The NC6 Form: Registering Solar Panels with ESB Networks
Every home in Ireland that connects solar panels to the grid needs an NC6 form on file with ESB Networks. It is a short technical form, it is free, and your installer normally handles it. It also decides when you start being paid for exports: if the NC6 was never sent, or sent late, the payments do not start, however well the panels are working. This guide goes through the form section by section, the timeline to your first export payment, and how to fix a missing NC6 on an older system. For export rates by supplier, see our microgeneration and export rates guide.
Quick Answer
The NC6 is the form that tells ESB Networks you are connecting solar panels, a battery or another small generator to the grid. It covers systems up to 25A single phase (about 6 kVA) or 16A per phase on three phase (about 11 kVA), which is almost every home solar install. Your installer usually fills it in and submits it online or by post; ESB no longer processes emailed forms. There is no fee. You must not connect until ESB has had the form for 20 working days without objecting, and you are only paid for exports from the date ESB processes it, once a smart meter is fitted.
What the NC6 form is
NC6 stands for the ESB Networks “Microgeneration Notification” form. It tells ESB, which runs the electricity network, that a generator is being connected at your home and will sometimes push power onto the local lines. ESB uses it to check the inverter is a type it accepts, that its safety settings will switch it off if the grid goes down (so line workers are not electrocuted), and to record your Maximum Export Capacity (MEC). Your MEC is what makes you eligible to be paid for exports.
It is a notification, not an application for permission. Under what ESB calls “inform and fit”, a qualifying system can be connected once ESB has had the form for 20 business days without objecting. There is no connection charge.
| Your supply | NC6 limit (inverter rated current) | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| Single phase (most homes) | 25A | 6 kVA |
| Three phase | 16A per phase | 11 kVA |
The limit is on the inverter, not the panels. A typical 4 to 6 kWp home system on a single-phase supply with a 5 kW inverter is well inside it; a 6 kW inverter qualifies only if its type-tested rated current is no more than 25A. You can have more panel capacity than the inverter size, because the inverter caps what goes to the grid. Solar panels, batteries, small wind turbines, micro-hydro and micro-CHP all use the same form.
Who submits it, and how
ESB's own FAQ says the customer can submit the NC6, but an installer or electrician is better placed because it is technical: it needs the inverter's type test certificate, its protection settings and a Safe Electric installer's signature. Installers normally include it as part of the job. Ask yours to confirm the date they sent it, because that date matters for your export payments.
| Route | Accepted? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Yes | ESB's microgeneration application portal. The quickest route. |
| Post | Yes | Print the NC6 form (PDF) and send it to ESB Networks DAC, NC6 Microgen Notifications, New Connections, Sarsfield Road, Wilton, Cork T12 E367. Ring 1800 372 757 for a paper copy. |
| No | ESB says it no longer processes microgeneration applications sent by email, even though the current PDF (August 2024) still prints an email address on the back page. |
Whichever route is used, attach the type test certificate showing the inverter meets IS EN 50549-1, and the manufacturer's datasheet for each inverter. The form asks for every section to be completed, with N/A where something does not apply.
From NC6 to your first export payment
| Stage | What happens | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Before installation | Your installer (or you) submits the NC6 with the inverter's type test certificate and datasheet. | Day 0 |
| ESB review | You must not connect until ESB Networks has the form and has not objected within 20 business days. ESB issues your Maximum Export Capacity (MEC) within 20 working days of a complete, correct form. | Up to 20 working days |
| Processed | ESB emails to say the NC6 is processed and tells your electricity supplier. Exports count from this date, not from when you sent the form. | When ESB confirms |
| Smart meter | If you do not already have one, ESB aims to fit a smart meter within four months. If you are eligible for one, you cannot be paid for exports until it is in. | Up to about 4 months |
| Export payments | Your supplier pays for every kWh the smart meter records going to the grid, as a bill credit or separate statement. | Each billing cycle |
The two rules that cost people money
- No backdating. Exports count from the date ESB processes the NC6, not the date it was sent or the date the panels went up. A form sent months late means months of unpaid exports.
- No payment while you wait for a smart meter. If your home is eligible for a smart meter, you cannot be paid for exports until it is fitted. Homes not yet eligible are paid on a deemed (estimated) export figure based on their MEC instead.
