Short answer
Unlicensed electricity generation in Turkey lets you build a renewable facility for your own consumption without a license or company. As of October 2026, the main rule is the 2019 regulation, last amended on 02.04.2026. In Antalya applications go to AEDAŞ; the simple procedure for roof systems is up to 25 kW, and non-residential use has hourly net metering from 1 May 2026.
Key takeaways
- The main rule is the regulation in Official Gazette No. 30772 dated 12.05.2019; the last amendment was on 02.04.2026.
- Under the simple procedure, a roof and facade solar plant can be at most 25 kW and cannot exceed contract power (EPDK Board Decision 10832, 12.03.2022).
- From 1 May 2026, net metering is hourly for non-residential facilities and monthly for residential use.
- Panels, inverters and batteries must have been manufactured within the last five years (Art. 37/6).
- For a facility operated before acceptance, the connection is cut, equipment must be removed within 60 days and a 3-year application ban applies.
Unlicensed electricity generation is the arrangement that allows individuals and businesses to build a renewable energy facility to meet their own consumption without obtaining a license from EPDK (Turkey's Energy Market Regulatory Authority) and without setting up a company. The main text is the Unlicensed Electricity Generation Regulation in the Electricity Market, published in Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete) No. 30772 dated 12.05.2019. As of October 2026, this regulation was most recently updated by the amendment of 2 April 2026, and the rules can change often.
What is the unlicensed electricity generation regulation and how has it evolved?
After being published in 2019, the regulation was amended many times. The main amendments appear in Official Gazette Nos. 31920 (11.08.2022), 32546 (14.05.2024), 33088 (25.11.2025) and 33212 (02.04.2026). In addition, in 2026 the Net Metering Procedures and Principles (EPDK Board Decision 14531) were published in Official Gazette No. 33244 dated 05.05.2026 and repealed the previous net metering procedures.
The authority to which you apply is not EPDK; it is the relevant grid operator. This may be a distribution company or an organized industrial zone (OSB) distribution license holder. In Antalya the distribution company is Akdeniz Elektrik Dağıtım A.Ş. (AEDAŞ). AEDAŞ has been accepting unlicensed generation applications through the LUS platform since 01.10.2023. We described the application steps in our article on how to apply for a rooftop solar plant.
Who can install an unlicensed solar plant?
Unlicensed generation is for natural and legal persons who have a consumption facility. Generation is tied to the person's own consumption. For net metering, the generation and consumption facilities must belong to the same tax identification number (VKN); consumption facilities in the same group must also be in the same subscriber group (Decision 14531, Art. 5).
Distribution and supply companies, and the persons listed in Article 14/7 of Law No. 6446, cannot apply; the applicant makes a declaration on this. The basic principle of the regulation is "own consumption": unlicensed producers cannot sell surplus energy through bilateral agreements or on the organized wholesale market (Art. 24/5). We covered how surplus generation is treated in our article on selling surplus electricity.
Capacity limits: 25 kW, contract power and the double rule
Capacity is the answer to the question "how many panels can I install", and it varies with the nature of the consumption facility. The table below summarizes the main rules verified from official sources.
| Subject | Rule | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Simple procedure (roof and facade) | At most 25 kW; cannot exceed the consumption facility's contract power | EPDK Procedures and Principles, Board Decision 10832 (Official Gazette 12.03.2022) |
| Municipality, industry, agricultural irrigation | Facility up to twice the contract power may be installed | Regulation Art. 5/1/h (11.08.2022 text) |
| Other persons | Limited to the contract power | Regulation Art. 5/1/h (11.08.2022 text) |
| Transformer capacity (25 kW procedure) | Total facilities cannot exceed 50% of the distribution transformer's power | Procedures and Principles Art. 6/2 |
| Annual generation (facilities with a post-2019 connection approval letter) | Annual generation cannot exceed twice the associated consumption | Regulation Art. 26/17 (02.04.2026) |
| Residential | No generation or sale limit applies regardless of installed capacity | Decision 14531 Art. 7/4; EPDK Announcement No. 1 |
Beware of outdated information. The rooftop solar plant limit was once 10 kW; EPDK raised this limit to 25 kW on 12.03.2022. Also, claims such as "the residential limit went from 5 kW to 10 kW" were not found in official sources. According to the EPDK announcement, the capacity limit for residential use is the contract power. In the table, no finding was made that Art. 5/1/h was changed in the 2026 amendment; even so, confirm the current text with the grid operator before applying.
What changed after 1 May 2026?
Hourly net metering
For renewable unlicensed facilities that received a connection approval letter (çağrı mektubu) after 12.05.2019, generation and consumption have been netted separately for each hour since 1 May 2026. EPİAŞ (Energy Exchange Istanbul) runs the netting through the Unlicensed Generation Module (LÜM). For residential use, net metering continues to be done monthly (Art. 26/20). In other words, the statement "hourly netting also covers homes" is wrong.
Paid generation limit and payment basis
The paid generation limit is the maximum amount of generation that can be subject to net metering and sale; it is derived from the double rule in Art. 26/17. If the limit is exceeded, net metering continues, but the excess portion is treated as subject to system usage charges. The value of surplus energy is calculated on the single-rate active electricity energy unit price of the relevant tariff (Decision 14531, Art. 4/1-l and Art. 11). For this reason, the payment is lower than the total unit price on the bill. The surplus of eligible facilities is purchased by the supply company under YEKDEM for 10 years (Art. 26/4).
November 2025 amendment
On 25.11.2025 an order of priority was set for when capacity is insufficient: the same metering point, high consumption over the last year, high contract power and not having previously received a positive connection opinion. In addition, surplus energy can now also be handled through an aggregator.
