Plug-in Solar WAThe independent guide to balcony solar in WA Not legal yet

Is plug-in solar legal in WA?

Not yet.

WA plans to let you plug a small solar kit into a normal power point, and it would be the first Australian state to do it. The draft rules came out on 28 October 2026. Here is what they say, what it could save you, and how long it may take.

See where it is up to Read the draft rules

Independent. The WA rules here come straight from the government's own documents, and every guide lists its sources.

A balcony solar kit waiting to be plugged in Two solar panels hang on an apartment balcony railing. Their cable runs to a plug that hangs just short of a wall power point. Not plugged in yet Waiting on the final WA rules

Where plug-in solar is up to

Five steps stand between the announcement and a legal kit on your balcony. WA is on step two.

  1. ✓
    27 to 28 Oct 2026Plan announced

    WA says it intends to legalise plug-in solar and batteries.

  2. 2
    Closes 9 Dec 2026Public consultation

    Draft standard out for feedback.

  3. 3
    By Feb 2027Final standard

    Version 2 of the standard and the certification route.

  4. 4
    Date not setLaw change

    Regulatory changes make plug-in systems legal.

  5. 5
    Date not setApproved kits on sale

    Kits tested, registered and RCM marked.

The draft rules, read off the plate

Inverters carry a rating plate that says what they can do. This is the plate for a plug-in system under WA's draft standard.

  • Built for renters and apartmentsThe kit plugs in and moves house with you.
  • Not for homes with rooftop solarThe draft rules it out at any site with a fixed system.
  • Savings, not export paymentsYou save by using your own power. Nothing is paid for power sent to the grid.

Every rule explained in plain English

Plug-in generator, WA draftDR EPWA-TBS-75-001 v1
Inverter output
800 VA max
Solar panels
2 kW max (DC)
Battery
Allowed, no size cap. LFP or sodium-ion
Plug
Australian 3-pin, into a wall socket
Per household
One system
With rooftop solar
Not allowed
Electrician
Not needed to plug in
Paperwork
Notify Western Power or Horizon Power
Export payments
None for now

Draft rules, October 2026. They may change before they become law.

Start with your situation

The questions people ask most, answered straight.

Can I plug one in now?No. What is allowed today, and why a kit from overseas is not the answer.I already have rooftop solarThe draft rules say you cannot use both at the same home. Here is why.I rent or live in an apartmentThis change is mostly for you. What landlords and strata still decide.Do I need an electrician?Not to plug in, under the draft. When a check of your switchboard makes sense.

What it could save

$240a year

Solar only, average Perth home, north-facing

$500a year

With a battery, same home

Those are the WA Government's own estimates. Your number depends on which way your balcony faces, how much shade it gets and how much power you use while the sun is up.

Work out your payback

Every guide

Written from the draft standard, the consultation paper and the government's FAQ, and updated as the rules change.

Listings: kits, shops and electricians

As soon as kits are approved for WA, they go here, with the shops that sell them and the electricians who check your wiring.

0Approved kits

None can be approved until the standard is final.

 Taking listingsWA retailers

Shops selling approved kits to WA customers.

 Taking listingsElectricians

Licensed WA electricians who check switchboards and sockets.

From the source

Rules and dates come from the draft standard, the consultation paper and the government FAQ. Each page lists its sources.

Independent

Not run by the government, Synergy, Western Power or a solar company. No page on this site is sponsored.

Kept current

Every page shows when it was last checked, and is updated when the government publishes anything new.