Plug-In Solar in Idaho

No plug-in solar law exists in Idaho. Legislation from 2026 covering 1,200 W kits failed in a House committee, so the normal rules for utility interconnection and net billing still apply.

A home with a plug-in solar panel on the porch railing, the kind of kit Idaho's rules apply to

No plug-in solar law in Idaho yetBill HB 612
The utility's rules apply.There's no cap on plug-in wattage.
13.0 centsPer kWh, the EIA average home price from Jan to Aug 2026.
$155 each year.Before any utility solar fee, an 800 W kit in Boise.

In Idaho, get your electric utility's approval before you connect, and use an inverter with anti-islanding listed to UL 1741, or listed to UL 3700.

Idaho Plug-In Bills

Under HB 612 (2026), portable solar generation devices sending power to the grid with 1,200 W or less would need UL or NRTL certification. Interconnection and net metering would not apply to them, and there would be no utility approval or fee. The measure would take effect 1 Jul 2026 if it passed. On 11 Feb 2026 the bill was referred to House State Affairs, and it died in committee. It had been introduced 10 Feb 2026. Bill details

Idaho's Rule Today

Hooking up: Customer generators interconnect under Idaho Power, Schedule 68, so file a completed application plus a $100 non-refundable fee before you connect. A residential on-site system may be up to 25 kW. There is also a non-exporting option.

Net metering: For systems that aren't legacy systems, Idaho Power switched to net billing starting at the first billing cycle that follows 1 Jan 2024. Grid power costs you the retail rate, and exported power earns a variable Export Credit Rate that carries forward as a dollar credit.

Savings from a Kit in Idaho

In Boise, PVWatts estimates 1,491 kWh each year for every 1 kW of panels. Idaho households pay 13.0 cents per kWh in 2026 so far. Results for an 800 W kit vary by where you place it:

Where the panels go	kWh a year	Saved a year
Tilted south on a stand	1,193	$155
Upright on a railing	752	$98
Facing east or west	954	$124

Each Month in Boise

Jan49
Feb70
Mar100
Apr119
May127
Jun131
Jul140
Aug136
Sep117
Oct95
Nov61
Dec49

kWh that an 800 W kit makes when tilted south.

Kit Prices for Idaho

Kit	kWh a year	Saved a year	Pays back in	Price
US Solar Supplier 1180 W EZ1 Kit	1,760	$229	3.9 years	$899
Bright Saver 360 W Balcony Kit	537	$70	5.9 years	$414
EcoFlow STREAM 800 W Kit	1,193	$155	7.1 years	$1,099

Tilted south, with every bit of power used at home. Compare every kit

What to Know in Idaho

Power costs little: the average residential rate in 2024 came to 11.52 cents/kWh. A plug-in kit therefore brings smaller savings per kWh than in high-cost states.
Idaho Power's net billing gives exported energy a variable Export Credit Rate instead of the retail rate. Your plug-in kit provides the strongest return when its power serves your home.
Utah's H 340 from 2025 served as the model for the 2026 bill. Sponsors cited kit prices from under $1,000 through $6,000.

Are You Renting or Using a Balcony?

Your landlord or HOA makes the call on the mount, while your electric utility decides on the hookup. Read more about balcony solar and solar for apartments.

Main Utility Providers

Idaho Power Company
PacifiCorp (Rocky Mountain Power)
Avista Corporation

Savings from a Kit in Idaho

Choose a size: in Boise, about 596 kWh a year comes from a 400 W kit, and about 1,789 kWh from a 1,200 W kit. Run yours.
Keep an eye on HB 612 in the next session. Should it pass, the approval step may disappear.

Sources

Browse every state at a glance, or look at a neighbor: Utah, Oregon, Washington.