Florida condo owners have a statutory right to install an EV charger in their assigned parking space under F.S. 718.113(8): boards cannot prohibit the installation if you meet safety, permitting, and insurance conditions, and comply with a 14-day insurance certificate deadline once approved. HOA owners under Chapter 720 have no equivalent guaranteed right and must rely on their community's covenants.
Working through your charger approval, or curious which Haven Palm Beach residences already have charging access?
Thinking about adding an EV charger to your parking space in West Palm Beach but worried your association will say no? You are not alone. With more drivers going electric in the Palm Beaches, chargers are a practical upgrade that can also enhance day-to-day convenience. This guide shows you what Florida law allows, how local permitting works, and the exact steps to get approval with confidence.
Requirement | What F.S. 718.113(8) Requires | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
Right to install | The board cannot prohibit installation within your limited common element or exclusively designated parking space | Not applicable |
Installation cost | Paid by the unit owner, or their successor | Not applicable |
Metering | Electricity must be separately metered or measured by an embedded meter, billed to the owner | Not applicable |
Insurance certificate | Owner must name the association as an additional insured | 14 days after approval or the association's request |
Premium reimbursement | Owner reimburses any insurance premium increase tied to the charger | 14 days after receiving the invoice |
Contractor | Must be a licensed and registered firm familiar with EV charging station installation | Not applicable |
Removal | Owner, or their successor, pays to remove the charger if it's no longer needed | Not applicable |
Board-installed common-area chargers | Under F.S. 718.113(9), the board may install and operate chargers on common elements and set usage fees, without a unit owner vote | Not applicable |
What F.S. 718.113 means for condo owners
Florida Statute 718.113(8) gives condominium unit owners the right to install an EV charger within their assigned limited common element or exclusively designated parking space. A declaration of condominium or restrictive covenant cannot prohibit it, and the board cannot prohibit it either, once you meet the law's safety, permitting, metering, and insurance conditions. See the full text at F.S. 718.113.
Your core rights, in plain English
- You may install a charger within the boundaries of your limited common element or exclusive parking area.
- The association can require code compliance, a licensed contractor, and reasonable architectural standards, so long as those standards do not prohibit installation or substantially increase its cost.
- Under subsection (9), the board itself may also add common-area chargers and set usage fees without a unit owner vote.
Costs and responsibilities
- You pay for installation, operation, maintenance, and removal if the charger is taken out later.
- You must provide a certificate of insurance naming the association as an additional insured within 14 days of the association's approval or its request for one.
- If your charger increases the association's insurance premium, you must reimburse that increase within 14 days of receiving the invoice.
Metering and billing
- Electricity used by your charger must be separately metered or measured by an embedded meter, and you pay the bill.
- In master-metered buildings, submetering and apportionment must follow the utility's tariff and Fla. Admin. Code §25-6.049, which allows reasonable apportionment methods for allocating a master meter's cost among units.
Get a timely board response
Section 718.113(8) doesn't set its own deadline for the board to approve or deny your request. If your request is stalling, Florida law gives you a separate tool: under F.S. 718.112(2)(a)2, any unit owner can send a written inquiry by certified mail, and the board must respond in writing within 30 days, or within 60 days if it needs a legal opinion first. This is a general communication tool, not an EV-charger-specific clock, but it applies here as much as to any other association matter.
How it works in the Palm Beaches
Installing a Level 2 charger usually requires an electrical permit and inspection under the Florida Building Code and the National Electrical Code. Many licensed electricians will pull the permits and coordinate inspections. For a homeowner-level overview of the permitting process, see this EV charger permits and codes guide.
Utility coordination and metering
Florida Power & Light can advise on service capacity, meters, and submeter options for multifamily settings. For single-family or townhouse owners, FPL's EVolution Home program installs a Level 2 charger with no upfront cost, starting at $27 a month, and includes a discounted off-peak charging rate; it is not available to condo unit owners in multifamily buildings.
- FPL EVolution Home: Level 2 charger, installation and maintenance starting at $27/month, no upfront cost. Eligibility limited to single-family homes and townhouses. Enrollment and current rates at fpl.com/electric-vehicles.
Safety and insurance in garages
Associations may adopt reasonable safety standards for wiring, cord management, signage, and ventilation in enclosed garages. Some Palm Beach County buildings have gone further: in 2025, the board at Highlands Place, a 45-unit condo in Highland Beach, banned in-garage EV charging after safety reviews flagged fire risk, reportedly the first such restriction in the county, and arranged a leased charger location outside the garage instead. For the full account, see this coverage of the Highlands Place policy. Note that a full in-garage charging ban is a stricter step than the "reasonable safety standards" F.S. 718.113(8)(h)1 contemplates, so a board considering one should get counsel involved.
