Colorado Plug-In Solar Law: HB 26-1007 Explained

Colorado signed HB 26-1007 into law on May 7, 2026, making it the fourth US state to legalize plug-in solar. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, which is later than most other enacted states, but it sets the highest watt cap of any plug-in solar law in the country at 1,920W.

That cap matters. Where most states top out at 1,200W, Colorado’s 1,920W limit allows a four-panel setup that can cover a substantially larger share of a household’s electricity use. For a renters or homeowners who wants to go as large as legally possible without a full rooftop install, Colorado is currently the most permissive state.

Here is what the law does, what it requires, and what you can expect to save.

See Colorado's current plug-in solar law details, effective date, and estimated annual savings for 800W and 1,920W systems at Colorado's rates.

Colorado solar law details →

What HB 26-1007 does

The law creates a new legal category for plug-in solar devices in Colorado. The key provisions:

1,920W watt cap. Systems up to 1,920W of AC output can connect to a standard outlet without utility interconnection approval. This is 60% higher than Utah’s, Maine’s, Virginia’s, Maryland’s, Connecticut’s, and New Hampshire’s 1,200W limits.

No utility pre-approval. Colorado utilities cannot require pre-installation approval or charge an interconnection fee for qualifying systems. The homeowner or renter notifies the utility; the utility cannot block the install.

No landlord prohibition. Landlords cannot ban qualifying plug-in solar systems in rental properties. The law includes the same renter protection structure as other enacted states.

HOA restrictions limited. HOAs cannot prohibit qualifying systems, though they can impose reasonable restrictions on placement.

Effective date: January 1, 2027. This is the one catch. If you want to install in Colorado before that date, you are operating under the previous rules: standard utility interconnection requirements, and landlord permission is legally required.

What the 1,920W cap actually enables

Most US plug-in solar kits on the market in 2026 are sized for 800–1,200W. The 1,920W limit in Colorado’s law is a statement about where the market is going, not just where it is.

At 1,920W of panels, a south-facing Colorado system with the state’s excellent solar resource (5.8 peak sun hours per day, among the highest in the country) produces:

1,920W x 5.8h x 0.85 (efficiency) = 9.47 kWh/day

At 70% self-consumption: 6.63 kWh/day displaces grid power. At Colorado’s average rate of 14.8¢/kWh: $0.98/day, or $358/year.

Compare that to an 800W system in Colorado: roughly $150/year. The larger system roughly doubles savings and narrows the payback period relative to kit cost, because you are getting more output from the same installation labor and mounting hardware.

Colorado’s high solar irradiance and rapidly rising electricity rates (rates in the Denver metro area have increased roughly 25% since 2021) make larger systems increasingly attractive.

What a standard 800W system saves in Colorado

For renters who are working with a single balcony rail and a standard two-panel kit:

800W x 5.8h x 0.85 = 3.95 kWh/day production At 70% self-consumption: 2.77 kWh/day At 14.8¢/kWh: $0.41/day, $150/year

A $900 kit paying back in six years is not the strongest economics of the enacted states. Colorado’s 14.8¢/kWh rate is relatively low. That changes once time-of-use pricing comes into the equation. Xcel Energy in the Denver metro area has TOU rates with peak charges running 25–30¢/kWh in the late afternoon. On a TOU plan, afternoon solar production is worth nearly double the flat-rate calculation.

The balcony solar calculator lets you set Colorado as your state and shows savings estimates at the statewide average rate. For Xcel Energy TOU customers, the actual savings can run 30–50% higher.

What changes on January 1, 2027

Before the effective date, HB 26-1007 does not apply. Standard Colorado rules require utility notification and potentially an interconnection agreement for any system that connects to household wiring. Most utilities in Colorado have not actively enforced this against small plug-in systems, but you do not have a statutory right to install.

From January 1, 2027:

Systems up to 1,920W: notify your utility and landlord, then install
Utilities: cannot block or charge a fee
Landlords: cannot prohibit
HOAs: cannot prohibit (reasonable placement restrictions allowed)

If you want to install before January 1, the practical approach is to notify your utility and landlord in writing, explain the system size and UL certification, and ask for written acknowledgment. Most utilities have not been penalizing small installations.

What equipment qualifies

Colorado’s law requires that qualifying systems use a microinverter or other conversion equipment that meets applicable UL standards. For current practical purposes, that means a UL 1741 SB-listed microinverter.

The APsystems EZ1-LV (960W AC) and Hoymiles MI-800 are the most commonly cited US-market microinverters that meet this spec. For a 1,920W system, you would typically pair multiple panels with one or two inverters rated for the combined input.

The plug-in solar readiness checker includes Colorado in its state-law assessment and will flag the January 2027 effective date in your results.

Colorado in context

Among the seven enacted states, Colorado sits in the middle on rate economics (14.8¢/kWh) but at the top for system size (1,920W) and solar resource (5.8 peak sun hours). Renters who want the largest legally permissible system and are willing to wait until January 2027 are in a better position than renters in most other states.

For Colorado homeowners, the 1,920W limit also opens up a larger plug-in-as-supplement strategy: using a plug-in system to add capacity beyond an existing rooftop install without a new interconnection agreement.

Check your Colorado readiness and see how your specific balcony or yard setup compares to the 1,920W cap.

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