Plug-in solar in Virginia
Electric utilities; small portable solar generation devices
Current status Enacted
Primary source Checked28 Aug 2026
- Bill / statute
- HB 395 (2026 Regular Session), Chapter 1052; companion SB 250, Chapter 998
- Signed
- 22 Apr 2026
- Effective
- 1 Jan 2027
- Max output per the bill
- 1,200 W
Checked 28 Aug 2026
Status reflects the text of the bill or statute linked in each row as published by the state legislature, checked on 28 Aug 2026. We summarize what the text says; we do not assess whether a system may be used in your home. Laws change and utilities apply their own rules. Read the linked source and check with your utility before buying or connecting anything.
Certification the bill requires
'Certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, as described in 29 C.F.R. § 1910.7, or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory' and meets the most recent NEC. Devices with output to the receptacle of 391 W or less are exempt from product-listing provisions. UL 3700 is not named.
Notification
Required. Code text: the customer 'shall notify the electric service provider by submitting the form established by the Commission, online or by mail, prior to the installation'; the provider has 15 days to review the form; the provider may not require approval or fees; device exempt from interconnection requirements.
Details recorded on the source check
Wattage, certification, notification and 2027-01-01 effective date confirmed from Code of Virginia § 56-596.8 (heading '(Effective January 1, 2027)'; history '2026, cc. 998, 1052'). Limit is 1,200 W per customer or per residential unit in multi-family housing; device must include a feature preventing export during an outage. The SCC must publish the notification form by 2026-09-01. Signed date is from LegiScan (lis.virginia.gov bill page is a JS app). Enrolled text: https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1209016.PDF