Plugging in a solar panel feels like a one-person job. It isn't quite. There's one short form you have to complete. It's free, and it's not optional. The process is now confirmed, so here are the steps.
What is a DNO?
A DNO is a distribution network operator. It's the company that owns and runs the electricity wires and cables in your area. It's not the same as your energy supplier, the company that bills you. Your DNO is set by where you live, not by who you choose.
How do I register my plug-in solar kit?
There are two routes. The first is myplugin.solar, the online journey run by the Energy Networks Association (ENA), the body that speaks for the network operators. The second is Form B2, a short form from your own DNO, called the Installation Document for a Plug-in Microgenerator. Ofgem, the energy regulator, approved Form B2 in August 2026. The ENA runs myplugin.solar as the online route. We could not open the ENA site ourselves, so check what it asks for when you get there.
What do I need to register?
Have these ready: your name, your address and postcode, and the make and model of your kit. The model should have a reference number on the ENA Type Test Register, the list of approved kits. Form B2 asks for more. It wants your MPAN (the long number on your electricity bill that identifies your meter) and details of any solar you already have. It also asks for the kit's registered capacity in kW. Our guide to adding a kit to existing panels explains that part. We found no fee anywhere. It's free.
When must I register: before or after plugging in?
Before you plug in. The sources differ on the deadline, so here they are. The network rule (G98) says before commissioning, or no later than 28 days after. Electricity North West says to register before you use it. Which? and the London Fire Brigade both say within 28 days. The safe move is to register first and plug in second. Then you meet every version.
Do I have to tell them when I remove it?
Yes. The rules require a notice when you connect the kit and another when you disconnect it. If you move house or swap the kit, tell your DNO. Remember too that you can only have one kit per household. That's the network rule, and it beats the product spec's looser one-per-circuit wording. Our 800 W rule guide has the detail.
Is this the same as the kit being "approved"?
No, and this trips people up. A maker must register a plug-in solar device on the ENA Type Test Register before selling it. That's about the product. Telling your DNO is a separate step you do yourself, about your own connection. Both steps are required. And in Northern Ireland this process does not apply yet. See our Northern Ireland guide.
The quick version
- Register with your DNO at myplugin.solar or on Form B2. It's free.
- Do it before you plug in. Sources differ on whether 28 days after is allowed.
- Tell your DNO again when you remove the kit.