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Can I charge an electric car at home?

Whether you can charge at home depends on where you park, whether you own or rent, and your council. Here are the routes, with the government grants that are open until 31 March 2027. Answer three questions in the app for your own route.

Grant: 75% of the cost up to £500 per socket, from OZEV, until 31 March 2027 (GOV.UK).

If you have a driveway or garage

A smart 7 kW wallbox fitted by a qualified electrician is the usual choice; fitted prices typically run from about £500 to £1,200 (Which?, 2026). Homeowners who live in a house they own (not a flat) are not eligible for the OZEV flats and renters grant. No GOV.UK grant for owner-occupied houses with a driveway was found among the five open schemes.

If you live in a flat or rent

The EV chargepoint grant for renters and flat owners pays 75% of the cost of one socket, up to £500. You need private off-street parking you are entitled to use, an eligible EV (or one ordered for delivery within 3 months), permission from your landlord or freeholder, and an OZEV-authorised installer. The charger must not be fitted before OZEV confirms you are eligible. It is open until 31 March 2027. Check the grant.

Landlords can apply for the residential landlord chargepoint grant: 75% of the cost, up to £500 per socket. Landlord grant.

If you park on the street

You must not run a cable loose across the pavement. Some councils allow a permanent cross-pavement channel or gully; you need the highway authority's permission (and usually a licence for the works), and planning permission is generally needed for a private charger serving on-street parking unless the council has a Local Development Order. The EV chargepoint grant for households with on-street parking pays 75% of the charger cost, up to £500, when a permanent cross-pavement solution is installed. It does not give you a reserved space. Check the grant.

In England, councils are also installing on-street chargers with the Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) fund. Residents cannot apply to LEVI directly: ask your council's transport or EV team. In Scotland, Home Energy Scotland's home-charging grant says it is currently closed.

If you have no parking at home

Plan around public, on-street and workplace charging, which cost more per mile. Employers can get up to £500 a socket from the Workplace Charging Scheme (up to 40 sockets) until 31 March 2027. If regular charging will be hard, a full hybrid may be simpler. Find chargers near you.

Planning permission and smart chargers

In England a wall-mounted charger in an area lawfully used for off-street parking is normally permitted development unless the outlet and casing exceed 0.2 cubic metres or the property is listed; a ground-mounted post up to 1.6 m high at a house or block of flats is also normally allowed. In Scotland, Classes 9E and 9F cover most home chargers, but not within 2 m of a road.

Home and workplace chargers sold in Great Britain must be smart chargers (the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021): they come with default off-peak charging hours, avoiding 8 to 11am and 4 to 10pm on weekdays, and a short random start delay, all of which the owner can change.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a grant for a home EV charger?

Yes, for some people. Until 31 March 2027, OZEV grants pay 75% of the cost up to £500 per socket for flat owners and renters with private parking, households with on-street parking that install a permanent cross-pavement solution, and residential landlords. There is no grant for people who own a house with a driveway.

Can I charge an electric car without a driveway?

Yes, but plan carefully: public and on-street chargers, workplace charging and, where your council allows it, a cross-pavement channel. Public charging costs more per mile than home charging.

Do I need planning permission for a home charger?

Usually not in England if it is in an area used for off-street parking, within the size limits, and the property is not listed. A charger serving on-street parking generally needs planning permission.

How much does it cost to install a home charger?

Typically about £500 to £1,200 fitted, and about £900 for a 7 kW charger (Which?, 2026). A grant of up to £500 may apply if you live in a flat, rent, or park on the street with a cross-pavement solution.

Sources

Checked 2026-10-16. Grant rules change: check GOV.UK before you apply. General information, not advice.

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