is law, the utility’s interconnection rules apply.
If you’re planning ahead, the bill measures inverter nameplate AC output, so keep the whole system at 1,200 W of nameplate.
Look for equipment listed as a complete plug-in PV system, not just a microinverter listed on its own.

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.

Design your system See New York on the map

Questions

Is plug-in solar legal in New York?

Not yet. The SUNNY Act passed both chambers on May 28, 2026; the legislature’s record shows no delivery, signature or veto as of October 12, 2026. It would take effect 90 days after becoming law.

How big could plug-in solar be in New York?

Up to 1,200 W of aggregate AC inverter nameplate output, if the SUNNY Act becomes law.

Sources

Bill text read September 29, 2026; law checked October 13, 2026 by Casey Schuyler, NABCEP PV Associate and O&M Associate Technician, Sun Safe LLC. Information for planning, not legal advice. Laws change; verify against the bill and your local authority having jurisdiction. Sun Safe’s position: installations should be code-compliant, and a practicing electrician is recommended.