EV Charging Installations in Sydney Strata Buildings

Approval, infrastructure and funding considerations for owners corporations

Electric vehicle charging is becoming a practical building-management issue for Sydney owners corporations. A request that begins with one resident asking to install a wall-mounted charger can quickly raise broader questions about common property, available electrical capacity, fire safety, metering, cost recovery, insurance and equal access for future users.

The safest approach is not to approve a charger in isolation and solve the wider problems later. A Sydney strata scheme should first understand the building's electrical limits, decide whether it wants an individual, shared or whole-of-building solution, and approve the project through the correct NSW strata process.

ETSM helps strata committees coordinate that process: gathering the right technical information, preparing decisions for owners, arranging qualified contractors and advisers, documenting approvals and keeping the implementation organised.

Key point: the charger is often the smallest part of the project. The long-term value lies in a safe, scalable electrical and governance framework that can support more residents as demand grows.

Why EV charging is now a strata issue

Most apartment residents cannot install EV charging equipment without interacting with common property. Cabling may cross common walls, slabs or carparks; equipment may connect to common switchboards; and electricity may be supplied through an owners corporation account. Even a charger located beside a private parking space can affect shared electrical services.

Since 1 July 2025, NSW owners corporations must include an AGM agenda item considering environmental sustainability, including common-property energy and water consumption and expenditure. Sustainability infrastructure costs must also be considered when estimating capital works expenditure. EV readiness therefore belongs in long-term planning, not only in response to the first owner application.

The NSW legal pathway for strata EV charging

EV charging infrastructure can facilitate sustainable transport and is generally treated as sustainability infrastructure under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015. This creates a more workable voting pathway than an ordinary special resolution, but it does not remove the need for proper motions, information and, in many projects, a by-law.

1. Identify exactly what work is proposed

The owners corporation should receive a written scope showing the charger location, supply source, cable route, switchboard changes, protection devices, metering, communications, isolation, penetrations and reinstatement. The strata plan should be checked to confirm which surfaces, parking areas and electrical assets are common property.

2. Use the correct resolution and voting threshold

Section 132B of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 governs sustainability infrastructure resolutions. NSW Government meeting guidance states that the motion is approved when less than 50% of the votes cast, calculated by unit entitlement, are against it. That is different from an ordinary special resolution, under which no more than 25% may vote against.

The precise motions depend on whether the owners corporation is installing and managing common infrastructure, one owner is carrying out common-property work, or several owners are sharing infrastructure. Most EV charging projects require consideration and approval at a general meeting.

3. Consider the statutory section 132B factors

Before approving a sustainability infrastructure resolution, the owners corporation must consider:

the cost of the infrastructure and works, including expected running and maintenance costs

who will own, install and maintain the infrastructure

the extent to which the infrastructure will be available to all or only some lots

any additional matter prescribed by the regulations.

A motion should not merely state that EV charging is desirable. Owners should receive enough information to understand the selected model, total project scope, funding, responsibilities and future expansion strategy.

4. Prepare the by-law and maintenance framework

A project may require a by-law dealing with the work, use of common property, ownership, exclusive rights, metering, user charges, maintenance, replacement, damage, insurance, access and removal. If special rights are conferred on a lot owner, written consent may also be required. The NSW Government publishes example EV motions and by-laws, but these are examples only and should be reviewed for the actual building and technical design.

Any approved by-law change must be registered with NSW Land Registry Services within six months. It is not valid or enforceable until registered. The technical scope, meeting motions and by-law should be consistent with one another.

5. Check every non-strata approval

Owners corporation approval does not replace electrical, network, planning, building or fire-safety requirements. Depending on the work, the project team may need input from the electricity distributor, retailer or metering provider, a certifier, fire-safety engineer, strata lawyer, insurer and other qualified practitioners. The required pathway should be confirmed before work starts.

A charger serves one parking space, often connected to that lot's meter or separately measured supply.

Small schemes or early demand where the route and electrical capacity are straightforward.

Approval, common-property works, ownership, billing, maintenance and future compatibility must be documented.

Shared charger

The owners corporation provides one or more common chargers for authorised residents or visitors.

Schemes wanting shared access before committing to a full building rollout.

Booking, parking time, user pricing, misuse, maintenance, insurance and access rules must be clear.

Whole-building backbone

A central EV distribution system, cable pathways, communications and load management support staged charger connections.

Medium and large buildings expecting demand to grow across many lots.

Higher initial infrastructure cost, but stronger scalability, consistent hardware rules and fairer access.

There is no universal best option. A six-lot walk-up and a 100-lot basement carpark have different demand, infrastructure and governance needs. However, even a small scheme should avoid allowing incompatible one-off installations that consume capacity or block a later building-wide solution.

