Plug-in solar in New Jersey
New Jersey's Garden State Balcony Solar Act (S2368/A4836) was signed on September 1, 2026 and takes effect March 1, 2027. It allows a portable solar generation device up to 1,200 W through a standard 120-volt outlet, with no installation permit and no utility approval.
When does New Jersey's law take effect?
The Garden State Balcony Solar Act was signed on September 1, 2026 (P.L.2026 c.82) and takes effect March 1, 2027, six months after enactment, to give the Board of Public Utilities time to implement it.
Do you need a permit or utility approval?
No. A qualifying device needs no installation permit and no prior utility approval, and it is exempt from interconnection, metering and net-metering requirements. Utilities may not charge a fee for it or require additional equipment beyond what is built into the device.
What if you rent or live under an HOA?
New Jersey's law addresses this directly: a landlord or community association may not broadly prohibit a portable solar generation device, though reasonable restrictions on its size and placement are allowed. A municipality may not prohibit the device or require a permit for it.
What certification does New Jersey require?
The device must be certified by Underwriters Laboratories or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory. The act uses UL or NRTL wording; it does not name UL 3700.
How New Jersey differs
New Jersey uses the 1,200 W route like several other states, but it is unusually explicit about property: landlords, community associations and municipalities may not broadly ban a qualifying device. Its consumer route takes effect March 1, 2027.
Compare plug-in solar rules by stateS 2368 / A 4836. Last checked September 1, 2026.
Also check landlord or HOA rules, local code, utility requirements outside this statute, and product instructions where relevant.