Plugin solar in Italy

Yes, plug-in solar kits up to 800 W are legal in Italy. Since 2020, the energy regulator ARERA has had a simplified route for small solar plants: you install the kit and send one free form, the Comunicazione Unica, to your grid operator before switching on. For kits above 350 W, the form must include a declaration of conformity, a wiring diagram and a signed operating agreement. There is no permit or connection fee. Surplus power can flow into the grid, but you are not paid for it. On a private balcony you usually need no building permit, but you should inform your condominium administrator.

The main rule is ARERA Resolution 315/2020/R/eel of 4 August 2020. It added articles 6-ter and 13-ter to the TICA (Testo Integrato Connessioni Attive), Italy's code for connecting generators to the grid. It created the Comunicazione Unica, a single free notice to the grid operator that is enough to connect small plants (the text says below 800 W). Plants of 350 W or less are called "Plug & Play" and need the fewest documents; larger plants up to 800 W attach technical documents.

The technical rules come from the Italian standards CEI 0-21 (connecting generators to the low-voltage grid) and CEI 64-8 (home wiring). The declaration of conformity follows Ministerial Decree 37/2008. For building rules, Legislative Decree 190/2024 (in force since 30 December 2024) treats solar panels on existing buildings as free building activity, needing no permit, outside historic centres and protected areas.

Article 1122-bis of the Civil Code lets condominium owners put solar systems on their own property, such as a balcony. They must tell the administrator if common parts are affected. EU Recommendation 2026/1007 (30 April 2026) has not changed Italian law so far. This page is guidance, not legal advice.

Products: the micro-inverter must have a declaration of conformity to CEI 0-21, including the built-in interface protection that disconnects it during a grid outage. Ask the seller for this certificate, because you attach it to your notice.

Registration: before you switch on, send the Comunicazione Unica (Annex 1 of the TICA) to your local grid operator. That's the distributor named on your bill: E-Distribuzione in most of Italy, Unareti in Milan, Areti in Rome. It is free. On the form you give your POD code (it's on your bill), the brand and model, panel power and inverter power in kW, and any battery capacity in kWh.

Attach a copy of your ID. For kits above 350 W, such as 800 W kits, also attach a declaration of conformity of the installation (under DM 37/2008), a single-line wiring diagram, the inverter certificates and the signed low-voltage regolamento di esercizio. The operator registers your plant in the national GAUDÌ register for you. Ask your operator how they want the form sent (portal, email or PEC). The official form is in the annex of ARERA Resolution 315/2020.

Your contact is the grid operator (distributore), not your energy supplier.

1. Find your POD code and your grid operator on your electricity bill.
2. Check your supply contract. Its power (for example 3 kW) must be at least equal to your kit's power, and no other generator may be connected to the same POD.
3. Send the Comunicazione Unica with the attachments it asks for. If someone files it for you, add a signed delegation. E-Distribuzione has its own delegation form.
4. Wait for confirmation. The operator reprograms your meter to record what you feed in, normally within 5 working days. Don't plug in before the procedure is closed.

You don't need a dispatching contract or a new supply contract. In a condominium, send the administrator a short registered letter before installing on your balcony (art. 1122-bis Civil Code). If you rent, get your landlord's written consent first. More information: E-Distribuzione.

Buying and installing a solar kit can qualify for the home renovation tax deduction (bonus ristrutturazioni, art. 16-bis TUIR). For spending in 2026 it is 50% for your main home and 36% for other homes, up to €96,000 per home. It is spread over 10 years of income tax. Pay by "bonifico parlante" (a special bank transfer) and keep your invoices.

The 2027 budget bill proposes keeping these rates in 2027; check the final law. The reduced 10% VAT rate is not automatic, so ask your seller. You get no feed-in payment under the simplified route. For details, ask the Agenzia delle Entrate or a tax adviser.