Overview
- Governor Mikie Sherrill signed the Garden State Balcony Solar Act on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, allowing portable plug‑in solar systems with combined output up to 1,200 watts to be used in homes and apartments.
- Qualifying systems are exempt from utility interconnection applications, extra fees, and local blanket bans, but they are also excluded from net‑metering credits so savings come from on‑site use rather than grid payments.
- The law requires safety and code compliance for larger systems, mandating National Electrical Code and State Uniform Construction Code adherence plus listing or certification under UL 3700 or an equivalent standard, while devices of 400 watts or less get limited exemptions.
- Tenants must give at least 14 days' written notice and provide documentation that a unit meets the law’s requirements, and landlords and HOAs may set reasonable size and placement rules but cannot impose blanket bans.
- The measure takes effect March 1, 2027, giving the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities time to issue implementation guidance, and places New Jersey among nine states simplifying rules for plug‑in solar as utilities press for clear safety standards.