Plug-In Solar Kits, Legal in the UK Since 27 August 2026

Plug-in solar became legal in Great Britain on 27 August 2026. You can now buy a panel and a microinverter, plug it into an ordinary 13A socket, and cut your daytime electricity bill without an installer, scaffolding or a roof.

  • 27 Aug 2026Legal in Great Britain
  • 800VAInverter output limit
  • 28 daysTo notify your DNO (free)
  • Up to £110Government estimate, per year

The 800W limit is about the inverter, not the panels

This is the detail almost every article gets wrong, and it changes what you should buy.

The 800VA ceiling applies to the AC output of the microinverter — the electricity actually pushed into your home. It is not a cap on the panels. A 625W panel behind a 620VA microinverter is compliant, because the inverter can never deliver more than 620VA into the socket no matter how bright the day.

Why this matters commercially. A panel rated higher than the inverter is normal, deliberate engineering. British light is diffuse for most of the year, so a generously sized panel spends more hours producing useful power. The inverter simply caps the rare summer peak.

What you legally have to do

Requirement What it means for you
800VA inverter limit Total AC output of your plug-in equipment must not exceed 800VA. One compliant microinverter, not two.
G98 notification Tell your network operator within 28 days of plugging in. It is free, it is a form, and it is not an application you can fail. This is the "fit and notify" route.
Planning permission Not normally needed for equipment under 800W on a balcony or external wall. Listed buildings and conservation areas are different.
Permission from others Leaseholders usually need the freeholder's consent. Renters need the landlord's. Check before you buy, not after.
The equipment itself The inverter needs type-test evidence and ENA registration. Ask for the registration number. If a seller cannot give you one, walk away.

For the full detail on how the 800VA rule works, what G98 actually involves and which permissions apply to flats, rentals and listed buildings, read our guide: Is Plug-In Solar Legal in the UK? The 800VA Rule Explained.

Our microinverter is ENA registered: ZHEJI/15702/V1/A1. We design and manufacture the Voltacon VMI600 ourselves, so we can hand you the registration reference rather than pointing at a supplier. That is the number your network operator will want.

Our plug-in solar kits

Both options below use the same G98 compliant Voltacon VMI600 microinverter, rated at 600W with a 620VA maximum output. That is comfortably inside the 800VA limit, and it is the part that has to be certified.

Best for balconies

465W Plug & Play Kit

£230

Everything in one box: a 465W JA Solar all-black panel, the VMI600 microinverter with Wi-Fi monitoring, and a 5m AC cable with a UK 13A plug. Connect the panel, plug it in, done.

The panel is 1762 × 1134mm and 22kg, which suits balcony railings and our tilt mount.

View the 465W kit
Most power

625W Bifacial Build

£224panel £105 + inverter £119

An Elite 625W N-type bifacial dual-glass panel paired with the same VMI600, bought as two items. Bifacial cells also collect light reflected onto the rear face, which is worth having above a pale wall, decking or gravel.

At 2382 × 1134mm and 33kg it is a large panel. Best on a fence, flat roof or garden frame rather than a railing.

View the 625W panel

Already have a panel?

£119

Buy the Voltacon VMI600 on its own. Single MPPT, IP67, Wi-Fi monitoring, 10 year warranty as standard and 25 years optional. Accepts panels from 400W to 670W.

This is the certified part of the system and the one your DNO cares about.

View the VMI600

You may also want the adjustable 15 to 30 degree balcony and fence mount at £34, which fits 60 and 72 cell panels up to 600W, and a 5m extension cable with a UK 3 pin plug if the socket is further than the supplied lead reaches.

What plug-in solar will and will not do

It offsets electricity you are using at that moment. A single panel covers a fridge, a router, a laptop, standby loads and a slow cooker during daylight. It will not run an electric shower, and it will not charge a car.

The government's estimate is up to £110 a year and around 20% of a typical household's electricity. That figure assumes you are at home using power during the day. If the house is empty from eight until six, expect less, because there is no battery in a plug-in system and nothing is exported for payment.

Be careful with kits over 800VA. Microinverters rated 1000W or 2000W are perfectly good products, but they are outside the plug-in category and must not be connected to a wall socket. They need a wired connection and a G99 application. Our 930W balcony kit with a 1000W microinverter falls into that group and is sold on that basis.

Common questions

Is plug-in solar legal in the UK?

Yes, in Great Britain, from 27 August 2026, provided the equipment does not exceed 800VA of AC output and you notify your network operator under G98 within 28 days. Northern Ireland operates under a separate regime, so check locally.

Does the 800W limit mean my panel must be under 800W?

No. The limit is on the microinverter's AC output. Panels can and often should be larger than the inverter rating, because they rarely reach their rated output in British conditions.

Do I need an electrician?

Not for a plug-in kit that uses a standard 13A socket, which is the point of the category. You do need to complete the free G98 notification, and if you want the inverter hard-wired rather than plugged in, that is electrician work.

Do I need permission from my landlord or freeholder?

Usually yes if you rent or hold a lease, particularly for anything fixed to a balcony, railing or external wall. Planning permission is not normally required under 800W, but listed buildings and conservation areas have extra restrictions.

Can I plug in two kits to get more power?

No. The 800VA ceiling applies to your total plug-in generation, so two 600VA units would breach it. If you want more than one inverter's worth of solar, that is a wired installation with a G99 application.

Will it work in winter or on cloudy days?

Yes, at reduced output. Solar panels respond to daylight rather than direct sun. Output in December is a fraction of June, which is why an oversized panel behind a smaller inverter is a sensible pairing in this climate.

Do I get paid for what I do not use?

No. Plug-in systems are for self-consumption. Anything you do not use at the time is not metered for export payment, so the value comes from running the system when you are actually at home using electricity.

Figures for savings and household consumption are the UK government's published estimates from the 26 August 2026 announcement. Actual output depends on orientation, shading, weather and how much electricity you use during daylight. Always check the current rules and your own permissions before buying.