Is balcony (plug-in) solar legal in Maine?
State law: yes. LD 1730 (2026) covers plug-in (balcony) solar in Maine, in force since Jul 29, 2026. Limits and conditions are below.
Maine law
LegalState law: plug-in solar is legal here.
- In force since
- Jul 29, 2026
- Size cap
- 1,200 W (combined inverter output (AC) per service address; above 420 W: installed by a licensed electrician on a dedicated circuit with a single outlet)
- Law
- LD 1730 (2026)
- Certification
- Listed or certified to UL 3700, or to a comparable standard by an NRTL; or configured to the National Electrical Code as adopted in Maine
- Landlord
- No landlord-permission rule. If you install on a structure you don't own, you must not compromise it or break building, fire or zoning codes, and must restore it on removal (35-A M.R.S. § 3475(8)). Renting? Landlord and HOA rules by state →
- HOA
- Statute is silent.
- Tell your utility?
- No approval, interconnection application, fee or extra equipment (§ 3475(6)). Over 420 W: notify the utility within 30 days on the PUC form; the utility can't deny a compliant system.
- Export credit
- Not eligible for net energy billing (§ 3475(4)).
More about plug-in solar in Maine
How big a plug-in solar kit is allowed in Maine?
State law: up to 1,200 W (combined inverter output (AC) per service address; above 420 W: installed by a licensed electrician on a dedicated circuit with a single outlet).
What certification does a kit need in Maine?
State law: Listed or certified to UL 3700, or to a comparable standard by an NRTL; or configured to the National Electrical Code as adopted in Maine. How to check a kit →
Do I need to tell my utility in Maine?
State law: No approval, interconnection application, fee or extra equipment (§ 3475(6)). Over 420 W: notify the utility within 30 days on the PUC form; the utility can't deny a compliant system.
Can a landlord or HOA stop plug-in solar in Maine?
State law. Landlords: No landlord-permission rule. If you install on a structure you don't own, you must not compromise it or break building, fire or zoning codes, and must restore it on removal (35-A M.R.S. § 3475(8)). HOAs: Statute is silent.
Do I get paid for power a plug-in kit sends to the grid in Maine?
State law: Not eligible for net energy billing (§ 3475(4)).
How much would a plug-in solar kit save in Maine?
It depends on which way the panels face, their tilt, how much of the power your home uses as it is made, and your utility's rate. The average residential electricity price in Maine was 29.3¢/kWh (our 12-month average of EIA data, Aug 2025–Jul 2026). The calculator on canipluginsolar.com models it hour by hour for your address.
Before you buy a kit in Maine
Neighboring states
Maine borders only one state. Nearest others in its Census division (New England): Massachusetts (bill moving), Vermont (in force).
Planning a kit in Maine? Get your step-by-step checklist, from the law's own wording.
Renting in Maine? Write a letter to your landlord, matched to Maine's rules.
Guides: Renting? What each state's plug-in solar law says about landlords and HOAs
A federal bill (H.R. 10851) would also require every state to consider plug-in rules; Maine already has its own law. H.R. 10851 on congress.gov.