Can You Install an EV Charger in an Apartment?

Yes. Most NSW apartment owners can install an EV charger in their car space, but the cable crosses common property, so the owners corporation must approve it first. EV chargers count as sustainability infrastructure in NSW, so the motion passes unless half or more of the votes cast are against it. Then the building's supply has to carry the load.

In a house, an EV charger is a wiring job. In an apartment it is a strata job and a wiring job, and the strata side usually takes longer. Approval comes first below, then where the power can come from and what decides whether a building can take one charger or twenty.

Do you need strata approval to install an EV charger?

Almost always, yes, even when the car space belongs to your lot. The charger may sit in your space, but the cable runs through walls, ceilings and cable trays that are common property, and it connects to a switchboard or meter panel the owners corporation controls. Work on common property needs the owners corporation's approval under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015.

NSW treats EV charging as sustainability infrastructure, which lowers the bar. A sustainability infrastructure resolution passes unless 50% or more of the value of votes cast are against it, so a handful of objectors cannot block it on their own. Before the vote, the owners corporation has to consider set factors, including the cost of the work, running and maintenance costs, who will do the work, who will own the equipment and who can use it.

Many schemes also adopt a by-law that sets the conditions: who maintains the charger, who pays for the power, insurance, and what happens when the owner sells. A by-law needs a special resolution and must be registered with NSW Land Registry Services within six months. The NSW Government publishes model motions and by-laws for EV chargers, and your strata manager can confirm which ones fit your scheme. Treat this as general information, not legal advice.

Where does the power for an apartment EV charger come from?

There are three common ways to supply a charger in an apartment car park, and the choice decides how the power gets billed. Which one works depends on how far your car space is from your unit's meter, and how the building's switchboards are laid out.

Supply option	How it works	Watch out for
From your own unit's meter	A new circuit runs from your apartment's switchboard down to your car space, so the charging shows on your own power bill.	Long cable runs through several floors of common property, and your unit's supply may be small.
From common property with a sub-meter	The charger connects to a common property board near the car park, and a sub-meter or smart charger records your usage.	The owners corporation pays the bill, so it needs a clear way to recover the cost from you.
A shared building EV system	The building installs backbone cabling and load management once, and each owner connects their own charger to it.	Needs owners corporation funding and planning up front, but makes each later charger simpler.

Can the building's supply handle EV chargers?

One charger is rarely a problem. Ten or twenty charging overnight can be, because the building's supply was sized for the loads it was designed with. A typical 7kW charger draws about 32 amps, which our guide to breaker sizing for a 7kW charger explains. Multiply that across a car park and the total can pass what the main switchboard and the cables feeding it can carry.

An electrician works out the building's maximum demand, then compares it with what the supply can deliver. The usual answer is load management: the chargers share whatever spare capacity exists, speeding up late at night when the building is quiet and slowing down when it is busy. Most apartment owners only need a full battery by morning, so this works well.

When the spare capacity is not there, the fix is upstream. That can mean larger consumer mains or submains, a new main switchboard, or a supply upgrade with the network. Anything touching the connection to the street is Level 2 ASP work, which DM Electrical is accredited to carry out.

What does the approval and install process look like?

Getting the paperwork in order before the meeting is what keeps the process short. A typical sequence looks like this:

1. Check the by-laws and talk to your strata manager. Some schemes already have an EV by-law or a preferred setup.
2. Get a site assessment. A licensed electrician checks the cable route, the supply option, the metering and the building's spare capacity.
3. Submit a written proposal. Include the route, the charger model, who pays for installation and power, who maintains it, and insurance.
4. Vote at a general meeting. The owners corporation considers the required factors, then votes on the works and any by-law.
5. Install and certify. A licensed electrician installs the circuit and charger, tests it and issues a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work. Register the by-law if one was made.

Timing mostly depends on when the next general meeting falls. The electrical work itself is often a day or two once approval is in hand.

Who pays for an apartment EV charger?

In most NSW schemes the owner who wants the charger pays for it, along with its circuit and ongoing maintenance. The motion or by-law should spell this out, along with how the electricity gets paid for. When the building installs a shared system, the owners corporation usually funds the backbone and each owner pays to connect. Our commercial EV charger guide covers how cost sharing works in strata and leased buildings, and the general rules for repairs sit in our guide to strata electrical responsibility.

What if the owners corporation says no?

A refusal can be challenged at the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal if it is unreasonable. If the refusal came down to missing detail, a resubmitted proposal with a clear route, metering plan and maintenance terms is worth trying first. If it does not, get advice from a strata lawyer before going to the tribunal.

Frequently asked questions

Can I just plug my EV into a power point in my car space?

Only with the owners corporation's permission, because a car park power point is usually on common property and the building pays for the electricity. A portable charger on a 10A outlet is also slow, adding roughly 10 to 15 kilometres of range per hour, and hours of continuous load can stress older circuits. A dedicated circuit is the safer long-term setup.

Do I need a by-law to install an EV charger in my apartment?

Not always, but many schemes use one. Approval for the works can come from a resolution, while a by-law sets ongoing conditions such as maintenance, insurance, power costs and what happens on sale. A by-law needs a special resolution and registration with NSW Land Registry Services.

Can a tenant install an EV charger in an apartment?

A tenant needs the landlord's written consent first, and the landlord then needs approval from the owners corporation because the work affects common property. The lease should record who owns the charger and who removes it, if anyone, when the tenancy ends.

What size charger suits an apartment car space?

A single-phase 7kW charger suits most apartment owners, since the car sits overnight and a full charge by morning is the usual goal. Many buildings set chargers lower than 7kW under load management. A smart charger that supports OCPP makes metering and load sharing easier in a shared car park.

The bottom line

You can usually install an EV charger in a NSW apartment, and the law makes approval easier than for most common property works. Arrive at the meeting with a clear route, a metering plan and a capacity check, and the vote tends to go smoothly. Our EV charger installation team handles both single car spaces and whole car parks. Get in touch for a site assessment and a proposal your strata committee can vote on.