EV Charging Points
Permitted Development or Do You Need Full Planning Permission?
With electric vehicles becoming increasingly common on UK roads, more homeowners, landlords, and businesses are looking to install EV charging points on their properties. For many, the first question is a practical one: do I need planning permission for this, or can I just go ahead and install it?
The good news is that for most people in England, the rules got significantly simpler in May 2025. A major update to what is known as Permitted Development Rights (PDR) — a national grant of planning permission that allows certain types of work to be carried out without a formal planning application — removed a number of previous restrictions that had slowed down EV charger installations.
However, the rules are not the same for everyone. Where you live, what type of property you own, and the scale of the installation all affect whether you need to apply for planning permission or not. Getting this wrong can mean having to remove an installation at your own cost — so it is worth understanding the rules before you start.
This guide covers the current position for homeowners, businesses, and those in protected or sensitive locations.
What changed in May 2025?
On 29 May 2025, the UK Government introduced reforms to Permitted Development Rights specifically for EV charging infrastructure. The aim was to cut red tape and make it faster and cheaper for drivers and businesses to install chargepoints.
The changes were confirmed by the Department for Transport and the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and came into effect immediately.
The headline change for homeowners was the removal of the previous restriction that prevented wall-mounted chargers from facing a highway. Under the old rules, if your charger was wall-mounted and within two metres of a road, you needed full planning permission. That restriction has now been lifted for most residential properties.
For businesses, the reforms went further, expanding how many chargers can be installed under permitted development rights and increasing the permitted height of freestanding units.
Do homeowners need planning permission?
For the majority of homeowners with off-street parking — a driveway, a garage, or a private parking space — installing a standard EV charger is now considered permitted development. This means you do not need to submit a planning application before work begins.
To qualify as permitted development, a residential EV charger installation must meet the following conditions:
The charger must be installed within the boundary of the property.
Only one charger is permitted per parking space.
Wall-mounted units must not exceed 0.2 cubic metres in size (roughly the size of a large shoebox).
Freestanding units must not exceed 1.6 metres in height.
These conditions are set out in Schedule 2, Part 2 of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, as amended.
If your installation meets these criteria and your property is not in a protected area (more on those below), you can proceed without a planning application.
One important note: permitted development does not mean unregulated. All EV charger installations in England must still comply with Building Regulations Part P (electrical safety) and Part S (EV infrastructure requirements). Your installer is responsible for ensuring compliance, but it is worth confirming this before work starts.
When do homeowners still need planning permission?
Despite the 2025 reforms, there are several situations where a residential installation does not benefit from permitted development rights and formal planning permission is required.
Listed buildings. If your home is a listed building — that is, a property recognised as being of special architectural or historic interest — any external alteration, including installing an EV charger, requires Listed Building Consent in addition to any planning permissions. The restrictions exist to protect the character and appearance of the building.
Conservation areas. If your property is within a conservation area, a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), or a World Heritage Site, permitted development rights may be restricted or removed through what is known as an Article 4 Direction. An Article 4 Direction is a formal decision by a local planning authority to withdraw certain permitted development rights in a specific area, usually to protect the character of that location. You should check with your local planning authority before proceeding.
Flats and maisonettes. Permitted development rights for EV chargers apply to houses, not flats or maisonettes. If you live in a flat, you will typically need planning permission — and in many cases, permission from your freeholder or management company as well.
No off-street parking. If your only parking is on the public street, installing a charger is more complicated. Running a charging cable across a pavement requires separate permission from the local highway authority, and you will need to use a safe cross-pavement solution. Contact your local council for guidance on this.
What about businesses and commercial properties?
For businesses, the 2025 reforms also brought improvements, though the picture is slightly more complex than for residential properties.
Under updated permitted development rights, businesses can now install up to five wall-mounted or freestanding EV chargers per site without requiring a full planning application. Freestanding units are now permitted up to 2.7 metres tall — an increase from the previous 2.3 metres — provided they sit within the site boundary and are not within two metres of a highway.
A new category was also introduced: equipment cabinets that support EV charging infrastructure (such as power distribution units) are now permitted under PDR provided they are no taller than three metres, have a volume of no more than 29 cubic metres, are not within five metres of a highway, and are not within ten metres of a residential building.
For larger commercial installations — including standalone EV charging forecourts, rapid charging hubs, or large-scale public charging sites — a full planning application will still be required. These types of development are considered more complex in planning terms due to their scale, traffic impact, and potential effect on the surrounding area.
If you are a business considering installing multiple rapid chargers or developing a dedicated charging site, early pre-application discussions with your local planning authority are strongly recommended.
What is a Lawful Development Certificate, and do you need one?
Even when an installation is permitted development, some people choose to apply for a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC). This is an optional certificate from your local planning authority that formally confirms your installation is lawful and does not require planning permission.
An LDC is not required, but it can be useful if you are planning to sell your property in the future and want to provide clear evidence that the installation was carried out lawfully. It provides a paper trail that can be helpful during conveyancing.
You can apply for an LDC through the Planning Portal. There is typically a fee, but it is considerably less than a full planning application.
Do new homes have to include EV charging?
Yes. Since 2022, all new homes built in England with associated parking spaces have been required to include EV charging infrastructure under Building Regulations Part S. This applies to new residential developments, as well as non-residential buildings undergoing major renovation where parking is provided.
For non-residential buildings — offices, shops, warehouses and similar — the requirement is for at least one chargepoint for every five parking spaces in new builds or major renovations. Existing non-residential buildings with more than 20 parking spaces are also expected to meet minimum chargepoint provision requirements.
These are Building Regulations requirements, not planning conditions, but developers and architects need to be aware of them at the design stage to avoid compliance issues later.
Common mistakes to avoid
Assuming all residential properties are treated the same. Listed buildings, flats, and properties in conservation areas all have different rules. Always check your property's status before assuming permitted development applies.
Installing without checking Article 4 Directions. Even if your property type would normally benefit from permitted development rights, a local Article 4 Direction may have removed them in your specific area. Your local planning authority can confirm whether this applies to your address.
Overlooking Building Regulations. Permitted development means no planning application is needed — it does not mean no regulations apply. Electrical safety under Part P and EV infrastructure requirements under Part S still apply to every installation.
Not notifying your Distribution Network Operator (DNO). Your installer must notify the local electricity network operator — known as the Distribution Network Operator or DNO — to ensure the local grid can handle the additional load. This is a technical requirement that is separate from the planning process but is equally important.
For businesses, exceeding the permitted development limits without realising. Installing more than five chargers, or installing support equipment that does not meet the size and location conditions, will take you outside permitted development rights. Always check the current thresholds before proceeding with a larger installation.
A quick summary
Most homeowners with off-street parking can install a standard EV charger without planning permission, following the May 2025 rule changes.
Listed buildings, conservation areas, flats, and properties affected by Article 4 Directions are exceptions — planning permission may still be required.
Businesses can install up to five chargers under permitted development rights, subject to size and location conditions. Large-scale charging sites require a full planning application.
Building Regulations still apply to all EV charger installations, regardless of whether planning permission is needed.
If in doubt, a pre-application enquiry to your local planning authority takes a matter of days and could save you significant time and cost.
CLOSING PARAGRAPH:
The planning landscape for EV charging has become more straightforward for most people, but the exceptions are significant enough that it is always worth checking your specific situation before starting work. If you are unsure whether your property or proposed installation falls within permitted development rights, contact your local planning authority or speak to a planning consultant before instructing an installer.
