Plugin solar in Portugal

Yes. In mainland Portugal you can install a plug-in solar kit of up to 800 W yourself, without any permit or registration, as long as it does not feed surplus electricity into the public grid. This has applied since 28 August 2026, when Decree-Law 130/2026 raised the limit from 700 W. If your kit will export surplus to the grid, or is larger than 800 W, you need a prior notification (Mera Comunicação Prévia) to the energy authority DGEG. Installations above 800 W must be done by a certified electrical installer. Madeira and the Azores have their own rules. This page explains the limits, the paperwork, dealing with E-REDES and your supplier, and current incentives.

Self-consumption in Portugal is governed by Decree-Law 15/2022 of 14 January, which organises the national electricity system. It was amended by Decree-Law 130/2026 of 29 June, published in the Diário da República (no. 123/2026, Series I) and in force since 28 August 2026.

Under the amended Article 11, self-consumption units with installed capacity of 800 W or less are exempt from prior control, as long as they exclude injection of surplus into the public grid (RESP). Units above 800 W must be installed by a certified installer or responsible technician, under Law 14/2015 and Decree-Law 96/2017. The new 800 W threshold applies to procedures started after 28 August 2026; before that, the limit was 700 W.

The licensing authority is DGEG (Direção-Geral de Energia e Geologia); ERSE regulates self-consumption metering and billing. Since 1 July 2026, Law 29/2026 lets condominium owners approve self-consumption units on common parts by simple majority. Madeira has its own regime (Regional Legislative Decree 10/2023/M), as do the Azores. This page is guidance, not legal advice.

For a zero-export kit up to 800 W, there is nothing to register. Keep your invoice and the product's technical documents in case of an inspection, and make sure the system really cannot export.

If you want to export surplus, or your system is above 800 W, you need a Mera Comunicação Prévia (MCP) on the DGEG self-consumption portal. It is free for systems up to 30 kW. In practice, the MCP is submitted by a DGEG-registered electrical installer or technician, who signs a statement of responsibility for the installation. The portal then gives your unit an official registration number, which you need for the meter change and the supply contract.

We found no Portuguese product standard specific to plug-in kits. Use CE-marked equipment from reputable manufacturers and follow the installation instructions. If you are unsure whether your setup counts as zero export, ask DGEG or a registered installer before connecting.

With a zero-export kit up to 800 W, you don't need to contact E-REDES (the grid operator) or your supplier. Bear in mind that E-REDES smart meters record any energy injected into the grid in 15-minute intervals, so an export would be visible. If you register to export, the steps are:

1. After your MCP, E-REDES checks your meter and replaces or reconfigures it for two-way metering, free of charge.
2. E-REDES assigns a producer delivery-point code (CPE de produção), which is different from the CPE on your bill.
3. E-REDES does not buy surplus. Choose a supplier (comercializador) and sign a surplus-sale contract, giving your production CPE, MCP number and IBAN.
4. Selling energy requires registering the activity with the tax authority (Finanças).

Systems above 4 kW also need a totaliser meter with a GSM card. Details: E-REDES – individual self-consumption.

None currently. Portugal's reduced 6% VAT rate on solar equipment ended on 30 June 2025, and solar kits now carry the standard 23% rate; proposals to restore 6% in the 2026 budget were rejected.

In January 2026 the government announced a voucher programme to help families buy small solar systems. In July 2026, however, the Environment Minister said a standalone programme was unlikely this year, with support possibly folded into an expanded E-Lar programme. Nothing is open for applications. Check fundoambiental.pt for new calls.