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Solar panels and plug-in solar in England and Wales
Plug-in solar became lawful in Great Britain, including England and Wales, on 27 August 2026. Rooftop and hardwired systems remain the main route to larger installations and export payments.
Rules are changing quickly. This page reflects what we could confirm on 21 September 2026. Check GOV.UK, your network operator and a qualified installer before you buy or connect anything. General information, not legal or electrical advice.
Plug-in solar
The Plugs and Sockets (Safety) Regulations and the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations were amended by SI 2026/848 (made 16 July 2026, in force 27 August 2026) so that compliant kits of up to 800 VA can be sold and connected to a standard socket in England, Wales and Scotland. Check that a kit is on the ENA register of compliant devices, connect it to a suitable socket without extension leads, and notify your distribution network operator within 28 days. Only one plug-in device per household is currently allowed.
Planning permission
In England, ordinary domestic solar panels are usually permitted development if certain conditions are met. The Planning Portal says the right was updated on 27 August 2026 to cover plug-in solar: on a house, panels on a wall, balcony or roof enclosure may project up to 0.4 metres (0.2 metres where it abuts a highway), plug-in solar cannot be fixed to wooden walls, balconies or enclosures or timber-clad exteriors, and stricter rules apply in conservation areas and to listed buildings. A 12-month transition runs to 27 August 2027. Planning in Wales is devolved: GOV.WALES sets out its own permitted development rules for solar, which apply to houses and do not mention plug-in solar, so check with your council. Always check with your local planning authority before fixing panels to a building.
Rooftop and hardwired systems
Larger systems are installed by a qualified installer, and small systems are notified to the network operator under the G98 process; larger ones may need approval under G99. To qualify for Smart Export Guarantee payments you generally need a suitably certified installation (for example, MCS). See tariffs and export payments.
Renting and flats
Check your tenancy or lease. Fixing anything to a balcony or external wall usually needs the landlord's or freeholder's consent. See renting and solar.
Frequently asked questions
Is plug-in solar legal in England and Wales?
Yes. Compliant kits of up to 800 VA became lawful to sell and connect to a standard socket in England, Wales and Scotland from 27 August 2026.
Do I need to tell my network operator about plug-in solar?
Yes. You must notify your distribution network operator, and current guidance says to do so within 28 days of connecting.
Do I need planning permission for plug-in solar in England?
Often not, but conditions apply, such as restrictions on timber walls and balconies, and exclusions for listed buildings and conservation areas. Check with your council.
Can I get export payments for a plug-in solar kit?
Plug-in kits generally earn little or nothing for exported power, so any saving comes from using the electricity yourself.
Related questions
- Do I need planning permission for solar panels in England?
- What are the England permitted development limits for a house?
- Do the England rules differ for flats?
- Do I need planning permission for solar panels on a flat roof?
- What conditions apply to all domestic solar panels in England?
- Can I put solar panels on a garage, shed or other outbuilding?
Official sources
- Planning Portal (England): solar equipment mounted on a house, block of flats or building
- GOV.WALES: planning permission for solar panels
- GOV.UK / DESNZ: Plug-in solar: regulatory amendment and interim product specification
- Energy Saving Trust: Plug-in solar panels, checks to make before you buy
- GOV.UK: VAT on energy-saving materials and heating equipment (Notice 708/6)
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Open Be Solar WiseBrowse all guidesReviewed 2026-09-21. General information, not legal, electrical or financial advice. Confirm current rules before you buy or connect anything.