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EV Charging Permits and Safe Practices

 

Milwaukee’s Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO) and Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS) aim to help you understand permitting requirements and safe practices for installing EV chargers in your home or business.

Electric vehicle charging equipment is permitted in any legally established parking space. 

 

Unless part of a legally established electric vehicle charging facility (e.g. permitted and installed prior to October 2021), electric vehicle supply equipment in a residential zoning district shall be for the use of owners, residents and tenants of the property, and shall not be retailed directly to the public.

Do I need a Permit?

Level 1 chargers that plug into existing wall electrical receptacle do not require a City electrical permit. For further information and recommendations, look under the Safe Practices section.

Installing chargers on the exterior of historically designated property requires the owner to first obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) from the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). 

 

Connector Type & Charging Level

The table below will help you match the connector type on your vehicle with the charging level and associated electrical receptacle in your home or business.

Safe Practices

Graphic of Electric Vehicle Charging

Safety Requirements

  1. Electric vehicle supply equipment shall not block any required pedestrian walkways, conflict with adjacent site elements such as bicycle parking, exempt the parking area from any required landscaping, or block vision triangle (that, is obstruct the view of drivers entering or exiting a parking lot. 
     
  2. When outdoor electric vehicle charging equipment requires electrical distribution equipment, typical with Level 3 chargers, the electrical distribution equipment shall meet the applicable screening requirement of s. 295-405-6. See page 30 for details.
     
  3. For projects that required a permit, your electrician will follow the general electrical safety requirements established by the Wisconsin Commercial Building Code for commercial properties or the Uniform Dwelling Code for residential properties, respectively.
     
  4. Enclosure Weatherproofing: Electric vehicle charging systems with receptacles installed in a wet location will be required to have a weatherproof enclosure that fully closes whether the cord is plugged into the receptacle or not. The cover will be required to be extra duty rated.
     
  5. For commercial Level  2 and Level 3 chargers, a disconnecting method such as an Emergency Stop button shall be installed in a readily accessible location. It shall be capable of being locked in the open position.  
     

Safety Recommendations

  1. Select Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) that has been UL Listed.  
     
  2. All receptacles installed for plug-in electric vehicle charging systems are required to have Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection.
     
  3. A cord management system should be used to keep chargers tidy and off the ground. Never use extension cords with EV chargers.  
     
  4. If available, select charging equipment with advanced safety features such as thermal monitoring, ground monitoring, over-current and over-voltage protection, and a de-engergized coupler. 
     
  5. Hard-wired Level 2 and 3 chargers should be protected with bollards to reduce the risk of collisions.
     
  6. Although the risk of electrical fires from charging vehicles is extremely low, electrical vehicle fires are more difficult to extinguish.  Charging infrastructure is safest when placed in surface parking lots. If placed in a structure, they should be located either close to the ground level exit or on the top floor of an open-air parking structure.
     
  7. Locate chargers on elevated ground or well-drained areas of parking lots to avoid pooling water.