Plug in solar rules in France
Checked on 8 November 2026 · Confidence: medium
| Inverter limit | No official limit found for plug in kits; the market uses 800 W |
|---|---|
| Panels | 3 kW threshold for free tolerated surplus (Energy Code L315-5, D315-10) |
| Registration | Enedis self consumption agreement (CACSI), free, at any power |
| Batteries | Declared with the system; Enedis requires a Consuel certificate when a battery is added, with a possible exemption for preassembled plug and play equipment |
| Tenants and owners | Flat owners: general assembly vote (majority of all owners) for works affecting common parts or the exterior. Tenants: landlord's written agreement for any transformation |
Enedis states that declaring a self consumption system is mandatory even without feeding into the grid, whatever its power. The declaration uses the CACSI agreement and is free through Enedis Connect.
The self consumption bonus and reduced VAT apply to professionally installed systems with a surplus contract, not to kits you install yourself.
What a balcony system produces here
| City | Panels | South, 35° | South, vertical | West, vertical | Own use and savings (south, vertical) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | 800 Wp | 887 kWh | 633 kWh | 436 kWh | 407 kWh, €101.65 |
| Lyon | 800 Wp | 988 kWh | 685 kWh | 480 kWh | 420 kWh, €104.95 |
Guides for this country
Declaring a plug in solar kit in France and BelgiumIn France every kit is declared to Enedis, even without feed in. In Belgium the inverter must be on the Synergrid list and each region has its own rule.A 3000 W plug in solar kit: why it is not plug and playWhat a household socket can carry, why kits stay around 800 W, the CACSI declaration in France at any power, and what a larger system needs instead.Plug in solar in a rented or jointly owned flat in FranceWhat a tenant may do without the landlord, when a flat owner needs the general assembly's vote under article 25 b of the 1965 law, and why the Enedis declaration applies in every case.
Not yet confirmed
- An official watt limit for plug in kits, surplus sale eligibility and VAT; whether a free standing kit on an existing socket counts as a transformation for tenants.
Sources
- Enedis: autoconsommer la totalité de l'énergie produite (declaration, Consuel, CACSI) official
- Légifrance: loi n° 65-557, article 25 (co ownership vote) official
- Légifrance: loi n° 89-462, article 7 (tenant obligations) official
- Service Public F31513: travaux d'un copropriétaire official
- Code de l'énergie, articles L315-5 and D315-10 (Légifrance) official
- CACSI steps summary secondary
This is a summary for orientation, not legal advice. Rules change; check with your grid operator before you install.