Installing EV Charging in Your Apartment Building: How to Get Strata Approval
Australia's electric vehicle revolution is well underway — but if you live in an apartment, plugging in isn't as simple as running a cable from your garage wall. With over 2.5 million Australians (10.3% of the population) living in apartments, and EV sales growing rapidly, the gap between EV demand and apartment charging infrastructure is one of the biggest practical challenges in the transition to electric transport.
The good news: recent legislative changes across multiple states have dramatically simplified the approval process. Here's everything you need to know.
The Legislative Shift: Your Right to Charge
The biggest barrier to EV charging in apartments has historically been strata committee resistance. Committees could block installations through special resolution requirements or simply by refusing to engage. That has changed fundamentally.
| State | Key Legislation | Approval Threshold | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Strata Schemes Management Amendment (Sustainability Infrastructure) Act 2021 | Simple majority (50%+) — passes unless 50%+ of votes are against | EV charging classified as "sustainability infrastructure" with lower voting threshold |
| Victoria | 2025 Exclusive Use By-law guidelines | Special resolution (75%) for common property changes, but streamlined process for individual installations | Owners can pay for own charger and wiring; committee simply permits use of common property conduits |
| Queensland | BCCM Act 2025 updates | Committee can approve installations under $3,000 directly without a general meeting | Transparency-focused: committees encouraged to be proactive |
| ACT | Unit Titles (Management) Act | Ordinary resolution for sustainability infrastructure | OC rules cannot prohibit sustainability infrastructure |
| WA / SA / TAS | Varies — generally standard common property modification rules | Typically special resolution | Less specific EV legislation, but general by-law frameworks apply |
The critical point for NSW owners: the Sustainability Infrastructure Act means your committee cannot simply veto an EV charger installation. The motion only requires a simple majority vote — a much lower bar than the traditional 75% special resolution that previously applied to common property modifications.
The Smart Approach: Start with a Feasibility Study
The single biggest mistake apartment owners make is going to a committee meeting and saying "I want a charger." The committee's immediate fear is a building-wide blackout from electrical overload. The solution is data.
A feasibility study (also called a Load Management Study or LMS) assesses your building's existing electrical capacity, identifies spare capacity available for EV charging, maps the car park layout and optimal cable routing, recommends the appropriate charging technology and load management system, and provides a staged rollout plan that scales as more residents adopt EVs.
Cost: Typically ,000–,000 for the study alone. However, in NSW the EV Ready Buildings Grant program co-funds these studies — the owners corporation pays a fixed ,000 and the government covers the rest.
The NSW EV Ready Buildings Grant
The NSW Government's EV Ready Buildings program, run by Energy NSW, provides substantial funding support:
| Component | What's Covered | OC Cost | Government Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feasibility Study | Electrical assessment, car park mapping, load management plan | $2,000 (fixed) | Covers the remainder (typically $5,000–,000) |
| Infrastructure Upgrade | "Behind-the-meter" electrical backbone — switchboards, cabling, load management systems | 20% of costs | 80% of costs, up to $80,000 per building |
The first major funding round was exhausted in late 2025, but the pathway remains active in 2026 through the EV Site Host EOI and future funding cycles.
Charging Technology Options for Apartments
Not all chargers are created equal. Here's what works in strata settings:
| Charging Level | Power Output | Typical Charge Time (0–80%) | Installation Cost (Per Point) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 (Standard Socket) | 2.3 kW (10A) to 3.6 kW (15A) | 20–40 hours | $500–,000 | Overnight charging where time isn't critical |
| Level 2 (Dedicated EVSE) | 7.4 kW (single phase) to 22 kW (three phase) | 3–8 hours | $2,000–,000 | Most apartment buildings — the sweet spot of speed and cost |
| DC Fast Charging | 50+ kW | 30–60 minutes | $50,000–,000 | Generally not practical or cost-effective for residential strata |
Dynamic Load Management: The Key to Scalability
The biggest concern for strata committees is electrical capacity. Most apartment buildings weren't designed with dozens of EV chargers in mind. Dynamic Load Management (DLM) solves this by intelligently sharing the building's available electrical capacity across all connected chargers.
During evening peak demand, the system slows or pauses charging. When overall building demand drops (typically overnight), charging rates increase automatically. This means a building that might only have capacity for five simultaneous full-speed chargers can safely support 20 or more chargers using DLM — because not all cars need to charge at maximum speed simultaneously.
The No-Parking-Spot Problem
What if you don't have a deeded parking spot, or your spot is in a location where running cable is impractical? Shared charging solutions are increasingly common. Many buildings are converting one or two visitor bays into EV charging zones with high-speed (22kW) chargers. Residents use an app to book and pay per kilowatt-hour. Some buildings set a small markup on electricity, turning the chargers into a modest revenue stream for the owners corporation.
Fire Safety Considerations
Fire safety is a legitimate concern, though EV fire risk is often overstated. The National Construction Code advisory note provides guidance for EV charging installations in both new and existing buildings. Best practice includes installing a master isolation switch accessible from the fire panel, placing chargers where fire department access is straightforward, using collision protection bollards, and following AS/NZS 3000 wiring rules for all installations.
Insurance implications are minimal — most strata insurers have not added EV-specific exclusions, though it's worth confirming with your insurer before installation.
Step-by-Step: Getting Approval in Your Building
Here's the practical pathway:
1. Gauge interest. Survey residents to understand current and future EV ownership. Even a handful of interested owners creates momentum.
2. Get the data. Apply for the NSW EV Ready Buildings Grant (or equivalent in your state) to fund a feasibility study. Present the study results — not just your desire for a charger — to the committee.
3. Prepare a motion. Draft a sustainability infrastructure resolution for the next general meeting. Include the feasibility study, proposed costs, user-pays billing model, and staged rollout plan.
4. Vote. In NSW, the resolution passes unless 50% or more of the votes cast are against it. That's a significantly lower bar than a special resolution.
5. Install. Engage a licensed electrician experienced in EV installations. Ensure compliance with all NCC requirements and Australian standards.
6. Manage. Set up smart charging software for billing, load management, and usage monitoring. Create a by-law governing charger use, maintenance responsibilities, and cost recovery.
How UnitBuddy Helps
UnitBuddy's sustainability assessment includes EV-readiness as a forward-looking indicator of building value. Buildings that have proactively installed EV infrastructure score higher on the UnitBuddy wellness index — reflecting the growing expectation from buyers and tenants that apartment living should support electric transport.
EV charging in apartments is no longer a fringe request — it's becoming standard infrastructure. The laws support you, the technology is mature, and government grants are available. The only thing stopping most buildings is a lack of information. Come prepared with data, and your committee will find it very hard to say no.