BS 7671 Amendment 4: Plug-in Solar Now Legal Without an Electrician
The IET published BS 7671 Amendment 4 in April 2026. For the first time in UK electrical regulation, sub-800W solar systems can connect to standard domestic sockets without a qualified electrician — bringing the UK in line with Germany, the Netherlands, and most of Western Europe.
Amendment 4 updates two key chapters. Chapter 702 introduces rules for electrical energy storage systems — directly relevant to plug-in kits with integrated batteries. Chapter 708 updates the framework for connecting generation equipment to domestic circuits.
What exactly changed
Before Amendment 4, connecting solar generation equipment to a UK domestic circuit required a CPS-registered electrician. This made plug-in solar technically possible but expensive — adding £250–£450 to the cost of a kit that might retail at £419. The government announced the regulatory overhaul in March 2026, with Amendment 4 the first step to complete.
Under Amendment 4, a UKCA-certified sub-800W plug-in solar system connected to a standard 13A socket is compliant without an electrician, provided the system carries appropriate product certification. That certification is the BSI product standard, expected July 2026 — which is why certified kits aren't yet on shelves.
What Amendment 4 doesn't change
Amendment 4 does not by itself make certified kits available in UK shops. That requires the separate BSI product standard. Until then, the most compliant route remains a CPS-registered electrician on a dedicated circuit. Both steps are needed before truly plug-and-play retail sales happen at scale — as Germany's rollout showed, the regulatory framework is just the starting point.
What this means if you want to install now
The safest current route remains using a registered electrician. This future-proofs your install and some DNOs will ask for confirmation of professional installation if you ever apply for a Smart Export Guarantee tariff. For a full breakdown of available kits, see our best plug-in solar kits guide.
