New York Plug-In Solar Laws
By Daniel Okafor · Last reviewed In short: New York has not yet enacted the SUNNY Act. S8512C/A9111C passed both chambers on May 28, 2026, but the official record does not show delivery to the governor or a signature. Its proposed 1,200 W AC exemption is therefore not available today. Use the current utility and electrical route while tracking the official bill record.
Current status
Passed both chambers—not signed
The Legislature has finished voting, but the proposal is not law. Track delivery and governor action, then wait for any stated effective date before relying on the new route.
Key facts
- Status: passed both chambers on May 28, 2026; not signed
- Proposed limit: no more than 1,200 W aggregate continuous AC inverter output
- Proposed start: the 90th day after the bill becomes law
- Utility step if enacted: owner notification within 30 days after installation
- Export if enacted: uncompensated unless the customer enters a voluntary agreement
- Product evidence: complete plug-in PV system listed or certified by an accredited NRTL to a standard
Check your location
Framework status and exact product eligibility are separate checks.
What this means today
The final C version cleared the Assembly and Senate on May 28, 2026. The same official status graph leaves the delivery-to-governor and signed stages incomplete. Both chambers have finished voting, but that does not activate the proposed exemption. Until the bill becomes law and reaches its effective date, customers must use the rules that apply today.
The New York Department of Public Service describes its Standardized Interconnection Requirements as the process for new distributed generators and energy storage systems up to 5 MW that operate in parallel with utility distribution systems. That is not a socket-specific exemption. Ask the serving utility and local authority how they classify the exact grid-parallel plug-in configuration before connecting it.
What applies today versus what the SUNNY Act proposes
| Question | What applies today | What S8512C/A9111C proposes |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | No enacted statewide plug-in-specific exemption appears in the reviewed official record. | A narrow exemption would apply only after enactment and the effective date. |
| Output threshold | No statewide plug-in-specific 1,200 W exemption is in force. | No more than 1,200 W maximum aggregate continuous AC inverter nameplate output to the grid. |
| Utility process | Use the current utility and electrical process for the exact grid-parallel system. | A qualifying device would avoid interconnection and net-metering requirements unless the owner opts in. |
| Utility notice | Ask the serving utility what application, notice, meter and export steps apply now. | The owner would notify the utility within 30 days after installation using a limited information form. |
| Product evidence | Current product, electrical and utility requirements remain controlling. | The complete plug-in PV system would need an accredited NRTL listing or certification to a standard, plus outage protection and code-compliant installation. |
| Export value | Confirm meter and tariff treatment before assigning value to surplus. | Export would be uncompensated unless the customer voluntarily enters a net-metering or other compensation agreement. |
| Property and local rules | Landlord, HOA, mounting, building, fire and local checks remain separate. | The bill changes utility and code provisions; it does not grant blanket permission to alter rented, shared or locally regulated property. |
What S8512C / A9111C says
The final C text defines a portable solar generation device as a photovoltaic system and associated equipment designed for a standard electrical outlet. It caps maximum aggregate continuous AC inverter nameplate output supplied to the grid at 1,200 W. The complete plug-in photovoltaic system would need to be listed or certified by an accredited nationally recognized testing laboratory to a standard, installed under the New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code and manufacturer instructions, and equipped to prevent injurious energization during an outage or maintenance interruption.
Read the official bill record ↗
SUNNY Act timeline
| Date | Official event | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2025 | S8512 introduced | The Senate proposal entered the legislative process; no exemption was created. |
| April 21, 2026 | Senate passed an earlier version | The measure moved to the Assembly and remained subject to amendment. |
| May 8, 2026 | A9111C printed | The Assembly published the C version that became the final matched text. |
| May 28, 2026 | Final C version passed both chambers | The Legislature completed passage, but the bill did not become law on that vote. |
| Next official step | Delivery and governor action | The official status must show the next action before any signature or veto conclusion is made. |
| If signed | 90-day wait to effectiveness | The proposed exemption would begin on the 90th day after the bill becomes law. |
Why passed does not mean effective
New York's bill has cleared both legislative chambers, which makes it more advanced than an introduced proposal. It is still not an enacted or effective plug-in solar framework. The official bill graph does not mark delivery to the governor or signature, and section 5 starts a 90-day clock only after the measure becomes law.
For buyers, the distinction is practical. The 1,200 W ceiling, notification form and utility exemptions describe a possible future route. They do not authorize a connection under that route today. A seller's reference to legislative passage cannot replace the serving utility's current answer for an exact system and address.
What the complete-system evidence would need to prove
S8512C does not name UL 3700. It requires the complete plug-in photovoltaic system to be listed or certified by an accredited nationally recognized testing laboratory to a standard. This is a system-level condition. An inverter listing, panel certification or badge on one component does not by itself establish that the assembled kit meets it.
