What are the UK building regulations for electric vehicle chargers?

January 12, 2023

Aaron Sweet

SmartLabs

In this guide

Intro to EV charging building regulations
Requirements by building size and type
Who is impacted
Enforcement and penalties
How to prepare your business

Electric vehicles play a pivotal role in the UK’s environmental targets; creating cleaner local communities and a greener planet.

But an electric revolution can’t be successful without convenient and reliable charging facilities for drivers.

And the Government wants the property industry to play a bigger part in rolling out this infrastructure.

In June 2022, Part S building regulations came into force. This update included new requirements for EV chargers and cable routes in new-build and retrofitted properties.

So, how do the new building regulations impact your business? Read on to learn more.

Which building regulations apply to EV charging?

In almost all new and retrofit properties, the latest building regulations require you to install at least one EV charger.

However, the rules vary depending on the size and use of the building.

Here’s a summary of how the regulations may impact your work.

Residential new builds and retrofits

All new homes which have parking will need an electric car charger. This includes buildings undergoing a change of use, such as an office block being repurposed into apartments.
Residential properties that are undergoing a major renovation and will have over 10 parking spaces must have at least one EV charger per dwelling with associated parking, plus cable routes for all spaces without chargers.

Commercial new builds and retrofits

Any new non-residential properties with over 10 parking spaces must have a minimum of one charge point. You also need to have a cable route available for every five parking spaces after that.
The same rules apply for major renovations to commercial buildings that will have more than 10 parking spaces.

Who is impacted by the building regulations?

The new building regulations will affect anyone involved in the process of constructing or modifying a property in England, including:

Installers
Architects
Property developers
Property managers
Property owners
Contractors

In most cases, it’s the building owner who will be accountable for following the building regulations, but the organisations designing and carrying out the building works can also be held responsible.

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Currently, the regulations only apply in England, but Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are expected to introduce similar regulations.

How are the regulations enforced?

The penalty can be steep for businesses that don't adhere to the regulations or whose properties do not meet the technical requirements.

Failing to comply could result in your business being prosecuted in a magistrate’s court, usually by a local authority, up to 2 years after the work is completed.

In court, your business could receive an unlimited initial fine, plus further daily fines until the matter is resolved.

It’s always best to be a step ahead and avoid any negative consequences.

How to prepare your business for buildings regulations

While the regulations may feel like a big undertaking, there are products and services available to help. Here are the top 3 things to consider.

Install good quality chargers

Choosing a reliable EV charger that’s ready for the future and easy to procure and install at scale will be key to keeping your project on track and meeting building regulations.

You will also need to make sure that any chargers are compliant with The Electric Vehicle (Smart Charge Points) Regulations.

There are many chargers to choose from, including the BG Sync EV chargers, the waEV-charge EV1, BriXcell charger, or the Stevie Charger from JPL EV Ltd.

Chargers come in a range of aesthetic options, from different colours to surface-mounted and recessed options, allowing you to match your vision for the property.

Want access to our trusted network of charger manufacturers and installers? Get in touch - it’s free!

Choose a back-office management system

Next, you should consider how you or the building manager will maintain the EV chargers. A secure and straightforward back office management system will be essential to this, especially at scale, as chargers can be managed remotely.

Key functionality includes:

Monitoring and controlling chargers
Providing access for residents or end users
Taking and managing payments
Protecting the circuit with load balancing

To prevent any headaches later, you’ll want to make sure that you choose a system that works with your chargers.

Are you looking for a charger management tool that’s quick and easy to use? ev.energy’s Pando can help you manage multiple chargers from different brands altogether, right from your web browser.

Create a great user experience

Finally, you’ll want to make sure that you’re providing a great experience for the end user, whether that’s Joe who lives in the building or Jane who works in the office block.

The easiest way to do this is by providing an app that allows drivers to book, pay and manage their charging without any hassle, like ev.energy.

Again, to get the easiest and most cost-effective set-up, you’ll want to make sure that the option you choose here is compatible with the chargers and back-end management system.

Do you want to create a seamless shared EV charging experience for people in your building? ev.energy’s Shared Charging can help.