Start with a building energy assessment

The NSW Government's EV-ready guidance recommends an energy assessment before selecting a solution. A competent assessment should examine:

main supply, existing switchboards, circuit-breaker ratings and electrical condition

historical peak demand, daily usage patterns and genuine spare capacity

the number, location and likely future uptake of chargers

cable routes, trenching, penetrations, sub-mains, distribution boards and final circuits

whether efficiency upgrades could release capacity before a supply upgrade is considered

load-management, communications, metering and billing requirements

whether a preliminary enquiry or connection application to the electricity distributor is needed.

Older Sydney apartment buildings often have limited spare capacity, crowded switchboards, long cable routes and little documentation. A charger can work safely at a modest power level without giving every vehicle the theoretical maximum charging speed. Overnight dwell time often makes managed Level 2 charging more practical than high-power charging.

Why dynamic load management matters

Dynamic load management monitors building demand and reduces or staggers EV charging when the site approaches an agreed electrical limit. When capacity becomes available, the system can increase charging again. This can help a scheme support multiple vehicles without allowing chargers to overload the building supply or trigger an unnecessary upstream upgrade.

The design should address what happens if the communications network or cloud service fails, whether chargers must be from an approved compatible list, how software subscriptions are funded, who administers users, how data is handled, and whether the scheme can change providers without replacing every charger.

Metering and fair cost recovery

A sound EV charging policy separates capital cost from electricity use. The owners corporation should decide who pays for the backbone, each charger, metering, software, maintenance and future upgrades. Electricity used by a private charger should not quietly become an unmeasured common-property expense.

direct connection to a lot's electricity meter, where technically feasible

an approved sub-meter linked to an owners corporation billing process

a networked charging platform that records usage and charges authorised users

a transparent tariff that addresses electricity, demand charges, software and administration without becoming unfair or unclear.

The scheme should also decide how arrears, tenant use, changes of ownership, guest access, refunds, idle vehicles and inaccurate readings will be managed. If an embedded or exclusive supply network is involved, obtain specialist advice before entering a long-term arrangement.

Fire safety must be designed into the project

Fire and Rescue NSW updated its position on EVs and EV charging equipment on 18 August 2026. It regards incidents as low frequency but potentially high consequence, endorses the AFAC Fire Safety for Carparks guidance, and says EV parking and charging should be treated as a special hazard under the NCC 2022 when relevant building work is designed and certified.

FRNSW recommends external or open-air locations where possible. For internal carparking, its position includes automatic sprinkler protection with performance equivalent to AS 2118.1 or AS 2118.6, no relevant fire-resistance concessions and fire-hydrant coverage. This does not mean every existing strata carpark automatically has an identical retrofit requirement; it means the building's design, approvals and existing fire systems require competent assessment.

keep chargers, bollards and cables clear of exits, fire doors, hydrants and required access routes

provide suitable isolation, signage, equipment protection and emergency information

do not charge a vehicle known or suspected to have collision, impact, fire or flood damage

review the installation with the building's insurer and relevant fire-safety professionals

include inspection, testing, fault reporting and emergency shutdown in the operating plan.

Electrical installation and network requirements

All electrical work must be carried out by a licensed electrical contractor. Ausgrid advises that the contractor should determine whether a connection application or preliminary enquiry is needed and whether a supply upgrade may affect the distribution network. The same principle applies in areas served by Endeavour Energy or Essential Energy.

The owners corporation should obtain the final as-built drawings, circuit schedules, test results, certificates, warranties, equipment manuals, software credentials and emergency isolation information. These records are essential for maintenance, insurance, future charger connections and a later change of contractor.

A standard power point, extension lead or unapproved cable across common property is not a strata EV charging strategy. Any proposed charging arrangement should be assessed, approved and installed for the intended continuous electrical load.

What should be included in the project budget?

Quoting only the wall-mounted charger can seriously understate the project. A realistic budget may include:

resident survey, feasibility study, electrical assessment and concept design

legal advice, meeting motions, by-law drafting and NSW Land Registry Services registration

switchboard or supply upgrades, EV distribution boards, cabling, trays, trenching and penetrations

load-management controller, communications network, meters and billing integration

chargers, bollards, wheel stops, signage, line marking and reinstatement

certification, fire-safety review, network fees and insurer requirements

software subscriptions, electricity, scheduled maintenance, repairs and replacement reserves.

The NSW Government provides an EV charging costing tool, but it is a guide only. Site-specific quotes and a properly defined scope remain essential. As at 21 August 2026, the NSW EV Ready Buildings Grant is closed to new applications; schemes should not build a budget on assumed grant funding and can register for future updates.

A practical roadmap for Sydney strata committees

Survey residents and owners. Measure present demand, likely vehicle uptake and preferred charging arrangements.

Collect building information. Obtain carpark plans, electrical drawings, interval data, strata plans, by-laws and details of existing chargers.

Commission an assessment. Determine capacity, constraints, fire-safety considerations and scalable technical options.

Select a strategy. Compare individual, shared and whole-building models, including staged implementation.

Confirm governance. Allocate ownership, capital cost, electricity, maintenance, access and replacement responsibilities.