ESB tells your supplier once the NC6 is processed. ESB's FAQ still suggests contacting your supplier when you get the “processed” email, to make sure export payments are set up. If months have passed with nothing on your bill, see export payments not received and smart meter not recording export.
The NC6 form, section by section
The form asks for everything in block capitals. Your installer fills in the technical parts; you need your MPRN and to make sure the account is in your name.
Section 1: Customer name, address and contact details
The name and site address of the home getting the system, plus phone and email. ESB sends its confirmation to the email given here, so use one you check.
Section 2: MPRN and Eircode
Your 11-digit MPRN, from the top of your electricity bill. It must be registered in the applicant's name: if the account is in someone else's name, ask your supplier to change it first. The form also asks whether this is the first microgenerator at the property. If it is not, do not connect anything new until ESB confirms.
Section 3: Installer or consultant details
Who is handling the job, and how ESB can contact them about the technical details.
Section 4: Which kind of installation
Three tick boxes: a new system to EN 50549 (go on to section 5A), a system installed before 28 January 2022 to EN 50549 with settings applied by the installer (5B), or one installed before that date to the older EN 50438 standard with settings applied at the factory (5C).
Section 5: Microgeneration details
Single or three phase, energy source (PV for solar, B for battery), inverter make, model and size in kVA, its rated current from the type test (no more than 25A single phase or 16A per phase), and the panel and battery kVA behind each inverter. Existing and new units are listed side by side, so adding a second inverter goes here too.
Section 5A / 5B / 5C: Protection settings and installer sign-off
The installer confirms the inverter's grid protection settings match ESB's tables (Table 1 for new systems, Table 2 for pre-2022 ones), gives their Safe Electric number, and signs. Only one of 5A, 5B or 5C applies.
Section 6: Data protection
How ESB Networks uses your details. Nothing to fill in.
NC6 or NC7: which form is yours?
Above the NC6 limits, a system counts as mini-generation and uses the NC7 form. That is a full application, not a notification: ESB assesses the local network before making a connection offer, and you must not install until you have signed the connection agreement.
| NC6 (micro-generation) | NC7 (mini-generation) | |
|---|---|---|
| Single phase | Up to 25A (about 6 kVA) | 25A to 72A (about 6 to 17 kVA) |
| Three phase | Up to 16A per phase (about 11 kVA) | 16A to 72A per phase (about 11 to 50 kVA) |
| Fee | None | €1,041.81 including VAT, non-refundable |
| Can you install? | After 20 business days with no objection | Only after accepting ESB's offer and signing the agreement |
| How long | MEC within 20 working days | Offer typically 8 to 10 weeks after the fee is paid |
| Typical user | Almost all homes | Farms, larger homes on three phase, commercial roofs |
If an installer quotes a system with an inverter over 6 kW on a single-phase supply, ask whether it will be limited to 25A for an NC6, or whether they are applying under NC7 and who pays the fee.
Panels installed but no NC6 sent?
Some homes have panels that were never registered with ESB, often because an installer went out of business or the form was never sent. Unregistered generators cannot be paid for exports. ESB has a retrospective route using the same NC6 form:
- Get the original installer, or any Safe Electric registered electrician, to inspect the system and fill in the NC6. ESB says any registered solar installer can do this for you.
- They tick the right box in section 4 and sign section 5B (EN 50549 inverters installed before 28 January 2022) or 5C (older EN 50438 inverters). Systems installed since then use 5A.
- Attach the type test certificate and datasheet, with the inverter's serial number, model and kVA rating.
- ESB registers your MEC from the date it receives an acceptable form. Nothing before that date is paid.
ESB says the retrospective route does not generally need new protection settings or a newer inverter. If you are not sure whether your NC6 was ever sent, email networkservicesbureau@esb.ie with your MPRN, contact details and your installer's details, and ask for a copy of what was submitted.
Batteries, extra panels and other changes
Adding a battery
Batteries are listed on the same form (energy source “B”, with storage kVA recorded behind each inverter). If adding one changes your export capacity, for example with a new hybrid inverter, ESB needs an updated NC6. See our battery storage guide.
