Approved Plug-In Solar Kits UK: The Certification Tracker

From 27 August 2026, plug-in solar becomes legal in the UK — but only for kits that have actually been verified against the government's final product specification. This page tracks which plug-in solar kits have cleared that bar, so you can check before you buy. We update it as products are certified and as the named retailers announce launches.

What “Approved” Actually Means

Under the rules that take effect on 27 August 2026, a compliant plug-in solar kit must tick every one of these boxes:

• Built to the final Interim Product Specification (version 2) — the technical rulebook DESNZ published on 16 July 2026, covering everything from the 800W-class output cap to fire performance and cable design. Our legalisation coverage explains what changed in the final version.
• Verified on the ENA Type Test Register. The device must be type-tested to Engineering Recommendation G98 and — crucially — assessed and identified as compliant on the register. The specification is explicit that registration alone is not enough.
• Carrying a compliance declaration. Every kit must declare on the product that it complies with the specification, with labelling and a QR code linking to the registration process.
• A UK plug, factory-fitted. A non-rewireable moulded BS 1363 plug with a fuse of no more than 5A and partially insulated pins — not a Schuko plug with an adapter.
• No battery. The specification covers solar panels plus a grid-following microinverter only. Battery-integrated kits cannot use the plug-in route at all.

Anything that fails one of those tests is not a compliant plug-in solar device, whatever the listing says. The wiring side rests on BS 7671 Amendment 4 (BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, published 15 April 2026), which the specification requires compliance with.

The Tracker: Certification Status by Brand

These are the brands most likely to reach UK certification first, based on what they already sell under Germany's equivalent standard. Status reflects the ENA register and manufacturer announcements at our last check.

When the first verified kits appear, we will list them here with model numbers, register dates and where to buy. In the meantime our best balcony solar kits guide covers the hardware itself.

How to Check the Register Yourself

The authoritative source is the ENA's Connect Direct Type Test Register — the industry database of grid-connection approved equipment. Search it and filter the technology type for plug-in solar. If a kit you are considering is not there, it has not demonstrated compliance, full stop. From 27 August, compliant products will also carry the specification declaration and a QR code on the label, which gives you a quick in-store check: no declaration, no purchase.

The 27 August Checklist: What You Can and Can't Do From Day One

If you are planning to buy in the first weeks after the rules go live, this is the practical version of the specification:

• You can plug one compliant kit into a normal wall socket on a standard socket circuit — one device per power circuit, and most homes have at least two.
• You canconnect up to 2,000W of solar panels to the kit's microinverter, which caps output at 800VA (3.5A).
• You can install it yourself as a renter or flat-dweller — no electrician required for a compliant kit, though landlord or freeholder permission is a separate question.
• You must still notify your distribution network operator under G98 — our G98 guide explains the process, and the kit's QR code will point you to it.
• You can't use an extension lead, multi-way adaptor, or a lighting or cooker circuit — wall socket only.
• You can't plug in a battery-integrated kit — no kit with battery storage qualifies under this route.
• You can't treat an unverified kit as compliant — if it is not on the register, the new legal route does not apply to it.
• You shouldn't assume old wiring is fine: homes with older fuse boards or legacy RCDs should get an electrician to check before connecting any generation device — see our electrical safety guide.

One scope note: the plug approval rules are UK-wide, but the electricity safety regulations being amended (ESQCR) apply in Great Britain. If you are in Northern Ireland, the position is not identical — check locally before buying.

Why There Are No Approved Kits Yet

The specification was only finalised on 16 July 2026, and the law is not yet in force. Manufacturers now have to complete type-testing against the final version, submit for register verification, fit UK plugs at the factory, and print compliant labelling — weeks of work even for brands whose hardware already meets Germany's rules. That is why the government's named retail partners — Amazon, Asda, B&Q, Currys, Lidl, Screwfix and Wickes — have not announced shelf dates. Expect the first verified kits in autumn 2026, arriving in time to cut winter energy bills if not the summer generation peak.

Until then, the only fully compliant way to get balcony solar generating is the existing one: an 800W-class system wired in by an electrician with a standard G98 notification. That route works today, for both rooftop solar alternatives and balcony-mounted panels, and nothing in the new rules invalidates it.

Frequently Asked Questions