Prepare approvals. Settle the scope, motions, owner consents and building-specific by-law before the general meeting.

Obtain comparable quotations. Require the same design basis, inclusions, warranties, software terms and commissioning deliverables.

Install and document. Coordinate access, safety, testing, as-built records, user instructions and registrations.

Operate and review. Monitor demand, billing, faults, maintenance, new user connections and future capacity.

How ETSM can assist Sydney owners corporations

ETSM can help the strata committee turn an EV request into an organised owners corporation project. The strata manager does not replace the electrician, fire engineer, certifier or lawyer; the value is in coordinating the right inputs and maintaining a clear approval and implementation process.

circulating resident surveys and collating owner requirements

gathering plans, by-laws, energy information and existing building records

coordinating energy assessments, technical advice and comparable quotations

preparing meeting agendas, explanatory material and resolutions with advisers

tracking owner consents, by-law registration, contractor documents and approvals

communicating access, shutdowns, parking impacts and project progress

linking the approved EV strategy to budgets and the capital works fund plan.

ETSM provides independently owned strata management across Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, Inner West and Lower North Shore, supporting schemes from approximately 3 to 100 lots with a named manager, administration, accounting and senior support.

Frequently asked questions

Can an owner install an EV charger without strata approval?

Usually not where the work changes or uses common property, common electrical infrastructure or a common electricity supply. The owner should submit a proper application and must not start work until all required approvals are in place.

What vote is needed for EV charging in NSW strata?

Where the proposal qualifies as a sustainability infrastructure resolution, it is approved if less than 50% of votes cast by unit entitlement are against it. The precise motions and any required owner consents should be checked for the project.

Can the strata committee approve an EV charger by itself?

Most projects involving common-property alterations or a new by-law need owners corporation approval at a general meeting. The committee can investigate options and obtain quotes but should confirm the limits of its authority.

Who pays for an apartment EV charger?

The resolution and by-law should allocate costs. An individual owner may pay for their charger and connection, while the owners corporation may fund shared backbone infrastructure. Other models are possible if they are transparent and lawfully approved.

Can a resident simply use an existing power point?

Not without confirmation that the circuit, outlet, metering and use are safe and authorised. EV charging is a sustained load, and an ordinary common-property outlet may not be suitable or separately billed.

Does every charger need a separate electricity meter?

There is no single metering model for every building, but electricity consumption and related charges should be measured and recovered through a clear, approved arrangement. Direct metering, sub-metering and networked billing are common options.

Are sprinklers compulsory in every existing strata carpark with EV charging?

Do not assume a universal answer. FRNSW's current position recommends particular protection for internal carparks and expects the special hazard to be addressed. A competent certifier and fire-safety professional should determine what applies to the building and proposed work.

Is NSW EV charging grant funding currently available for strata?

The EV Ready Buildings Grant is currently closed to new applications, with Stage 2 having closed on 8 October 2025. Owners corporations can register for program updates but should budget without assuming a future grant.

Is a whole-building system better than a single-lot installation?

A whole-building backbone is often more scalable for medium and large schemes. A single-lot solution may be suitable in a small building if capacity, approvals, billing and compatibility with future installations are properly addressed.

Can a tenant request an EV charger?

A tenant should first obtain the landlord's support. The lot owner can then make the application to the owners corporation and participate in any required approval process.

Plan once, then expand safely

A well-managed EV charging project gives residents practical access to charging while protecting the owners corporation from uncontrolled electrical work, unfair billing and incompatible installations. The right starting point is a building-wide assessment and a clear decision about how the scheme wants EV charging to operate now and in the future.

Planning EV charging in a Sydney strata building? ETSM can help your committee coordinate the feasibility, approvals, quotations, by-law process and implementation plan. Contact ETSM for a confidential discussion or tailored strata management proposal.

Planning EV charging? Ask ETSM to help your strata committee organise the assessment and approval pathway.

Avoid incompatible one-off installations. Speak with ETSM about a scalable EV-ready strategy for your building.

Authoritative sources

NSW Legislation - Strata Schemes Management Act 2015

NSW Government - Making your apartment building EV ready

NSW Government - Making your residential strata building EV ready

NSW Government - Building EV charging costing tool

NSW Government - Guide to strata law changes for committees and owners

NSW Government - Strata meetings and voting thresholds

NSW Government - Strata by-laws and registration

NSW Government - Example EV charger motions and by-law for a single lot

Ausgrid - EV charging and connection requirements

Fire and Rescue NSW - EV and EV charging position statements

Fire and Rescue NSW - Electric vehicle safety

NSW Government - EV Ready Buildings Grant status

Service NSW - Check an electrical licenceDisclaimer: This content is general information prepared for marketing and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal, electrical, engineering, fire-safety, building, planning, insurance, financial or other professional advice. Strata plans, by-laws, building services, electricity supplies and approval requirements differ between schemes. ETSM and each owners corporation should verify current NSW law and obtain advice appropriate to the building before acting. Content current to 20 August 2026.