Adding panels
Extra panels behind your existing inverter do not need ESB's permission, as long as the inverter stays within the NC6 limits.
New or second inverter
Changing your export capacity means a new NC6 with updated type test certificates. Going over 25A single phase or 16A per phase moves you to NC7.
Mistake on a submitted form
An NC6 cannot be amended once sent. Email networkservicesbureau@esb.ie to cancel it, then submit a corrected one. Tell ESB the same way if the system is removed or stops working for good, so the MEC is taken off.
Building a new house? Submit the NC6 with the house connection application. The house must be connected and the NC6 approved before the panels are switched on.
NC6 form: FAQ
What is an NC6 form?
The NC6 is ESB Networks' Microgeneration Notification form. It tells ESB you are connecting solar panels, a battery or another small generator to the grid at your home, and records your Maximum Export Capacity, which you need to be paid for exports. It covers inverters up to 25A single phase (about 6 kVA) or 16A per phase on three phase (about 11 kVA).
Who fills in the NC6 form, me or my installer?
Usually your installer. ESB says a customer can submit it, but it needs the inverter's type test certificate, its protection settings and a Safe Electric installer's signature, so an installer or electrician is better placed. You supply your MPRN and make sure the electricity account is in your name.
How long does the NC6 take to process?
ESB Networks issues your Maximum Export Capacity within 20 working days of receiving a complete and correct form, and you must not connect until it has had the form for 20 business days without objecting. If you need a smart meter, ESB aims to fit it within four months of processing the NC6.
Can I email the NC6 form to ESB Networks?
No. ESB Networks says it no longer processes microgeneration applications sent by email, even though the current form still shows an email address. Submit it through ESB's online microgeneration portal or post it to ESB Networks DAC, NC6 Microgen Notifications, New Connections, Sarsfield Road, Wilton, Cork T12 E367.
Is there a fee for the NC6?
No. There is no charge for an NC6 or for connecting under ESB's inform-and-fit process. Larger systems that need an NC7 mini-generation application pay a non-refundable fee of €1,041.81 including VAT.
Will I be paid for exports from the day my panels went up?
No. ESB counts exports from the date it processes your NC6, not the date it was sent or the installation date, and your supplier can only pay once your MEC is registered. If you are eligible for a smart meter, payments only start once it is fitted.
What if my installer never submitted the NC6?
Any registered solar installer or Safe Electric electrician can complete one for you under ESB's retrospective process, signing section 5B or 5C of the form for systems installed before 28 January 2022. ESB registers your MEC from the date it receives the form, so do it as soon as possible.
Do I need a new NC6 if I add a battery?
If adding the battery changes your export capacity, for example because it comes with a new hybrid inverter, yes: ESB needs an updated NC6 with new type test certificates. Adding panels behind an existing inverter that stays within the limits does not need ESB's permission.
Does the NC6 need ESB Networks' approval?
Not for systems within the NC6 limits. It is a notification under ESB's inform-and-fit process: once ESB has had a valid form for 20 business days without objecting, the system can be connected. Systems above the limits need an NC7 application and a connection offer first.
Related Guides
Export Payments
Sell surplus electricity at 15–32c/kWh.
CEG Payments Not Received
Why export payments may be missing and how to fix enrolment.
Smart Meter Not Recording Export
Export not metered? ESB Networks vs supplier, and NC6.
Smart Meters Ireland
How the ESB Networks rollout works, reading your meter, and downloading your HDF data.
Sources
- ESB Networks: What is micro-generation, esbnetworks.ie
- ESB Networks: NC6 Microgeneration Notification form (Rev 1, August 2024), media.esbnetworks.ie
- ESB Networks: Micro-generator FAQ, esbnetworks.ie
- ESB Networks: Retrospective micro-generation registration process, esbnetworks.ie
- ESB Networks: Mini-generation (NC7), esbnetworks.ie
- Commission for Regulation of Utilities: Microgeneration, cru.ie
Facts checked against ESB Networks and CRU pages on 27 October 2026.
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
John Rooney is the editor of Solar Info and has been covering the Irish solar energy market since 2023. He fact-checks all content against official SEAI data and maintains relationships with SEAI-registered installers across Ireland.
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