Balcony Solar in California
California's SB 868, the 'Plug And Play Solar Act,' would allow up to 1,200 W AC of plug-in solar per dwelling. It passed the Senate 35-1 and is moving through the Assembly; if signed, it would take effect January 1, 2027.
Reviewed August 6, 2026 against primary sources. Laws change — the sources below let you re-check.
Would California's bill require UL 3700?
No — the bill does not name UL 3700.
certified as a plug-in photovoltaic system by Underwriters Laboratories or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory … Meet the standards of the most recent version of the National Electrical Code and the California Electrical Code.
Names UL or an equivalent NRTL plus the NEC and California Electrical Code — but not UL 3700. It also requires a separately certified feature that isolates the device during an outage.
Why this matters: “certified by UL” names an organization; “certified to UL 3700” names a plug-in-PV standard. They are not the same claim. Full explainer →
What the law does
- Requires a UL/NRTL-certified feature that isolates the device from the building's wiring to prevent backfeed during an outage (anti-islanding).
- Devices would be exempt from all interconnection requirements; no utility fees.
What's still unsettled
- Passed the Senate 35-1 (May 2026); moving through the Assembly (Appropriations). Not yet law.
Before you buy in California
This bill is not law yet — until it passes and takes effect, California's existing utility and electrical rules apply. Even once it passes, the gear has to actually be certified to what the law asks, and today no plug-in kit sold in the US carries UL 3700 yet. What "UL 3700 certified" really means →