Plugin solar in Austria

Yes. Plug-in solar kits are legal in Austria up to 800 W of inverter output. Austrian law calls them "Kleinsterzeugungsanlagen" (micro-generation plants). You don't need a permit, but you must notify your local grid operator at least two weeks before you plug in, usually with a short online form. There is no national limit on panel wattage. You can plug the kit into a fixed wall socket if the manufacturer allows it. An electrician's check of the circuit is recommended, and some grid operators ask you to confirm one. Surplus power can flow into the grid, but it is not paid unless you request your own feed-in meter point.

The Electricity Industry Act (Elektrizitätswirtschaftsgesetz, ElWG), Federal Law Gazette BGBl. I No. 91/2025, published 23 December 2025, replaced the ElWOG 2010.

• Definition: Section 6(1)(78) defines a micro-generation plant (Kleinsterzeugungsanlage) as one or more generating units with a combined maximum capacity of at most 800 W at a household's connection point.
• Special rules: Section 77 says grid operators don't give these plants their own meter point unless the user asks for one, and exempts them from some generator obligations.
• Technical rules: E-Control's TOR "Stromerzeugungsanlagen Typ A" exempt micro-plants from most requirements but keep two: an automatic disconnection device and two weeks' notice before first use.
• No permit: Austria's grid operators confirmed this in their joint explanatory document via Oesterreichs Energie (April 2026).
• What counts as 800 W: the inverter's rated power, not a software setting. Some grid operators reject inverters rated above 800 W that are only limited in software, and AC-coupled batteries count towards the total.
• Condominiums: rules for apartment owners are in § 16 of the Condominium Act (WEG), amended from 1 September 2024.

This page is guidance, not legal advice.

There is no national registry. Instead, you notify your local grid operator (Verteilernetzbetreiber), named on your electricity bill. Most have an online form, for example Wiener Netze, Netz NÖ, Salzburg Netz, Linz Netz or IKB.

• Timing: submit it at least two weeks before first use. If the operator doesn't object in that time, your kit is accepted. It may replace your meter during the waiting period.
• Inverter certificate: the inverter needs a certificate from an accredited test lab showing its automatic disconnection device meets TOR Type A, OVE guideline R 25, or VDE-AR-N 4105 / DIN VDE V 0124-100. Keep it: grid operators can ask for it and refuse connection without it.
• CE marking: the kit must carry CE marking and come with instructions.
• Electrician confirmation: some forms ask you to confirm that a licensed electrician found the circuit suitable under OVE E 8101.

1. Find your grid operator on your electricity bill. It may be a different company from your energy supplier.
2. Fill in its micro-generation (Kleinsterzeugungsanlage) form with your meter number, inverter model and total power. Say whether you have a battery.
3. Wait two weeks before plugging in. The operator checks your meter and replaces it if needed; most homes already have a smart meter.
4. If you later add a second kit or a battery, make sure the total stays at or below 800 W. Above that, you need a full connection request.
5. If you want payment for surplus, ask for a feed-in meter point (Einspeisezählpunkt) under § 77 ElWG and agree terms with a buyer, an energy community or a peer-to-peer partner.

Your supply contract doesn't change. Your savings come from buying less power from the grid. Official overview: oesterreich.gv.at – plug-in PV.

None for plug-in kits at national level currently. Austria's 0% VAT on PV systems (from 1 January 2024) ended on 31 March 2025, so kits now carry 20% VAT again. Federal investment grants under the Renewable Expansion Act (EAG) are run in competitive calls for regular PV systems, not plug-in kits. Some provinces and municipalities run their own programmes from time to time. Check with your council or provincial energy advice service before buying.