Guide — for site owners
Do EV chargers need planning permission?
In England, most EV chargers in an existing car park don't need a planning application because they fall under permitted development rights. There are limits and exceptions, and EV Plus checks them for you as part of the site assessment.
What you need to do
Tell us about your site. You don't need to read planning law, check whether your building is listed or contact the council.
What EV Plus does
At the free site assessment we check whether planning permission or any other consent is needed. We position the chargers to stay within permitted development where we can, and apply for anything that does need approval.
Permitted development in England
Permitted development rights let certain work go ahead without a planning application. For EV charging, they cover chargers installed in an area already lawfully used for off-street parking, such as a customer car park. The limits, last updated in May 2025, are:
| Type | Permitted without an application if |
|---|---|
| Wall-mounted charger | The charger and its casing are no bigger than 0.2 cubic metres. |
| Freestanding charger | No more than 2.7 metres high in a business car park, and no more than one charger per parking space. |
| Equipment housing | One unit per car park, up to 29 cubic metres and 3 metres high, at least 5 metres from a road and 10 metres from the grounds of any home. |
All three share one condition. When a charger is no longer needed, it must be removed and the wall or ground put back as it was.
When planning permission is needed
- Within the curtilage (the grounds) of a listed building. Permitted development doesn't apply there, so an application is needed, and work affecting the building itself may also need listed building consent.
- On the site of a scheduled monument.
- In an area covered by an Article 4 direction, where the council has removed permitted development rights. Being in a conservation area doesn't by itself remove the rights for chargers.
- Where the equipment is larger or taller than the limits above, or the chargers are outside an existing off-street parking area.
Needing permission doesn't rule a site out. It adds a step, and we handle the application.
Other consents we check
We also check whether you need your landlord's consent (if you lease the site), connection approval from the local electricity network operator, or highway permission for any work that would affect a public road or pavement.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Each has its own permitted development rules for EV chargers, with different limits and conditions. We check the rules that apply where your site is.
More changes on the way
In September 2026 the government confirmed plans to widen EV charging permitted development rights in England. The changes need new legislation before they take effect, and we will update this guide when they do.
Please note This is EV Plus's own summary of Part 2 of the General Permitted Development Order 2015 (England), correct as of September 2026. It is not legal or planning advice, and your local planning authority has the final say.
Not sure where you stand? We'll check your site's planning position as part of a free assessment.
Apply for a charger