State law · Illinois
Illinois has no plug-in solar law in force from SB 3104: the bill did not pass in 2026 and is expected to return in 2027. As of October 14, 2026, its proposed protections are not permission to connect a kit to your home’s outlet.
SB 3104 was deferred to the 2027 session; there is no state plug-in solar law yet.
Checked October 14, 2026
410 kWh used at home × 19.22¢ = $78.87; 284 kWh sent to the grid unpaid, 0 kWh lost to the inverter limit. At Illinois's average rate (EIA).
Residential average, January to July 2026 (EIA Electric Power Monthly).
Open the calculatorSB 3104 remains a proposal, not an enacted plug-in solar law. The Illinois legislature lists its latest action as referral to Assignments on July 2, 2026. Bright Saver’s tracker describes it as deferred for reconsideration in 2027.
The bill describes systems with “maximum power output to a receptacle outlet of 391 watts or less.” The source does not say whether this is AC or DC output. It would exempt qualifying systems from building safety code or product listing provisions requiring alterations to premises, wiring or electrical panels.
The proposal would prohibit installation above 391 W until NFPA adopts an applicable NEC standard. It would also exclude plug-in systems from net electricity metering and distributed generation rebates. These proposed provisions do not establish today’s connection requirements; check with your utility before buying a grid-connected kit.
A portable power station charged by a solar panel offers an option without a grid connection. It supplies devices separately rather than feeding your home’s outlet; EcoFlow identifies solar as a charging method for its DELTA Pro 3. Homeowners can also request rooftop solar quotes instead of waiting for the plug-in bill.
The calculator gives an illustrative Illinois result for 800 W of panels and an 800 W inverter limit: mounted vertically facing south, production is 695 kWh in a typical year. With a 164 W home base load, 410 kWh is used at home, worth $79 a year at 19.22 cents/kWh. This modeled kit exceeds the proposal’s 391 W threshold, so the estimate is not a compliant-kit recommendation or permission to connect.
The same modeled kit tilted at 30° facing south produces 1,038 kWh and saves $95 a year. Use the calculator to compare these scenarios, not to determine whether a connection is permitted.
SB 3104 would require the owner to notify the electricity provider within 30 days after installation. That is a proposed requirement, not an enacted notification route you can rely on today.
The proposal would prevent landlords from unreasonably restricting qualifying systems up to 391 W, and would also restrict unreasonable HOA prohibitions. Those proposed protections are not in force; check your lease or association rules before buying.
SB 3104 would require the plug-in solar system to be certified by Underwriters Laboratories or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory. The wording applies to the system, not merely an individual component.