Can you install an EV charger in an apartment or strata building?

Roughly a third of Australians live in apartments or townhouses, and EV uptake in those buildings is rising fast. The good news: charging is very achievable. The two things to sort out are <strong>power</strong> and <strong>permission</strong>.

1. Where the power comes from

• Your own meter. If your parking space can be reached from your apartment's supply, the simplest option is wiring the charger to your own meter — you pay for exactly what you use.
• Shared supply with smart metering. Where that's not practical, a charger on a common supply with OCPP smart metering measures your usage and bills it back to you.
• Load management. Buildings rarely have spare capacity for everyone to charge at full speed at once. Load-managed systems share available power across chargers — avoiding an expensive supply upgrade.

2. Getting strata approval

Most buildings require owners'-corporation (strata) approval before an EV charger is installed in a common-property car space. Several states have updated their strata laws in recent years to make it harder for committees to unreasonably refuse a sustainability or charging proposal — but a clear, professional proposal still makes approval far smoother.

• A licensed installer's plan showing the wiring route, metering and safety measures.
• A load assessment confirming the building can support the charger (with load management if needed).
• Clarity on who pays for installation, electricity and any ongoing maintenance.

3. What it costs

An individual apartment install is often comparable to a house install where your own supply can be reached. Where shared infrastructure, longer cable runs or load-management hardware are involved, costs are higher — but a shared 'backbone' can dramatically cut the cost for the next residents who join.

Frequently asked

Can I install an EV charger in my apartment in Australia?

Yes. You'll generally need owners'-corporation (strata) approval and a plan for where the power comes from, but specialist installers handle apartment and strata charging regularly, including buildings with shared or limited supply.

Can strata refuse an EV charger?

Several Australian states have changed strata laws to limit unreasonable refusals of EV-charging proposals. A professional installation plan addressing safety, metering and cost makes approval much more likely.

How is my charging billed in a shared building?

With OCPP smart metering your charging is measured separately and billed to you, so costs are fairly allocated between residents.