Colorado Plug-In Solar Law (HB 26-1007): The 1,920W Limit Explained

Colorado arrived at plug-in solar a year after Utah, and used the delay to write a bolder law. Where most states settled on 1,200 watts, Colorado lets a household connect up to 1,920 W. The bill also tackles the biggest practical obstacle for apartment dwellers: the landlord who simply says no.

What counts as a portable solar device

The law covers “portable-scale solar generation devices”: panels with an inverter that connect to a standard wall outlet. The 1,920 W figure is AC output. For a sense of scale, that is roughly four or five modern residential panels, more than most balconies can hold, so for many Coloradans the practical limit will be space, not the law.

Why did Colorado pick 1,920? It is 80% of a 20-amp, 120-volt circuit (2,400 W), the usual continuous-load margin in electrical codes. That only makes sense if the device is plugged into an outlet on a 20 A circuit with nothing heavy running on it. If your outdoor outlet is on a 15 A circuit, stay well below that. Read our explainer on wattage limits before buying a large kit.

Certification requirements

Devices must be listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as UL. According to the Colorado Division of Real Estate’s summary, devices of 391 W or less are exempt from electrical-contractor qualification and wiring-alteration requirements. The bill was signed on May 7, 2026, the session law took effect on August 12, 2026, and the PUC has until December 31, 2026 to adopt rules. In practice, look for a kit certified to UL 3700, the dedicated plug-in standard, or at minimum an inverter listed to UL 1741 with anti-islanding protection. During an outage, the device must not be able to energize the grid.

Utilities

Colorado utilities, including Xcel Energy, cannot require approval, an interconnection agreement or fees for a qualifying device. There is no statewide notification requirement. You will not receive net metering credit for power you export, so the value of the system comes from electricity you use at home while the sun is up.

The law also addresses meter socket adapters (sometimes called meter collars). These devices let a home add solar, batteries or an EV charger at the meter without rewiring the electrical panel. They are a separate product from plug-in kits and are installed by professionals, but the fact that the law mentions them shows where the market is heading.

Renters and HOAs

This is the part that makes Colorado stand out. From January 1, 2027:

• Landlords cannot prohibit a tenant from installing a qualifying device.
• Tenants must notify the landlord before installing.
• Landlords may set reasonable guidelines to prevent fire and electrical overload, for example requiring a certified product, a secure mount or a specific outlet.
• HOAs likewise cannot block properly secured installations.

Until that date, your lease or HOA rules still apply in full. If you rent, it is worth reading how to ask your landlord, because a cooperative conversation now saves trouble later.

What will you save in Colorado?

Colorado is sunny. Our PVGIS runs for Denver put a tilted, unshaded 800 W kit at about 1,300 kWh a year, and the same kit vertical on a south-facing railing at about 890 kWh. Colorado’s residential electricity prices are a little below the national average, roughly 17 cents per kWh in mid-2026, so a typical 800 W setup might save around $115-165 a year. A larger 1,600 W system can roughly double that, provided you use the power during the day. Plug your own numbers into the savings calculator.

Our PVGIS runs with NSRDB satellite data (2005-2015 average), 14% system losses, no shade. Savings assume 75% of the output is used at home at the state’s June 2026 average residential price (EIA): about 17.1 cents per kWh. Method and all 30 cities: plug-in solar in 30 US cities.

Should you go big because the law allows it?

Not automatically. Because exports earn nothing, a 1,920 W system only pays off if your home actually uses that much power at midday. For a typical apartment with a fridge, router and a few devices, baseload might be 150-300 W. A bigger array would send most of its peak output to the grid for free. Two cases where a larger system makes sense:

1. You work from home and run air conditioning or other daytime loads in summer.
2. You add a battery that stores the midday surplus for the evening.

Checklist for Colorado

• Choose a kit whose inverter output fits both the law (≤1,920 W) and your circuit.
• Confirm the product’s listing (UL 3700 preferred).
• Plug into a GFCI-protected outdoor outlet; never use an extension cord.
• If you rent or belong to an HOA, send written notice and keep a copy.

Summary for general information, not legal advice. Check the enrolled text of HB 26-1007 and your utility’s guidance for current details.

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