GreenLight / Maryland
Plug-in solar: a small solar kit that plugs into a regular outlet (sometimes called balcony solar). Here is what Maryland's law says, in plain terms; the glossary at the bottom decodes any jargon.
| Legal status | enacted |
| Law | HB 1532 s7-321 |
| Signed into law | 2026-05-12 |
| Law takes effect for you | 2026-07-01 |
| Power cap | 1200 watts (roughly 3 large panels) |
| Cap notes | <=391W exempt |
| What you can legally buy | A lab-certified kit above 391W; at or under 391W is exempt. |
| The law's exact terms | UL/NRTL above 391W |
| Can you buy a qualifying system today? | No: no complete system is UL 3700 certified yet. The homepage feed alerts when that changes. |
| Utility notice | post-install notification |
| Renter/HOA protections | none |
| Plug-in solar | A small solar kit you plug into a regular wall outlet -- no electrician, no roof crew. Sometimes called "balcony solar." |
| UL | A big safety-testing company. Their logo is on your toaster and power strips. When a lab like UL "certifies" a product, it means they tested it and vouch for it. |
| NRTL | Short for "Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory" -- any safety lab the government has accredited to certify products. UL is the famous one. |
| UL 3700 | A brand-new safety standard written specifically for plug-in solar kits. Several state laws say: you can plug in, but only a kit certified to this standard. No kit has that certification yet -- which is exactly what this site watches for. |
| NEC | The National Electrical Code -- the rulebook electricians follow. |
| "Certified" vs "compliant" | Certified = an independent lab tested it and lists it. "Compliant" or "designed to meet" = the manufacturer's own claim. Not the same thing; we only count certified. |
| Watts (W) | How much power the kit can make. 1,200 W is roughly two to three large panels -- enough to cover a fridge plus some electronics while the sun shines. |