The FCC inverter rule and plug-in solar, explained
Last updated
The short answer: on , the FCC added "foreign-produced power inverters" to its Covered List. Equipment on that list "is prohibited from receiving equipment authorizations", so new foreign-made models can't get the FCC approval they need to be sold.[source] It doesn't ban kits that are already authorized: law firms reading the FCC's notices say "Previously authorized equipment may continue to be imported, sold, marketed, and used."[source]
Not confirmed: we couldn't open the FCC page that reportedly says this directly. The FCC notices we read address only new authorizations.
What counts as a covered inverter
On the FCC narrowed the definition. It now covers foreign-produced inverters that work in parallel with the grid (utility-interactive, as defined in UL 1741) and that have, or can accept, remote communication through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, cellular or similar connections. Inverters eligible for the federal Section 45X manufacturing credit, or that count as US-made under federal purchasing rules, are excluded.[source]
The first version named microinverters explicitly; the revised definition no longer names inverter types.[source][source] Most plug-in kits use a grid-connected microinverter with an app, but whether a particular model is covered depends on where it's made and how it connects. No source we found addresses plug-in kits or specific brands.
Updates keep working
Inverters authorized before the rule can keep receiving software and firmware updates until at least .[source]
A path for manufacturers
Foreign manufacturers can apply for a "Conditional Approval" that would exempt their devices if the government finds they don't pose an unacceptable risk.[source]
What this means if you're buying
- Kits already on sale aren't banned. A kit whose inverter was authorized before the rule can still be sold, by the law firms' reading.[source]
- New models may be slower to arrive if they're made abroad and connect to an app.
- Ask the seller for the inverter's FCC ID and when it was authorized. Our kit tracker doesn't list FCC IDs yet.
Frequently asked questions
- Are plug-in solar kits banned in the US?
- No. The FCC rule stops new foreign-made models of connected grid inverters from getting FCC authorization. Law firms reading the FCC's notices say models authorized before the rule can still be sold and used.
- Will my kit stop getting updates?
- Inverters authorized before the rule can keep receiving software and firmware updates for now, under an FCC waiver.
Next steps
Sources
- FCC: DA 26-786, power inverters added to the Covered List (July 28, 2026) (opens in a new tab) · checked Oct 22, 2026
- Davis Wright Tremaine: FCC Covered List power inverters update (September 2026) (opens in a new tab) · checked Oct 22, 2026
- FCC: DA 26-870, power inverters entry modified (August 20, 2026) (opens in a new tab) · checked Oct 22, 2026
- Troutman Pepper Locke: FCC modifies Covered List entry for power inverters (opens in a new tab) · checked Oct 22, 2026
- FCC: DA 26-789, software and firmware update waiver (July 28, 2026) (opens in a new tab) · checked Oct 22, 2026