Battery Storage · Rule Change · 2026
New Battery Storage Rules from 15 October 2026
Loft installations banned. One metre clearance from windows and doors. If you're getting a home battery fitted this year, where it goes is about to matter a great deal more than it did.
⏱️ The 30-second version
- 📅 New battery storage rules become mandatory on 15 October 2026
- 🚫 Lofts are banned — the single biggest change, and it rules out a popular location
- 📏 1 metre clearance required from windows, doors and vents
- ✅ Already got one? You're fine. The rules aren't retrospective
- ⚠️ But altering or adding to an existing system after October brings it into scope
On this page:
What's changing · Where you can't put one · Does it affect existing batteries? · If you're buying now · What about plug-in batteries? · FAQ
What's actually changing
Until now, there were no dedicated wiring regulations in the UK covering home battery storage. Electricians worked to manufacturer instructions, MCS standards and PAS 63100 — good practice, but nothing carrying the weight of the national wiring regulations themselves.
That changed when the IET and BSI published BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 — known in the trade as the Orange Book — on 15 April 2026. It introduced Chapter 57, the first dedicated set of rules for stationary battery installations, covering location, ventilation, fire protection, isolation and testing. For domestic installations, regulation 570.6.7.203 explicitly requires compliance with PAS 63100.
There's been a six-month transition since publication, during which either standard could be used. That ends on 15 October 2026, when the previous version is withdrawn. From that date, every new domestic battery installation must comply.
Where you can't put a battery from October
Most of the restricted locations were already considered bad practice, but two are genuinely new for UK installations — and one of them will affect a lot of homes.
The two changes that matter most
1. Lofts are banned outright. This is the big one. Loft spaces have been a common choice — out of the way, out of sight, no wall space used up. From October, that option is gone for new installations. Lofts get extremely hot in summer, extremely cold in winter, are usually poorly ventilated, and sit directly above your escape route in a fire. All of which is why it's now explicitly ruled out rather than merely discouraged.
2. One metre clearance from windows, doors and vents. For externally mounted batteries, there's now a formal minimum separation. Plenty of older installations didn't observe this — a battery tucked neatly beside the back door or under a kitchen window is common. The reasoning is straightforward: if a lithium battery does go into thermal runaway, you don't want the products of that venting straight into the house, or blocking the way out.
Alongside those, batteries are also prohibited in escape routes — hallways, stairwells and any circulation space you'd use to get out of the building. Manufacturers typically also specify at least 30cm of clear space on every side of both the battery and the inverter, which is separate from the 1m rule but worth checking at the same time.
⚠️ If a loft is your only option, this is worth knowing before you pay a deposit. Garages, utility rooms, outbuildings and external wall mounting are the usual alternatives — but each has its own requirements around ventilation and clearance. Ask the installer to confirm the proposed location in writing before you commit, not after the survey.
Does this affect a battery you already have?
No — and this is the reassurance most people are looking for. The rules are not retrospective. An installation that complied with the regulations in force when it was fitted remains compliant. You don't need to move it, modify it, or have anything re-certified.
There is one important caveat, though, and it's the part that gets missed:
Alterations and additions after 15 October 2026 must comply with the new rules. So if you have a battery in a loft and later want to add a second module, or make changes to the installation, that work falls under Chapter 57 — which could mean the whole thing has to move. If you're planning to expand your storage at some point, it's worth having that conversation with an installer now rather than discovering it later.
One other practical point: some home insurers have started asking where a battery is sited. Worth a glance at your policy schedule, particularly if yours is in a loft.
If you're buying a battery right now
You're in the transition window, which means an installer can legitimately design to either standard until 15 October. That's fine — but a system designed to the old rules in September could be one you can't easily extend later.
Four things to ask your installer
- 1. Will the paperwork list the design as compliant with BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, or the previous version?
- 2. Does the proposed location meet the 1 metre clearance from windows, doors and vents?
- 3. If I want to add capacity in future, will this location still work under the new rules?
- 4. Can you confirm compliance with PAS 63100 in writing?
A reputable MCS-certified installer will handle all of this as a matter of course. Asking makes it explicit, and gives you something in writing if it's ever queried.
Our honest view: unless you have a genuine reason to rush, ask for the design to meet Amendment 4 even if you're installing before October. There's no downside to a compliant installation, and it removes any question about future alterations.
What about plug-in batteries?
Different rules entirely, and worth not confusing the two. The plug-in solar framework coming into force on 27 August 2026 covers solar panels and a microinverter only — battery storage is explicitly excluded from it. So a plug-in battery isn't something you can simply plug in under the new solar rules, and connecting one to your home's circuits remains work for a qualified electrician.
Which means, in practice, that a battery you buy today falls under the rules described on this page rather than the plug-in ones. We've covered that in detail in our guide to plug-in solar batteries.
Frequently asked questions
Planning a battery installation?
Get quotes from MCS-certified installers — and ask each of them to confirm the design meets BS 7671 Amendment 4 before you commit.
Get Free Quotes →See also: home battery storage guide · plug-in solar batteries explained · solar panels UK
Published 24 July 2026. Based on BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, published by the IET and BSI on 15 April 2026, with the previous version withdrawn on 15 October 2026. Chapter 57 covers stationary secondary battery installations; regulation 570.6.7.203 requires domestic installations to comply with PAS 63100:2024. This is general guidance for homeowners, not a substitute for advice from a qualified electrician — always have your specific installation assessed by an MCS-certified installer.