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Mandatory Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Building Standards

The California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) published mandatory building standards requiring pre-wiring for EV charging station installation in parking spaces at one- and two-family dwellings with attached private garages, multi-family dwellings, commercial facilities, and public buildings in the California Green Building Standards Code within the California Building Standards Code.

Minimum EV charging station prewiring installation requirements are based on the number of parking spaces, per parking facility, as follows:

Public facilities must also install handicap-accessible EV charging stations when installing new or additional EV charging stations. Minimum accessible EV charging station installation requirements, per parking facility, are as follows:

In cases in which EV charging stations can simultaneously charge more than one vehicle, the number of EV charging stations provided shall be considered equivalent to the number of electric vehicles that can be simultaneously charged.

Beginning January 1, 2023, CBSC must convene a workshop to evaluate demand for EV charging infrastructure, electric load forecasts, and statewide transportation electrification goals and use the workshop’s findings to recommend updates to EV charging station building standards. The workshop must convene and propose recommendations on a triennial basis. CBSC must also publish guidance and best practices for installing EV charging stations.

For more information, including exemptions and additional regulations, see the CBSC website.

(Reference California Health and Safety Code 18941.10 and 18941.11, California Building Code Chapter 2, California Green Building Standards Title 24, Part 11, and Assembly Bill 2075, 2022)

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Building Standards

At least one parking space in any new commercial construction with over 15 parking spaces must be made-ready for EV charging stations. An EV-ready space is defined as a designated parking space with a dedicated branch circuit for EV charging stations. Additional terms and conditions apply.

(Reference Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 143, Section 94 and 95 and Massachusetts State Building Code 780 CMR 13.00 Subsection C405.10)

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Building Standards for New Construction

By July 1, 2022, the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, Building Code Division, must amend the state building code to require that 20% of parking spaces at all newly constructed commercial buildings, multifamily residences with five or more units, and mixed-use developments have the electrical capacity to support Level 2 EV charging stations. New residential construction must be able to support the installation of one Level 2 EV charging stations. (Reference House Bill 2180, 2021)

State Building Electric Vehicle Charging Station Standards

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environment must develop standards for construction of state buildings, which include standards electric vehicle charging stations standards and meet or exceed Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver levels.

(Reference Connecticut General Statutes 216a-38k)

Mandatory Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Building Standards

At least one parking space, or 10% of parking spaces rounded to the next whole number, must be made-ready for Level 2 EV charging stations at all new buildings. Electrical capacity must accommodate the potential to serve a minimum of 20% of the total parking spaces with Level 2 EV charging stations. For assembly, education, or mercantile buildings, the requirements apply only to employee parking spaces. Buildings classified as utility or miscellaneous and some residential buildings are exempt from these requirements. Additional terms and conditions apply.

(Reference Revised Code of Washington 51-50-0429)

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station New Construction Requirement

Beginning October 1, 2023, new construction of homes with a garage, carport, or driveway must include a Level 2 EV charging station or electric pre-wiring to support a Level 2 EV charging station. The builder must provide buyers with notice of EV charging station make-ready options and information about all available rebate programs for EV charging station purchase and installation.

(Reference Maryland Statutes, Public Safety Code 12-205 and House Bill 830, 2023)

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station New Construction and Building Renovation Requirement

Any executive branch agency or institution designing new building construction of more than 5,000 square feet, or a renovation that costs more than 50% of the value of the building, must include EV charging infrastructure. EV charging infrastructure must be sufficient to support charging for every centralized fleet vehicle based at that building.

(Reference Virginia Code 2.2-1182 and 2.2-1183)

Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure New Building Requirement for Localities

Any locality designing new building construction of more than 5,000 square feet, or a renovation that costs more than 50% of the value of the building, must include sufficient EV charging infrastructure. The building must be capable of supporting projected EV charging and fueling demand over the first 10 years following building occupancy. Alternatively, the building must earn a EV or electric vehicle charging credit from the Virginia Energy Conservation and Environmental Standards (VEES), the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating standard, or the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes building standard.

(Reference Virginia Code 15.2-1804.1)

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Make-Ready Requirements for New Developments

As a condition of preliminary site plan approval, new non-residential developments with parking lots and garages must meet the following make-ready requirements:

Parking lots and garages may install make-ready parking spaces and EV charging stations at a faster rate than required. Retailers that provide 25 or fewer off-street parking spaces are not required to provide or install any EV charging stations or make-ready parking spaces.

