In this guide
Short answer: not under a specific law. As of October 22, 2026, Texas has no plug-in solar law and no bill has been filed. A kit that feeds your home's wiring needs your utility's interconnection approval, like any other solar system. The next chance for a law is the legislative session that starts in January 2027.
- Status
- No law, no bill filed
- Next session
- 90th Legislature, from January 2027
- What applies today
- Utility interconnection rules
- HOA rule
- Property Code § 202.010 limits solar bans
- Average price
- About 15.9¢/kWh (July 2026)
Why Texas is behind
The Texas Legislature holds regular sessions only in odd-numbered years, so the 2026 wave of plug-in laws in other states passed while Texas lawmakers weren't meeting. Texas also has an unusual market: in most of the state, your wires company (Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas or TNMP) is separate from the retail provider that bills you, and ERCOT runs the grid. A plug-in law would need to fit that structure. Bills for the 2027 session can be prefiled from November 2026; we'll add any plug-in bill to the state map.
What applies today
A grid-tied plug-in kit is a small generator connected to the grid through your outlet. Without a law that exempts it, it falls under your utility's distributed generation rules: an application, approval before you switch it on, and usually a UL 1741-listed inverter. Some utilities may approve a very small system; many won't have a process for an outlet-connected device. Read do you need to tell your utility?
Connecting an unapproved grid-tied kit may break your utility's or retail provider's terms, your lease and possibly your insurance terms. It also earns nothing for exported power.
Texas HOAs and solar
Texas Property Code section 202.010 generally stops property owners' associations from prohibiting solar energy devices, with exceptions (for example, on common areas or where a device would break the law), and allows reasonable placement rules. It was designed for rooftop panels on homes you own. Whether it covers a removable balcony kit in a condo isn't settled. See balcony solar and HOA rules.
Good options right now
- A solar generator for outages and storms. A portable power station with a folding panel doesn't touch your home's wiring and keeps a fridge or medical device running. See plug-in solar vs a power station and does balcony solar work in an outage?
- A shopping plan if you own your home: Texas has strong rooftop economics in some areas, and a buyback plan from your retail provider.
- Plan your spot so you're ready if a law passes in 2027.
What a kit could save in Texas
Texas has excellent sun but moderate prices, about 15.9 cents per kWh on average in July 2026 (EIA). Air-conditioning loads on summer afternoons mean most of a kit's output would be used at home.
| Setup | Produced per year | Saved per year |
|---|---|---|
| 400 W kit, vertical on a south railing, some shade | ~380 kWh | ~$57 |
| 800 W kit, vertical on a south railing, some shade | ~760 kWh | ~$96 |
| 800 W kit, tilted south, no shade | ~1,200 kWh | ~$152 |
| 1,200 W kit, tilted south, no shade | ~1,800 kWh | ~$186 |
Estimates assume you use 80% of the output (95% for 400 W, 65% for 1,200 W) at 15.9¢/kWh. Your retail plan's price may be very different; enter it in the calculator, preset for Texas.
Frequently asked questions
Is balcony solar legal in Texas?
Texas has no law that specifically allows plug-in solar. A solar device that feeds your home's wiring is treated like any other distributed generation and goes through your utility's interconnection process. No plug-in bill has been filed; the next regular legislative session starts in January 2027.
Can I just plug a solar panel into an outlet in Texas?
Not without approval from your utility (Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, TNMP, or your co-op or city utility). Doing it anyway may break your service terms and affect your insurance. Off-grid setups, like a panel charging a portable power station, don't need approval.
Can my Texas HOA ban solar panels?
Texas Property Code section 202.010 generally stops property owners' associations from banning solar energy devices on property you own, with exceptions, and lets them set reasonable rules on placement. It was written for rooftop systems; how it applies to balcony kits in condos isn't settled.
Will a Texas retail electricity provider pay me for exported power?
Some retail providers offer solar buyback plans, but they require an approved interconnection. A plug-in kit without approval earns nothing for exports.
Update log
- Page published. Status: no law, no bill filed.
Sources and official texts
- Bright Saver: Is plug-in solar legal in Texas?
- Texas Constitution and Statutes: Property Code chapter 202, § 202.010 (solar energy devices)
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: Barriers to balcony solar and plug-in distributed energy resources in the US
- U.S. EIA: Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (July 2026 prices)