For a home EV charger in England, the electrical installation must comply with the Building Regulations where they apply. A typical installation involving a new circuit falls within Part P notification requirements. Part S is different: it sets EV charging infrastructure requirements mainly for new buildings, certain changes of use and major renovations.
You do not necessarily need to make a separate Building Regulations application yourself. If notifiable electrical work is carried out through an appropriate Competent Person Scheme route, the registered installer can self-certify the work. Otherwise, the relevant building control process must be followed.
This article covers England, including London. Building standards and notification procedures differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Key Takeaways
- Domestic EV charger electrical work in England must meet the applicable electrical safety requirements of the Building Regulations.
- A new electrical circuit is notifiable work under Part P.
- Using a registered Competent Person Scheme installer can remove the need for the homeowner to make a separate building control application for scheme-covered work.
- Part S mainly applies to defined building projects such as new buildings and major renovations rather than every retrofit charger fitted to an existing home.
- Planning permission is a separate issue from Building Regulations.
How Part P Applies to a Home EV Charger
Part P of the Building Regulations covers electrical safety in dwellings in England. The requirement applies to the electrical installation work itself, not simply to the EV charger as a product.
An EV charger installation can involve a dedicated circuit, cable route, protective devices, isolation arrangements and connection at the consumer unit. The completed electrical work therefore needs to be designed, installed, inspected and tested appropriately.
The current Approved Document P guidance explains the electrical safety requirements for dwellings and when electrical work needs to be notified.
Building Regulations compliance and planning permission are separate matters. An installation can be acceptable from a planning perspective while still having electrical Building Regulations requirements.
Is EV Charger Installation Notifiable Electrical Work?
If the EV charger installation includes a new electrical circuit connected to the consumer unit, that new circuit is notifiable work under the Building Regulations in England. GOV.UK specifically lists installation of a new circuit as work that must be notified unless an appropriate Competent Person Scheme route is used.
That distinction matters because homeowners sometimes interpret “Building Regulations apply” as meaning they personally have to submit an application to the council before every charger installation. That is not always the case.
Registered Competent Person Scheme route
A tradesperson registered for the relevant type of work can self-certify qualifying work and notify the local authority through their scheme rather than requiring the homeowner to arrange a separate building control inspection.
Building control route
If the work is not being self-certified through an appropriate scheme, Building Regulations approval and notification need to be dealt with through the relevant building control route.
GOV.UK explains the distinction in its guidance on Competent Person Schemes.
The competence and installer requirements are a separate question from the Building Regulations decision itself. The detailed installer issue is covered in our article on
whether you need a qualified electrician to fit an EV charger.
What Is Part S and Does It Apply to Existing Homes?
Part S is the part of the Building Regulations in England dealing specifically with infrastructure for charging electric vehicles. Its scope is different from Part P.
According to Approved Document S, the requirements apply to defined categories of building work, including new residential and non-residential buildings, certain material changes of use to dwellings, buildings undergoing major renovation and relevant mixed-use buildings.
An ordinary decision to retrofit a charger to an existing home does not, by itself, mean the property has become a Part S building project. The electrical installation still needs to meet any other applicable requirements, including electrical safety requirements.
The Government's Approved Document S FAQs also make clear that other relevant Building Regulations and electrical safety requirements can apply alongside Part S.
Part P and Part S answer different questions. Part P deals with electrical safety in dwellings. Part S sets charging-infrastructure requirements for the types of building work covered by its scope.
What if the EV Charger Is Part of a New Build or Major Renovation?
The position changes where the charger is connected with wider building work. New residential buildings with associated parking, major renovation projects and other developments within Part S can have specific requirements for charge points or cable routes.
In those situations, EV charging infrastructure should be considered as part of the building project rather than treated as an isolated accessory added after the rest of the work has been completed. The building control submission should reflect the relevant Part S requirements for that development.
The exact requirement depends on the type of building work, the building and its associated parking arrangements. A normal existing-house retrofit should therefore not be treated in the same way as a new housing development or major renovation.
Building Regulations and Planning Permission Are Not the Same
Building Regulations deal with how work is carried out and the standards it must meet. Planning permission concerns whether a particular development or external alteration is permitted in planning terms.
You may therefore need to consider both questions separately. Charger position, listed-building status, conservation controls or other property circumstances can affect planning considerations without changing the basic electrical safety requirements.
The planning side has its own decision rules, so it is covered separately in
our guide to EV chargers and planning permission.
What Electrical Standards Apply to the Installation?
Building Regulations are only one part of the installation framework. EV charging circuits also need appropriate electrical design, protection, inspection and testing.
The IET identifies BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations, as the UK national standard for electrical installations. Amendment 4:2026 was published on 15 April 2026 and is the latest published amendment to BS 7671:2018.
For the homeowner, the practical point is that charger selection alone does not determine whether an installation is suitable. The existing supply, proposed charging load, cable route, circuit protection, earthing arrangements and consumer unit may all need assessment before work starts.
This assessment belongs within the wider
EV charger installation
process rather than being treated as a paperwork exercise after the charger has already been fitted.
What Documents Should You Receive After Installation?
The documents depend on the electrical work carried out and the route used to demonstrate Building Regulations compliance.
Where qualifying notifiable work is self-certified through a Competent Person Scheme, the scheme process provides evidence of Building Regulations compliance. Electrical installation testing and certification are related but separate records concerning the electrical work itself.
Keep the installation and compliance records with the property's electrical documents. They can help demonstrate what work was completed and how it was certified if the property is later sold, let or altered.
What Should Be Checked Before an EV Charger Is Installed?
Before installation, the electrical scope should be established rather than assuming that every property can accept the same charger and circuit arrangement.
- Confirm whether a new dedicated circuit will be installed.
- Assess the existing electrical supply and available capacity.
- Review the consumer unit and proposed protective arrangements.
- Plan the charger position and cable route.
- Confirm how any notifiable work will be dealt with under the Building Regulations.
- Check separately whether planning, freeholder, landlord or other property permissions are relevant.
- Confirm what electrical and Building Regulations documentation will be provided after completion.
Sorting out those points before work begins is much simpler than trying to establish the compliance route after an undocumented charger has already been installed.
Official Guidance & Standards
The regulatory and technical points in this article are based on the following current authoritative guidance:
Planning an EV Charger Installation?
The electrical supply, consumer unit, proposed charger position and compliance route should be considered before installation begins.
Book an EV charger assessment