The bill also requires an outage mechanism or feature that prevents the system from injuriously energizing premises wiring or the local grid. Output must be checked at the whole-system level. The 1,200 W figure is maximum aggregate continuous AC inverter nameplate output supplied to the grid, not the sum of panel DC nameplate ratings.
- Match the exact complete-system model and configuration to the laboratory record.
- Record aggregate continuous inverter AC output separately from panel DC wattage.
- Verify the outage protection, plug, cable, circuit method and installation instructions.
- Recheck the enacted text if the bill changes before governor action.
How utility notice and export would work
Under the proposed route, a qualifying owner could choose not to enter an interconnection or net-metering agreement. The electric corporation could not require prior approval, a device-related fee or extra controls beyond those integrated into the device. The owner would still notify the serving utility within 30 days after installation with contact details, service address and account number, device make and model, and rated size.
The exemption would not create automatic export compensation. S8512C says exported energy is uncompensated unless the customer voluntarily enters a net-metering or other compensation agreement. Savings should therefore start with verified daytime self-consumption, not an assumed credit for every kilowatt-hour generated.
What the bill would not approve for you
The bill directs the State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code to be optimized for portable solar devices when a new code is adopted after the provision takes effect. It also requires installation under the state code and manufacturer instructions. Those clauses are not a universal building permit, structural approval or instruction to use any outlet.
The operative text does not grant landlord or HOA consent. Renters and residents using shared balconies, facades, roofs or railings still need a decision for the exact mount, cable route and equipment location. Local code enforcement, fire access, structural capacity and the condition of the branch circuit remain separate questions.
Your serving utility still matters
S8512C/A9111C passed both chambers on May 28, 2026, but the official record does not show delivery to the governor or signature. The proposed exemption is not current law; use the serving utility's existing process for the exact grid-parallel system.
Pre-purchase checklist
- 1Open the official S8512C/A9111C record and confirm whether delivery, governor action or a new version has appeared.
- 2Do not use the proposed exemption before an enacted law reaches its effective date.
- 3Identify the serving utility and request its current process for the exact grid-parallel plug-in system.
- 4Record aggregate continuous inverter AC output separately from panel DC nameplate watts.
- 5Verify accredited NRTL evidence for the exact complete system, not only one component.
- 6Confirm outage protection, receptacle, branch circuit, plug, cable and installation instructions with qualified help when needed.
- 7Obtain written landlord, HOA or other property approval for the exact mount and cable route.
- 8Check local building, fire, structural and electrical requirements for the site.
- 9Model savings from self-consumption unless the serving utility confirms an export-compensation agreement.
Primary sources
Frequently asked questions
Is plug-in solar legal in New York right now?
New York has no enacted statewide plug-in-specific exemption in the reviewed official sources. S8512C/A9111C passed both chambers but is not shown as signed. That does not prove every configuration is prohibited. It means the proposed exemption is unavailable and the current utility, electrical, property and local requirements must be checked before connection.
Did the New York SUNNY Act pass?
The final C version passed the Assembly and Senate on May 28, 2026. The official status graph does not mark delivery to the governor or signature. Legislative passage is therefore accurate, but calling the proposal an effective law is not. Check the official bill record for the next update.
When would the New York SUNNY Act take effect?
Section 5 of S8512C says the act would take effect on the 90th day after it becomes law. No effective date can be calculated until the bill is signed or otherwise enacted. A 90-day period would follow enactment; it does not run from the May 28 legislative vote.
Is the proposed 1,200 W limit based on panel wattage?
No. The C text uses maximum aggregate continuous AC inverter nameplate output supplied to the utility grid. Panel DC nameplate capacity is a different measurement and may be higher. Add the qualifying AC output across the full device configuration rather than treating one panel label as the statutory value.
Would New York require UL 3700 certification?
S8512C does not name UL 3700. It requires an accredited nationally recognized testing laboratory to list or certify the complete plug-in photovoltaic system to a standard. Verify the exact complete-system record and the final enacted wording. A UL 1741 inverter listing alone would not establish every condition in this proposed definition.
Would the utility need to approve a qualifying system?
If the C text became effective unchanged, the utility could not require prior approval for a qualifying device. The owner would notify the utility within 30 days after installation using a limited form. These proposed rules do not apply today, and a voluntary interconnection or compensation agreement would create a different route.
Would exported plug-in solar energy be paid in New York?
Not automatically under the proposed exemption. S8512C says export would be uncompensated unless the customer voluntarily enters a net-metering or other compensation agreement. Ask the serving utility how the meter records surplus and what agreement is available before assigning export value in a savings estimate.