Charging an EV without a driveway is harder in Australia than it should be, but it is getting easier. A NSW "right to charge" reform is moving through parliament, and most other states already limit how much an owners corporation can refuse.
The short version
- NSW's Strata Schemes Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 would give apartment owners a legal right to install an EV charger, including a simple 10A socket, unless the strata committee objects in writing within 3 months.
- Victoria's owners corporations already cannot unreasonably refuse a lot owner's request to install an EV charger.
- Queensland requires body corporates to consider EV charger requests within a set timeframe rather than sitting on them indefinitely.
- Renters have the weakest position: landlord consent is still required everywhere, there is no renter's right to install a charger.
- The realistic options for apartments and rentals are a dedicated charger on your own meter (if approved), a shared building charger, or relying on public and workplace charging.
The core problem: shared electrical infrastructure
A house owner can usually just book an electrician. An apartment owner has to go through the building's owners corporation (strata committee) because a charger draws from shared electrical infrastructure, and older buildings were not built with the extra capacity in mind. That approval step, not the charger itself, is the actual bottleneck for most apartment dwellers.
NSW's right to charge reform
The Strata Schemes Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous) Bill 2026 has passed the NSW Legislative Assembly and was before the Legislative Council as of mid 2026. If it passes in full, an owner would be able to install an EV charging station on their own lot, which the bill defines broadly enough to include something as simple as a 10A power socket, not just a full 7kW wall charger. The process: the owner gives written notice to the strata committee, which then has 3 months to respond. If the committee does not respond in that window, the installation is treated as approved. The bill also requires that any objection be reasonable and be put in writing, rather than allowed to sit unaddressed.
What other states already require
Victoria's owners corporations law already prevents a lot owner's EV charger request from being unreasonably refused, similar in spirit to what NSW is legislating, though without NSW's specific automatic approval timeline. Queensland's body corporate framework requires committees to consider a charger request within a set timeframe rather than ignore it. In practice this means most states are moving in the same direction, giving owners a real path to install a charger even without unanimous building support, but the exact mechanics and timeframes differ, so check your specific state's strata or body corporate legislation before assuming NSW's rules apply.
If you are a renter, not an owner
None of these reforms create a right for a tenant to install a charger. That decision still sits entirely with the landlord and, where relevant, the owners corporation above them. If you rent and want to charge at home, the realistic path is asking your landlord directly, offering to cover the electrician's cost yourself, or proposing a simple, removable solution like a 10A charging cable rather than a hardwired 7kW unit, which is a smaller ask.
Practical options while approval is pending, or if it is refused
A dedicated 7kW wall charger on your own electricity meter is the gold standard once approved, giving you full home charging speed. Where that is not yet possible, a shared building charger, if the complex has one or is planning one, splits infrastructure cost across residents. Failing both of those, workplace charging and the public fast charging networks (Chargefox, Evie, NRMA, Tesla, BP Pulse) remain a genuine, if less convenient, way to run an EV without home charging at all, particularly if your commute already passes a fast charger.
What to bring to your strata committee
Committees are more likely to approve a request that includes: a quote from a licensed electrician confirming the building's electrical capacity can handle the load, confirmation of who pays for installation and ongoing electricity (typically the requesting owner, via a sub-meter or their own circuit), and, where relevant, reference to your state's specific legislation supporting the request. A written, well-documented request moves faster than an informal one.
Compare home chargers and installers with AUD pricing on the WattsUp Find and Compare directory, or read our home EV charger install cost guide for what a standard installation runs.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install an EV charger in my apartment in Australia?
It depends on approval from your owners corporation or body corporate, since chargers draw on shared building electrical infrastructure. NSW is legislating a right to charge that would make refusal harder from 2026; other states already limit unreasonable refusals.
Do renters have a right to an EV charger?
No. Current and pending reforms apply to owners, not tenants. A renter still needs landlord consent to install any charging equipment.
What is NSW's right to charge law?
A bill before the NSW Parliament that would let an apartment owner install an EV charger, including a simple 10A socket, unless the strata committee objects in writing within 3 months of being notified.
What can I do if my strata committee refuses an EV charger?
Ask for the refusal in writing with reasons, since several states now require objections to be reasonable and documented. If you believe the refusal is unreasonable, check your state's fair trading or tribunal process for strata disputes.