Can I use an imported plug-in solar kit in WA?

Plug-in solar kits are cheap and common overseas, and some are already easy to order online. That makes this the question most likely to catch people out. A kit can be legal to sell in Germany or the UK and still be illegal to use in a WA home. Right now every plug-in kit falls into that gap, wherever it was bought.

Why is an imported kit not legal to plug in?

Because no plug-in kit is legal to use in WA yet. The consultation paper says plug-in generators “cannot currently be used legally in any Australian state or territory”. The FAQ is blunt: “Not yet. We are consulting on a possible pathway, but it remains illegal to use imported systems”.

One of the government’s stated objectives is a “consumer pathway to safe, legal, and certified systems that discourage the use of non-certified imports from online marketplaces” (consultation paper, page 4). In other words, one aim of the new standard is to give people a safe, certified option in place of these kits.

Why would an overseas kit fail the WA draft rules?

Even after WA legalises plug-in solar, a kit built for another country will not meet the draft standard unless the maker has done the WA work. The draft requires, among other things:

Draft requirement	Why an overseas kit will likely miss it
Australian Type I plug with half-insulated pins, AS/NZS 3112:2025 (clause 6.2.3.2)	European and UK kits come with their own plugs.
No travel adaptors or plug converters (clause 6.2.3.1)	You cannot fix a foreign plug with an adaptor.
Grid settings to AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 region B or C (clause 7)	Overseas inverters are set to overseas grid codes.
Mounting checked for Australian wind loads, AS/NZS 1170.2 (clause 5.5.1)	Overseas mounts are checked against overseas wind rules.
Battery chemistry LFP or sodium-ion only (clause 5.8)	Any kit with an NMC battery fails, because the draft bans NMC.
WA labels, one-per-household warning, and a QR code for notifying the network (clauses 8.2.3 and 8.3.2)	Only a kit made for WA will have these.
Type tests with a NATA-accredited lab certificate for grid connection (clause 9.2)	Overseas test reports are for overseas standards.
Evidence registered under the Electrical Equipment Safety System (clause 9.3)	Only an Australian or New Zealand supplier can register.

The German standard the draft is based on, DIN VDE V 0126-95, gives makers a head start. But the draft says the TBS “takes priority where the two are inconsistent”.

My reading is that swapping the plug on an overseas kit would not make it compliant. The draft treats the whole kit, including the inverter, panels, mount and cables, as one tested product.

What is EESS?

The Electrical Equipment Safety System is the national scheme for household electrical equipment, which it describes as “a regulatory framework aimed at increasing consumer safety when interacting with household electrical equipment”. WA is a participating jurisdiction. Equipment is “in scope” if it is rated above 50 V AC (and below 1,000 V AC) and designed or marketed for household or similar use. The draft TBS notes that plug-in generators exceed 50 V AC, so they are in scope.

Under EESS, the first supplier in the chain is the “responsible supplier”. It must be a “legally identifiable Australian or New Zealand entity or person” with a business presence here. EESS says: “An overseas based company cannot be registered”. The responsible supplier registers, declares the equipment is electrically safe and meets the relevant standards, and applies the RCM mark. Overseas makers can sell through a local responsible supplier.

What does the RCM mark mean?

The Regulatory Compliance Mark is the tick inside a triangle. EESS says “in-scope electrical equipment must not be sold unless the item is marked with the RCM.” WA’s Building and Energy puts it simply: “If an electrical product does not bear the RCM, then it has not been approved to be sold in Australia.”

For plug-in solar, the plan is that kits meeting the final standard would “use the RCM tick like other appliances” (consultation paper, page 6). Until the standard is accepted under EESS, no kit can be registered against it. My reading is that an RCM on a solar panel, battery or power station sold today does not mean it is approved as a plug-in generator. EESS has a public search of registered equipment and suppliers on its website.

Is a kit sold by an Australian shop any better right now?

Not for legal use. You may see plug-in kits advertised by sellers in Australia. Buying locally gives you a local business to deal with, but it does not change the law. No kit can be certified to a standard that is still a draft. If a seller says a kit is “WA approved” or “compliant” today, ask them which final standard and which EESS registration. There is not one yet.

What should I look for once kits are approved?

Once the final standard is published and kits are registered, the draft says a legal kit will have these (clauses 6.2.3.2, 6.5, 8.2 and 8.3):

• the RCM mark on the product
• a standard Australian three-pin plug with half-insulated pins
• a label near the plug saying only one plug-in generator may be connected per household, its rated current, the “refer to instruction manual” sign (ISO 7010-M002) and a warning against extension leads and multi-way adaptors
• a green reflective “PV - Plug in” label for your switchboard, and an “ES - Plug in” label if it has a battery
• permanent marking with the maker’s name, postal address and email, model, serial number, ratings, IP rating and protection class
• instructions in English, including how to set region B (Western Power area) or region C (Horizon Power area), and a QR code for notifying your network operator
• a complete mounting system with wind and installation height guidance
• for batteries, the declared chemistry (LFP or sodium-ion), capacity and a safety data sheet QR code

Approved kits will be listed on the plug-in solar kits page once they exist. For the full rule list, see the rules. For why the safety rules matter, see plug-in solar safety.