Plug-in Solar UK 2026: Rules for Retailers and Installers

Since 27 August 2026, a plug-in solar device can legally be connected to a standard 13 A socket in Great Britain, provided the complete product complies with the government's Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification (IPS), version 2. The route covers solar PV only: panels plus a microinverter, up to 800 VA output. Products with a battery are outside it. For sellers, the key check is that the exact kit model shows as compliant on the ENA Type Test Register before it goes on sale.

What changed and when

Until this year, BS 1363 (the 13 A plug standard) prohibited using a plug to connect a generating device to a socket-outlet, so such plugs could not be approved under the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994.

Statutory Instrument SI 2026/848 changed this. It was made on 16 July 2026 and came into force on 27 August 2026. It does two things:

It amends the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994, so that a notified body can approve a standard plug intended for a "plug-in microgenerator", provided the plug conforms to BS 1363 apart from the generator restriction and complies with the IPS.
It amends the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 (ESQCR), so that a plug-in microgenerator must comply with the IPS.

The law defines a plug-in microgenerator as a source of energy that generates electricity directly from sunlight, has a maximum rated AC output not exceeding 800 W, is intended for connection through a standard plug and socket, operates in parallel with the network, and is not designed to import energy from the home in order to store it.

On the network side, Ofgem approved an amendment to Engineering Recommendation G98 on 11 August 2026. It defines plug-in micro-generators, limits them to one per customer installation, drops installer-only requirements and introduces a simplified customer notification. It took effect with SI 2026/848.

Geography: the ESQCR amendment extends to England, Wales and Scotland. The IPS says its application to Northern Ireland, where G98/NI applies, is still under consideration.

Note: BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 (Amendment 4) was published on 15 April 2026, and the previous edition is withdrawn on 15 October 2026. The IPS refers to it as the installation standard. However, the plug-in route itself comes from SI 2026/848 and the IPS, not from Amendment 4.

What counts as a compliant plug-in solar product

The IPS sets the technical limits. The main ones for sales and product teams are:

Requirement	IPS v2
Technology	Solar PV only, single-phase, grid-following inverter
AC output	Max 800 VA apparent power and max 3.5 A
PV module power	Total max 2,000 W (module Pmax)
Number of modules	Up to four per inverter, no more than two in series
Connection	Manufacturer-supplied lead with a BS 1363 plug
Number per home	One per household under current G98 (IPS allows one per final circuit)
Batteries	Out of scope

Further points:

It must be a complete kit. The IPS defines the device as at least one PV module, the inverter, a factory-assembled connection lead with the plug fitted by the manufacturer, the DC cables and connectors, and a mounting system. The company placing the complete product on the market is responsible for it as a whole. A kit put together from separately bought panels and microinverters is not covered by this route.
Registration comes before sale. Manufacturers must type test the device to G98, register it on the ENA Type Test Register (ENA Connect Direct platform) and get confirmation that it has been assessed as compliant before placing it on the market. Submitting an application does not count as compliance.
No adaptors. Multi-way adaptors, travel adaptors, RCD adaptors and plug converters are not permitted, and the plug must carry a warning against extension cables, multi-way adaptors and RCD adaptors.
Labelling and paperwork. The product must state that it complies with the IPS, carry the one-device-per-circuit warning and a statement that DNO notification is mandatory, and come with a label for the consumer unit. Instructions must be in English. Components must be marked as required by the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, which in practice means UKCA or CE marking. Manufacturers must keep a technical file for at least 10 years.
Larger arrays. If the total module power is above 960 W, the manufacturer must advise customers to consider a professional assessment of their installation first.
Mounting restrictions. Installation is not permitted on ACM, MCM, HPL or timber cladding, on timber balconies, or on buildings undergoing external wall remediation. Fixing with cable ties, rope, straps or tape alone is not allowed.