Local sustainability context
West Palm Beach promotes energy conservation and EV adoption as part of its sustainability goals. See the City of West Palm Beach energy conservation page for current city-level initiatives.
Step-by-step: your approval checklist
- Confirm your parking rights. Check your declaration and assignments to confirm the space is a limited common element or exclusively designated to your unit, the trigger condition under F.S. 718.113(8)(a).
- Prepare a complete request. Submit a written package to the board: a charger spec sheet, site sketch, wiring route, contractor license, permit plan, and insurance arrangements. If your request stalls, a certified-mail inquiry under F.S. 718.112(2)(a)2 puts the board on a 30-day (or 60-day) response clock.
- Hire a licensed electrician and pull permits. The association can require a licensed, registered firm and proof of permits. Expect inspections under the Florida Building Code and NEC.
- Decide your metering plan. Choose a separate utility meter or an embedded meter, or, in master-metered buildings, a submetering setup that follows the utility's tariff under Fla. Admin. Code §25-6.049. Coordinate early with FPL on feasibility and billing.
- Set insurance and indemnity. Be ready to provide a certificate naming the association as additional insured within 14 days of approval or request, and to reimburse any related premium increase within 14 days of invoice.
- Install and document. After approval and permits, complete installation and pass final inspection. Keep permits, plans, licenses, approvals, and insurance certificates on file for resale and future board requests.
- Plan for successor obligations. If a future owner removes the charger, they are responsible for the removal cost under F.S. 718.113(8)(f). Note this in your records to avoid disputes at resale.
- If you are denied or delayed. Compare the board's stated reasons against F.S. 718.113(8): standards that prohibit installation or substantially increase cost are not permitted. Send a certified-mail inquiry, consider Florida condominium counsel, and note that certain association disputes can proceed through DBPR's condominium arbitration program.
Live in an HOA, not a condo?
Homeowner associations operate under Chapter 720, which does not contain an equivalent statutory right to install an EV charger. Florida's HOA prohibited-clauses statute, F.S. 720.3075, protects owners' access to certain energy sources, flags, and vehicle parking, but it does not name EV charging stations the way F.S. 718.113 does for condos. Your path depends on your community's recorded covenants, rules, and architectural review procedures: review your documents, request approval in writing, and consider a covenant amendment if chargers are restricted outright. For a broker's-eye view of how HOA boards approach charger policy, see this overview of board-installed chargers and policy choices. For general condo-association context that carries over to HOA record-keeping and reserve questions, see Reading Condo Reserves, SIRS and Assessments in Palm Beach.
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Submitting an incomplete package. Missing permit and insurance details can stall approvals.
- Ignoring metering early. Master-metered buildings require utility coordination before installation, not after.
- Overlooking successor responsibilities. Clarify removal and restoration obligations now to prevent later resale disputes.
- Assuming F.S. 718.112(2) sets an EV-specific deadline. It doesn't. It's a general 30-to-60-day inquiry tool you can use if your request stalls, not a guarantee your charger gets approved by a certain date.
The takeaway for Palm Beach buyers and owners
EV charging is quickly becoming a practical consideration in the Palm Beaches. Under F.S. 718.113(8), condo owners who plan well, document clearly, and meet safety and metering rules can move from request to installation with fewer hurdles. If you are weighing a property with existing charger access, our amenities page covers what's built into The Haven.
Ready to explore residences where design, technology, and coastal living meet with ease? Connect with Haven Palm Beach for guidance and a tour of our waterfront collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my Palm Beach condo board deny my EV charger request?
Not outright. Under F.S. 718.113(8), the board cannot prohibit installation in your limited common element or exclusive parking space once you meet the law's safety, permitting, metering, and insurance requirements. It can impose reasonable architectural standards, but those standards cannot block installation or substantially raise its cost.
Do I need a permit for a Level 2 charger in West Palm Beach?
Yes. Adding a Level 2 charger typically means running a new 240-volt circuit, which requires an electrical permit and inspection under the Florida Building Code and National Electrical Code. Most licensed electricians handle the permit and inspection scheduling as part of the installation.
What's different if I have a single-family home instead of a condo?
Single-family and townhouse owners aren't governed by F.S. 718.113 at all, since that statute applies to condominium common elements. Instead, they can use programs like FPL's EVolution Home, which installs a Level 2 charger starting at $27 a month with no upfront cost, something condo unit owners in shared buildings aren't eligible for.
