The distribution network operator, the company that runs the local electricity cables and substations in your area. It is separate from your energy supplier. Your solar system has to be registered with it.

What is the difference between G98 and G99?

G98 is the simple route for small systems that export up to 3.68 kW per phase: connect first, then notify the DNO within 28 days. G99 is for larger systems and needs the DNO to approve the connection before it goes live, usually within about three to eight weeks.

Does adding a battery change the grid connection?

It can. The DNO limit is the combined export of all the inverters, including the battery, so adding one can push the total over the G98 threshold. Capping the export with an export-limitation scheme can keep it within G98.

Do I have to deal with the DNO myself?

No. Your installer handles the G98 notification or the G99 application. It is worth asking to see the DNO response or approval once it is complete.

What is export limitation?

A setting that caps how much power your system sends to the grid, commonly at 3.68 kW. It lets you fit a bigger array while keeping the connection simple. You still use all the power you can on site and only the exported portion is limited.

Can the DNO refuse my solar connection?

It is rare for a home. On a weak or rural network a G99 application can come back with a cost for network upgrades or approval only at a lower export figure. The usual fix is export limitation, which caps grid export so the connection still goes ahead. Your on-site use of the power is not affected.

Rules & planning

DNO grid connection: G98 and G99

By Daniel Osei · Last checked 25 June 2026

Separately from planning, a solar system has to be registered with the company that runs your local electricity network. That company is the DNO. For most homes this is straightforward and the installer handles it, but it is worth knowing the two processes, G98 and G99, because they affect how big a system you can connect and how long it takes.

The quick version

The DNO is the company that runs your local electricity network, separate from your energy supplier
G98: systems up to 3.68 kW of export per phase are connected, then notified to the DNO within 28 days
G99: systems above that need the DNO to approve them first, which usually takes about three to eight weeks
A battery adds to the combined export, so it can tip a system into G99 unless export is limited

Your installer handles all of the DNO paperwork. You do not fill in any forms.

What a DNO is

DNO stands for distribution network operator, the licensed company that runs the cables and substations that bring electricity to your area. It is not the same as your energy supplier, the company you pay your bill to. Examples include UK Power Networks and SP Energy Networks, and which one covers you depends on where you live.

Any solar that connects to the grid has to meet the network rules so the DNO can keep voltage and loading safe for everyone on the same network. That is why your system has to be registered with them.

G98: connect then notify

For most homes the process is G98, which is the simple route for small, type-tested systems. As long as the system exports no more than 3.68 kW per phase, the installer can connect it and then notify the DNO within 28 days of switching it on. There is no need to wait for approval before the panels go live.

The 3.68 kW figure is the inverter’s export rating, not the total panel capacity in kWp. A single-phase home has one phase, so 3.68 kW is the limit. A three-phase home has three, so the equivalent limit is 11.04 kW.

G99: approval first

If the system exports more than the G98 limit, it goes through G99 instead. Here the DNO has to approve the connection before it is switched on. A decision usually takes about three to eight weeks, and longer if the network needs reinforcing first.

For a normal home this sits comfortably inside the overall timeline. A typical solar job runs about four to eight weeks from quote to switch-on, with the roof work itself taking only a day or two, so the DNO step happens alongside the rest rather than holding everything up.

Batteries and export limitation

The DNO limit is the combined export of all the inverters on your system, including a battery or hybrid inverter, not just the solar. So adding a battery can push the total over 3.68 kW per phase and tip the system into G99, unless the export is capped.

That capping is called export limitation, often referred to as G100. It lets you fit a larger array but holds the grid export down to a set figure, commonly 3.68 kW. You still use all the power you can on site, you just export less. On a busy or rural network the DNO may approve a connection only with export limited this way. It trims how much you earn from selling power back, but it does not affect the electricity you use yourself.

Back to the planning permission overview

What you actually have to do

Nothing, in terms of paperwork. An MCS-certified installer handles the G98 notification or the G99 application as part of the job. It is worth asking to see the DNO response or approval once it is done, so you have it on record. MCS certification also matters because it is the standard required to receive Smart Export Guarantee payments for the power you export.

See what solar would do for your home

Put in your postcode and a couple of details for a quick estimate of system size, output, cost and payback.

Common questions

What is a DNO?: The distribution network operator, the company that runs the local electricity cables and substations in your area. It is separate from your energy supplier. Your solar system has to be registered with it.
What is the difference between G98 and G99?: G98 is the simple route for small systems that export up to 3.68 kW per phase: connect first, then notify the DNO within 28 days. G99 is for larger systems and needs the DNO to approve the connection before it goes live, usually within about three to eight weeks.
Does adding a battery change the grid connection?: It can. The DNO limit is the combined export of all the inverters, including the battery, so adding one can push the total over the G98 threshold. Capping the export with an export-limitation scheme can keep it within G98.
Do I have to deal with the DNO myself?: No. Your installer handles the G98 notification or the G99 application. It is worth asking to see the DNO response or approval once it is complete.
What is export limitation?: A setting that caps how much power your system sends to the grid, commonly at 3.68 kW. It lets you fit a bigger array while keeping the connection simple. You still use all the power you can on site and only the exported portion is limited.
Can the DNO refuse my solar connection?: It is rare for a home. On a weak or rural network a G99 application can come back with a cost for network upgrades or approval only at a lower export figure. The usual fix is export limitation, which caps grid export so the connection still goes ahead. Your on-site use of the power is not affected.