Batteries: why they are not plug-in (yet)

The SI definition excludes devices designed to import energy for storage, and the IPS lists plug-in battery systems and "plug-in solar PV devices integrated with battery systems" as outside its scope. The IPS also requires instructions to warn that the device is not intended to be used with a battery energy storage system.

Ofgem's decision is direct: the amended G98 mentions plug-in electricity storage in anticipation of future rules, but such devices "will therefore remain prohibited from being sold, supplied, or used in the UK" for now.

In practice:

Do not market battery-integrated "balcony" systems as plug-in or socket-connected products in the UK.
Home batteries remain a fixed-wiring job: designed and installed by a competent installer under BS 7671 (Amendment 4 adds a chapter on stationary secondary batteries) and notified to the DNO under the normal G98 or G99 process. They should be treated as a separate system, not added onto a plug-in kit.

What retailers must check before listing a kit

The IPS does not require third-party certification, so the checks fall to the supply chain. Before listing a kit, ask the supplier for:

The ENA Type Test Register entry for the exact kit model you will sell, showing it as compliant, not "submitted" or "under review".
The declaration of compliance with the IPS v2.
Confirmation that the kit is complete: modules, microinverter, AC lead with the factory-fitted BS 1363 plug, DC cables and connectors, mounting system, consumer unit label and English instructions.
Ratings on the product label: no more than 800 VA and 3.5 A output, and total module power no more than 2,000 W.
Plug markings and the warning against extension leads, multi-way adaptors and RCD adaptors.
UKCA or CE marking on the components, and the manufacturer's name and address on the product.
Customer instructions covering DNO notification, circuit identification, RCD/RCBO checks, permitted mounting and the prohibited surfaces.
No battery included, bundled or advertised as part of the plug-in product.

If a supplier offers extra panels, spare inverters or other mounting, check that the combination you sell is the registered one.

What installers and customers still have to do

The new route lets ordinary householders install the device themselves, but some duties remain:

Notify the DNO. The amended G98 requires the customer to notify the distribution network operator when a plug-in micro-generator is installed or removed. Current guidance (for example from the London Fire Brigade) says this should be done within 28 days of installation. Ofgem notes that ENA is building a simpler consumer notification process on its Connect Direct platform. Check your DNO's current process.
Check the circuit. One device per household under current G98, plugged into a socket circuit, not a lighting or fixed-equipment circuit. The IPS advises that the installation should have modern residual current protection (RCBOs). Homes with old fuse boards, or where circuits are not clearly labelled, should be inspected by an electrician first.
Get permissions. Tenants and leaseholders may need consent from the landlord, freeholder or managing agent, particularly for balcony and façade mounting. Insurance should also be checked.
Electrician work. Any change to the final circuit, such as replacing a protective device, is work for a qualified electrician under BS 7671.

Installers can offer pre-installation checks of consumer units, and fixed-wired PV and battery systems where a plug-in kit is too small or storage is wanted.

What is still open

A permanent standard. Work is to begin on longer-term standards to replace the IPS. No date has been given.
One per household. The IPS would allow one per final circuit; G98 currently allows one per home.
Batteries. No plug-in route yet; Ofgem expects storage may be considered after further safety work.
RCD testing. DESNZ is still testing whether installations with MCBs and a shared upstream RCD are acceptable, and the 5 mA DC residual current limit will be reviewed once results are available.
The 2,000 W cap. Kept under review.
Northern Ireland. Application of the IPS is still under consideration.

How VaySunic can help

VaySunic designs and manufactures microinverters at its R&D and manufacturing centre in Wuxi and supplies complete plug-in solar kits, with headquarters in Germany. For UK partners we offer complete plug-in solar kits, SolarCore microinverters such as the P2, and on-grid systems with batteries for the fixed-wiring route through installers. Remember that on the plug-in route the kit, not the microinverter, is what gets registered, so a microinverter sold on its own is not a plug-in product. For any kit you plan to sell on the plug-in route, ask us for the ENA Type Test Register entry for that exact model, and contact us for its current UK status. Distributors can see our distributor programme for terms and support.