If you own a rental property in Carlsbad, Encinitas, Oceanside, or anywhere in North County San Diego, you’ve likely started seeing more tenants driving electric vehicles. Along with this trend comes a question we’re hearing more often:
“Can I install an EV charger?”
As of 2025, California law is clear: in many cases, you must allow it—but only under specific conditions. As a landlord, you do have rights and control over how these chargers are installed and who pays for what.
Here’s what you need to know to stay compliant and protect your property.
There are a few important exceptions where landlords are not required to approve a tenant’s request for an EV charging station. These include:
No Parking Space in the Lease
If your lease does not include a designated parking space, you are not obligated to provide one just for the charger.
Fewer Than Five Parking Spaces Onsite
The law does not apply to rental properties that have fewer than five total parking spaces.
10% EV Charger Threshold Already Met
If EV charging stations are already installed for at least 10% of your property’s parking spaces, you're exempt.
Rent Control Exemption
If your property is under rent control and the lease was signed before January 1, 2019, you’re not obligated to approve a new installation.
If none of these exemptions apply and the tenant makes a written request, you are generally required to allow the charger but only if the tenant follows the law and covers all related costs.
If a tenant is eligible to request an EV charger under the law, they must also meet very specific requirements:
The tenant must submit a written request that outlines their intent to install a charging station. The law only applies to leases executed, renewed, or extended after July 1, 2015, under California Civil Code §1947.6.
You can require the tenant to enter into a formal agreement that includes:
The tenant is responsible for 100% of the costs related to:
In most cases, landlords are allowed to require the tenant to carry personal liability insurance up to 10 times the annual rent for damage or injury related to the charger’s use.
However, this insurance requirement does not apply if both of the following are true:
The charger is certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (approved by OSHA)
Installation is performed by a licensed electrician
If both of those criteria are met, you cannot require insurance coverage.
Yes. If the installation of the charger results in a reserved parking space for the tenant, you are allowed to charge market rent for that parking space. This is true even if the lease previously did not assign a designated space.
As of January 1, 2022, cities and counties must approve EV charger applications administratively, meaning:
Starting in 2024, California’s Energy Commission began tracking charger uptime (the amount of time the charger is fully operational). While this doesn't impact most small-scale landlords directly today, any charger funded through public money or utility programs may soon require maintenance documentation.
This makes it even more important for landlords to have a clear agreement with tenants about who is responsible for keeping the equipment working—and paying for repairs.
If you’re a landlord in Carlsbad, Encinitas, Oceanside, or the surrounding area, EV charger requests will only increase in the coming years. To protect your property and comply with California law, we recommend the following:
Yes tenants in California may have the right to request EV charging stations. But you have the right to control how it’s done and who pays for it.
At Raintree Property Management, we help landlords across North County San Diego manage their rentals in full legal compliance. We know how to handle EV charger requests, lease modifications, and communication with tenants so you don’t have to figure it out on your own.
👉 Have questions or need help with an EV charger request?
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