Equipment, storage and off-grid rules
According to Regulation Art. 37/6, main equipment such as panels, inverters and batteries must have been manufactured within the last five years. In other words, an unlicensed application cannot be made with second-hand or old-stock panels. An unlicensed facility owner can install a storage unit up to the electrical power of the generation facility (Additional Article 3). No payment is made for the portion of the surplus remaining after net metering that is supplied from storage; a 10% tolerance applies at acceptance. For this reason the statement "you can sell the electricity you store in the battery to the grid" is wrong.
For off-grid facilities, that is, facilities with no connection to the transmission or distribution system, Art. 5/1/b provides exemption from the license and company formation obligation. This does not mean "no permits are needed"; obligations such as zoning, structural and fire requirements are separate matters. For off-grid solutions, see our off-grid systems page.
Penalties for operating before acceptance
The regulation provides for heavy penalties for facilities operated before acceptance. If detected, the connection is cut by the distribution company without notice, the equipment must be removed within 60 days, the connection approval letter and agreements are cancelled and the owner cannot apply for 3 years (Official Gazette 14.05.2024). The 2026 text added a charge formula to this rule. If the contract power condition is not met, or in cases of violation of legislation or illegal use, the generation is counted as an unpaid contribution to YEKDEM and no payment is made. So do not commission the system before acceptance.
What do these rules mean in practice in Antalya?
In Antalya unlicensed solar plants appear in three typical profiles. Home and villa roofs (residential) benefit from monthly net metering and the no-limit rule on generation. Hotels, commercial buildings and factories are in the non-residential group and, with a post-2019 connection approval letter, are subject to hourly net metering; so the self-consumption ratio rises for businesses with high daytime consumption. For agricultural irrigation wells, the double-contract-power rule and the contract power floor introduced in 2026 are the deciding factors.
In every profile, self-consumption is worth more than the payment for surplus energy; because the avoided cost is the unit price on the bill, while the value of surplus energy is only the active energy unit price. This is an interpretation, and the rule it is based on is Decision 14531. You can look at net metering system options on our net metering systems page.
Pre-application checklist
- Find out the subscriber group (residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural irrigation) and the contract power of the consumption facility.
- Verify that the generation and consumption facilities belong to the same VKN.
- Confirm with documents that the main equipment was manufactured within the last five years.
- Plan the connection approval letter and project approval timelines; do not run the system before acceptance.
- In an apartment building or housing complex, remember that a unit owners' board decision and a notarized copy are required.
Conclusion
The unlicensed electricity generation regulation was updated in 2026 with new rules such as hourly net metering, the paid generation limit and equipment age. Monthly net metering and unlimited generation continue for residential use; for non-residential use, hourly net metering and the double ceiling apply. This article is based on information verified as of October 2026 and is not legal advice. If you would like to clarify together which rules apply to your roof or business, you can get in touch with us.
Frequently asked questions
What is unlicensed electricity generation?
Unlicensed electricity generation is when people with a consumption facility build a renewable power plant to meet their own consumption without an EPDK license and without setting up a company. The main rule is the regulation dated 12.05.2019. Applications go to the grid operator; in Antalya this is AEDAŞ. As of October 2026, the rules were last changed on 02.04.2026.
How many kW of unlicensed solar plant can be installed on a roof?
Under the simple procedure, roof and facade systems can be at most 25 kW and cannot exceed the consumption facility's contract power. For larger facilities, contract power, subscriber group and the double rule are the deciding factors. Municipality, industrial and agricultural irrigation facilities can install up to twice the contract power; rules can change, so confirm before applying.
Is there a generation or sale limit for homes?
According to EPDK Announcement No. 1 and Decision 14531, no generation or sale limit applies to facilities tied to a residential subscription, regardless of installed capacity. The capacity limit is the contract power; the simple procedure is up to 25 kW. Net metering for residential use is monthly. Beware of claims about unofficial limits.
Who does hourly net metering apply to?
From 1 May 2026, for renewable unlicensed facilities that received a connection approval letter (çağrı mektubu) after 12.05.2019 (non-residential), generation and consumption are netted separately for each hour. EPİAŞ does the netting through the Unlicensed Generation Module. For facilities tied to a residential subscription, net metering continues to be monthly. Confirm current practice with your grid operator.
Can an unlicensed application be made with second-hand panels?
No. According to Regulation Art. 37/6, main equipment such as panels, inverters and batteries must have been manufactured within the last five years. This rule also covers the batteries in the storage unit. For this reason, applications made with old or second-hand equipment are not accepted; the equipment's production date must be documented with invoices, delivery notes and manufacturer documents. The aim of the rule is to prevent obsolete equipment from being connected to the grid.
What happens if I run the system before acceptance?
The connection of a facility found to be operating before acceptance is cut by the distribution company without notice. The equipment must be removed within 60 days, the connection approval letter and agreements are cancelled and the owner cannot apply under this regulation for 3 years (Official Gazette 14.05.2024). The 2026 text also added a charge formula with a 0.2 coefficient for solar. So the system should not be run until the acceptance procedures are completed.
Can I sell the electricity in the battery to the grid?
No. No payment is made for the portion of the surplus remaining after net metering that is supplied from storage. If the amount supplied from storage cannot be determined, no surplus payment is made at all. A storage unit can be installed up to the electrical power of the generation facility and is used to consume the daytime surplus at the same facility in the evening. This is an interpretation; the rule is based on Additional Article 3 of the 02.04.2026 text.
Sources
- Official Gazette 02.04.2026 - Amendment to the Unlicensed Electricity Generation Regulation
- Official Gazette 05.05.2026 - EPDK Board Decision 14531 (Net Metering Procedures and Principles)
- EPDK - Procedures and principles for solar-based generation facilities up to 25 kW
- Official Gazette 14.05.2024 - Amendment to the Unlicensed Electricity Generation Regulation
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