California has long been a leader on right-to-charge issues.
- California’s right-to-charge protections for owners in condos, co-ops, and planned communities include language that highlights alignment with state policy “to promote, encourage, and remove obstacles to the use of electric vehicle charging.”
- California’s right-to-charge policy ensures owners can install an EV charging station in a unit parking space or common space. An association may also install an EV charger in the common area for the use of all unit owners.
- If a parking space does not exist, an association can create one to install an EV charging station. This can encourage cost-sharing for charging installation, recognizing that in some use cases, one charger might be sufficient for more than one owner.
- Renter protections are not as strong as those for owners. Lessors are not obligated to provide a parking space to a lessee if one is not available, and there is no penalty for lessors who do not recognize the lessee’s right to charge as granted by the policy. Fortunately, California will now require all new residential units with parking spaces to have “EV Ready” charging infrastructure starting in 2026.
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