GreenLight / Vermont
Plug-in solar: a small solar kit that plugs into a regular outlet (sometimes called balcony solar). Here is what Vermont's law says, in plain terms; the glossary at the bottom decodes any jargon.
Verified: every fact on this page has been checked against the official bill text linked under Sources.
Checked as of August 26, 2026, the date this page was generated.
| Legal status | enacted |
| Law | Act 149 (official text) |
| Signed into law | June 16, 2026 |
| When it takes effect for you | July 1, 2026. The law is in effect, but no kit on the market qualifies under it yet. |
| Power cap | 1200 watts (roughly 3 large panels). The cap is measured in AC watts -- the power that actually reaches your outlet. |
| What you can legally buy | Only kits certified to the new plug-in solar standard (UL 3700) -- none exist yet, so nothing qualifies today. |
| The law's exact terms | UL 3700 or equivalent REQUIRED |
| Can you buy a qualifying system today? | No: no complete system is UL 3700 certified yet. The homepage feed alerts when that changes. |
| Do you have to tell your utility? | No. The law does not require you to tell your electric utility anything. |
| What about renters and HOAs? | Yes, the law protects you: give your landlord 10 days' notice, after which approval is treated as granted, and contrary covenants (deed or HOA restrictions) cannot override the law. |
| 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. |
| Takes effect | The date a signed law actually starts to apply. A law can be signed months before you can legally plug in, so the state pages show both dates. |
| Utility notice | Some state laws make you tell your electric utility (the company you pay for power) about your kit. Each state page answers "do you have to tell your utility?" in plain terms. |
| Renters and HOAs | HOA is short for homeowners association -- the body that enforces the rules in some neighborhoods and condo buildings. A state law can protect renters and HOA residents who want plug-in solar, or it can say nothing. When it says nothing, your lease or HOA rules still decide -- ask your landlord or HOA before you buy. |