Plug-in solar by state › Virginia
Signed, takes effect January 1, 2027Law checked Oct 13, 2026 against Code of Virginia §§ 56-596.8, 55.1-1212.1, 15.2-2288.7 · Last change: locking disconnect, 15-day review, renter scope, ratio billing and liability · Change log
Virginia’s law takes effect January 1, 2027. Like Maryland, it makes you notify the utility before you install, and it has detailed rules for renters that depend on how many units your landlord owns.
What you can build today
Today: not in effect. From January 1, 2027.
From 2027, up to 391 W: inspector’s call. The device must meet the NEC; the 391 W waiver covers listing rules only.
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 per customer (per unit in apartments)
- Law
- HB 395 (Chapter 1052) and SB 250 (Chapter 998)
- Signed
- April 22, 2026
- Effective
- January 1, 2027
What the law says
| Size limit | 1,200 W maximum power output |
|---|---|
| How it’s measured | Per customer, or per residential unit in multi-family housing. |
| Small-device break | Devices of 391 W or less to the outlet are exempt from product-listing provisions that would require changes to the building’s wiring or panel. |
| Listing | Certified by an NRTL and meeting the current NEC. |
| Outage protection | Required. |
| Utility notice | Before installing, on the State Corporation Commission’s form, online or by mail. The utility has 15 days to flag problems with the form; no reply means you may install (§ 56-596.8(B)). |
| Utility approval and fees | No utility approval or fee. The utility may install a locking disconnect if you have more than one device or the circuit needs it (§ 56-596.8(C)). Exempt from interconnection and net metering. |
| Renters | Applies to landlords owning more than four rental units, or more than a 10% interest in more than four. They can’t prohibit an install on the exterior of your unit but can set reasonable size, placement and manner rules, and restrict it elsewhere on the property. Give written notice at least seven days ahead, with documentation and the location. Wiring or panel changes need the landlord’s written approval. You’re responsible for any damage (§ 55.1-1212.1). Tenants on ratio utility billing aren’t covered by the utility exemptions and, under § 55.1-1212.1(E), may not install one (at most, only with the landlord’s written approval) (§ 56-596.8(F)). |
| Utility liability | The utility isn’t liable for damage, injury or service interruption from the device (§ 56-596.8(E)). |
| HOAs and towns | HOA covenants still apply. Localities can’t prohibit these devices on homes, within height, setback and historic-district rules. |
In the law’s words
Short excerpts from Code of Virginia §§ 56-596.8, 55.1-1212.1, 15.2-2288.7 (2026 Acts cc. 998, 1052; effective January 1, 2027), 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.
14 excerpts with what each means
- Size
“…has a maximum power output of not more than 1,200 watts per customer or, in the case of multi-family housing, per residential building unit”
§ 56-596.8(A)(i)1,200 W per customer, or per unit in apartments. - Connection
“…is designed to be connected to the electrical system of a building through an electrical outlet”
§ 56-596.8(A)(ii)An electrical outlet. - Electrical code
“…meets the standards of the most recent version of the National Electrical Code”
§ 56-596.8(A)(iv)Must meet the NEC: outside the 391 W waiver, the inspector decides how. - Certification
“…is certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory”
§ 56-596.8(A)(v)Lab certification required. - 391 W exemption
“A small portable solar generation device that has a maximum power output to the receptacle outlet of not more than 391 watts is exempt from product listing provisions that would require alterations to the building's premises, wiring, or electrical panels.”
§ 56-596.8(A)At 391 W or less, listing rules that would force rewiring are waived; the NEC requirement isn’t. - Notice
“…shall notify the electric service provider by submitting the form established by the Commission, online or by mail, prior to the installation…”
§ 56-596.8(B)File the Commission’s form before installing. - 15-day review
“…shall have 15 days after the date of notification to review the form for accuracy and completeness… If the electric service provider does not respond within such 15-day period, the customer is deemed to have met such notification requirement and may install the device.”
§ 56-596.8(B)No reply in 15 days means you may install. - Utility approval and fees
“No electric service provider shall require a customer … to obtain the electric service provider's approval before installing or using the device, pay any fee or charge related to the device, or install any additional controls or equipment…”
§ 56-596.8(B)No approval, fee or extra equipment. - Locking disconnect
“At any premises with more than one small portable solar generation device at a single property, or should the relevant distribution circuit require it, the electric utility or cooperative may install an automatic, locking disconnect switch.”
§ 56-596.8(C)The utility may add a locking disconnect for more than one device, or if the circuit needs it. - Utility liability
“No investor-owned utility, municipal utility, or electric cooperative shall be liable for any damage, injury, or interruption in electric service caused by a small portable solar generation device.”
§ 56-596.8(E)The utility isn’t liable. - Landlords
“No landlord who owns more than four rental dwelling units … shall prohibit a tenant from installing a small portable solar generation device on the exterior of the tenant's premises.”
§ 55.1-1212.1(B)Landlords with more than four units can’t ban an exterior install; they can set reasonable rules. - Tenant notice
“…identifies the proposed location for installation at least seven days prior to installation.”
§ 55.1-1212.1(C)Seven days’ notice, with documentation and location. - Ratio billing
“No tenant renting a unit that is subject to ratio utility billing system … may utilize or install a small portable generation device nor shall a tenant utilize or install such a device if it would require alterations … without express written approval of the tenant's landlord.”
§ 55.1-1212.1(E)On ratio utility billing, plan on not installing; at most, only with the landlord’s written approval. - Localities
“No locality shall prohibit the use of a small portable solar generation device … on a residential structure, provided that such device (i) is in compliance with any height and setback requirements…”
§ 15.2-2288.7(E)Towns can’t ban them on homes, within height, setback and historic rules.
What it means for your design
- Put the utility notice on your schedule. File the form, then wait up to 15 days before plugging in.
- The 391 W line matters for older homes: a device at or under 391 W (for example a Hoymiles HiFlow Pro 391 LV) can’t be held to listing rules that would force panel or wiring changes.
- Keep inverter AC output at or under 1,200 W for the whole account. In an apartment, the limit is per unit.
- Renters: check whether your landlord owns more than four units. If not, the protection doesn’t apply and you need permission. If you’re on ratio utility billing (your bill is split from a master meter), the law bars installing one; at most, only with the landlord’s written approval.
- Exempt from net metering, so plan as if exports earn nothing. Size to daytime use.
- A state work group reports on safety standards by November 15, 2026, so check back for changes before the law takes effect.
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
When is plug-in solar legal in Virginia?
January 1, 2027, when Code of Virginia § 56-596.8 takes effect.
Do I have to notify the utility in Virginia?
Yes, before installing, on the State Corporation Commission’s form. The utility has 15 days to flag problems; no reply means you can install.
Can my landlord ban plug-in solar in Virginia?
Not if the landlord owns more than four rental units, though they can set reasonable size and placement rules. Smaller landlords aren’t covered.