Parking lots and garages may install EV charging stations in lieu of make-ready spaces to satisfy these requirements. Standards must be developed that provide for the progression of accessible make-ready parking spaces to accessible EV charging station parking spaces and conform to the requirements of the most recent International Building Code and International Residential Code published by the International Code Council except as the Commissioner of Community Affairs (Commissioner) deems appropriate to deviate from those codes.

In September 2021, the Commissioner of Community Affairs (Commissioner) published a model land use ordinance to address installation, sightline, setback requirements, and other health- and safety-related specifications for EV charging stations and make-ready parking spaces and post the model land use ordinance on the department’s website. Requirements include the following:

• A parking space with an EV charging station or make-ready equipment may count as two parking spaces for the purpose of complying with a minimum parking space requirement but may not reduce total required parking by more than 10 percent.
• All parking space calculations for EV charging stations and make-ready equipment pursuant to this section shall be rounded up to the next full parking space.

The model land use ordinance applies to all municipalities in New Jersey, but municipalities may adopt reasonable standards to address installation, sightline, and setback requirements or other health- and safety-related specifications for EV charging stations and make-ready parking spaces. Municipalities may not require more make-ready parking spaces than the land use ordinance published by the Commissioner.

(Reference New Jersey Statutes 40:55D-4, 40:55D-5, 40:55D-66.20, and 40:55D-66.21)

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Make-Ready Requirements for Multi-Unit Dwellings (MUDs)

New MUD developments with five or more units must designate 15% of required off-street parking as electric vehicle (EV) make-ready parking spaces. Prior to occupancy, EV charging stations must be installed in 5% of off-street parking. MUDs must then install EV charging stations in an additional 5% of parking spaces within 3 years of occupancy and another 5% within 6 years of occupancy. MUDs may install make-ready parking spaces and EV charging stations at a faster rate than required. Throughout the installation of EV charging stations in make-ready parking spaces at MUDs, at least 5% of EV charging stations must be accessible for people with disabilities.

(Reference New Jersey Statutes 40:55D-5 and 40:55D-66.2)

Electric Vehicle (EV) Parking Space Make-Ready Permitting Requirements

EV make-ready parking spaces at existing service stations, existing retail establishments, or any other existing building may be approved through the issuance of a municipal zoning permit by meeting the following requirements:

• The proposed installation does not violate bulk requirements applicable to the property;
• All other conditions of prior approvals continue to be met; and
• The proposed installation complies with the construction codes adopted in, or promulgated pursuant to, the State Uniform Construction Code, safety standards concerning the installation, and state rules or regulations concerning EV charging stations.

Installation of EV charging stations or EV make-ready parking spaces shall be considered a permitted accessory use for all municipal zoning or use districts.

(Reference New Jersey Statutes 40:55D-5 and 40:55D-66.19)

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Building Standards

Beginning January 1, 2022, new construction and renovation of commercial buildings and multi-unit dwellings with four or more off-street parking spaces, must reserve a minimum of 20% of parking spaces for EV charging station-ready infrastructure. The Executive Office of the Mayor must establish regulations detailing the technical specifications required to support the EV charging station-ready infrastructure. (Reference District of Columbia Code 6-1451.03a)

Mandatory Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Building Standards

Beginning January 1, 2023, new state buildings with project costs greater than $100,000 must install Level 2 EV charging stations at a minimum of 20% of light-duty vehicle (LDV) parking spaces. New commercial or multi-unit dwelling buildings with at least 30 LDV parking spaces must be capable of supporting Level 2 or direct current fast charging (DCFC) stations at 10% of such spaces.

(Reference Senate Bill 4, 2022)

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Building Standards

The Colorado Energy Code Board (Board) must develop a model EV-ready building code for counties, municipalities, and state agencies by June 1, 2023. Members of the Board are appointed by the Director of the Colorado Energy Office. The Board must include the following elements in the model building code:

• EV-ready and EV-capable requirements for commercial and residential buildings;
• EV-ready, EV-capable, and EV charging station installation requirements for 20% or more parking spaces at multifamily and commercial buildings;
• Pre-wiring requirements for single-family residential buildings, multifamily, and commercial buildings

Building codes must consider the cost-effectiveness of pre-wiring for EV charging stations. At a minimum, EV-ready parking spaces must have electrical panel capacity, raceway wiring, a receptacle, and a circuit overprotection devise to support an EV charging station with a minimum capacity of 208V.

(Reference Reference House Bill 1362, 2022)