Can My Tenant Install an EV Charger, and Who Pays? (Civil Code Section 1947.6)

Published August 10, 2026

Under Civil Code section 1947.6, most California landlords must approve a tenant's written request to install an EV charging station at their own expense. The tenant pays for installation, power, maintenance, and carries liability insurance.

The short answer

Yes, in most cases. California Civil Code section 1947.6 requires a landlord to approve a tenant's written request to install an electric vehicle charging station, at the tenant's own expense, unless the property has fewer than five parking spaces or already provides charging at 10 percent or more of its spaces. The tenant pays for installation, power, maintenance, and insurance, and signs a written agreement covering removal at move out.

Last verified: August 10, 2026

What the statute actually says

Civil Code section 1947.6 applies to leases executed, extended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2015. Where it applies, a landlord "shall approve a written request of a lessee to install an electric vehicle charging station" that follows the statute's process, subject to reasonable conditions the statute itself lays out.

This is not a landlord favor. It is a statutory approval duty, similar in structure to the way California handles satellite dishes or, for owners, solar panels. The tenant asks in writing, follows the process, and the landlord's discretion to simply refuse is narrow.

The two carve outs that let you say no

The statute does not apply everywhere. Two exceptions matter for South Bay owners of smaller buildings:

Fewer than five parking spaces. If your rental property has fewer than five parking spaces total, section 1947.6 does not apply to it. A lot of the South Bay's small multifamily stock, duplexes, triplexes, and small fourplexes with tandem or limited parking, falls into this exception.

Charging already provided at 10 percent or more of spaces. If the property already has charging stations serving 10 percent or more of the designated parking spaces, the mandatory approval duty does not apply.

If your property does not fit either exception, the duty to approve a compliant request stands.

Who pays: everything lands on the tenant

This is the detail owners most often get backward. The tenant requesting the charger pays for it, not the landlord, and not split.

Under the statute, the tenant is responsible for:

| Cost category | Who pays |

|---|---|

| Installation of the charging station and its infrastructure | Tenant |

| Ongoing electricity used to charge the vehicle | Tenant |

| Maintenance and repair of the charging equipment | Tenant |

| Liability insurance for property damage and personal injury, unless the equipment is UL or equivalent OSHA-approved-lab certified and installed by a licensed electrician | Tenant |

The insurance requirement has a real number attached in the statute: coverage in an amount that can reach up to 10 times the annual rent, unless the tenant's equipment and installation meet the certified-equipment and licensed-electrician exception, in which case the separate insurance requirement can be waived.

What the landlord can require

The statute gives the landlord room to set conditions, not veto power. A landlord may require the parties to enter into a written agreement covering installation, use, maintenance, and removal of the charging station and its equipment at the end of the tenancy. A landlord may also charge additional rent if the arrangement gives the tenant a reserved parking space that other tenants do not have, but a landlord cannot require the tenant to provide additional parking spaces as a condition of the installation.

Practically, that means you can require:

• A written agreement before work begins, not a verbal handshake
• Proof of a licensed electrician doing the installation
• Proof of the required insurance, or proof the equipment qualifies for the certified-equipment exception
• Restoration or removal terms for when the tenant moves out

What you cannot do, if the property is covered by the statute and the request is properly made, is simply refuse.

What this means day to day for a South Bay owner

Most single family rentals and small multifunit buildings across El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Gardena, and Carson have adequate parking to trigger the statute, five or more spaces is a low bar for anything beyond a duplex. Assume the statute applies unless you have actually counted spaces and confirmed the exception.

When a request comes in, the practical sequence is: get it in writing, confirm the property does not fall into an exception, put a written installation and removal agreement in front of the tenant, and confirm the tenant is coordinating with a licensed electrician. The financial exposure to you as owner is limited by design, since the statute places the cost and the insurance burden on the tenant. Your exposure is mostly about doing the paperwork correctly and making sure the electrical work does not create a safety or capacity problem for the rest of the building.

If your electrical panel does not have capacity for the load without a service upgrade, that is a real practical constraint the statute does not erase. Loop in a licensed electrician before you approve anything, because a tenant's right to install does not override the physical limits of your panel or service size.

FAQ

Can I refuse a tenant's EV charger request just because I do not want the hassle?

Not if the property is covered by the statute and the tenant's request follows the required written process. The statute is written as a mandatory approval duty with narrow exceptions, not a landlord's discretionary call.

Do I have to pay for the electrician or the equipment?

No. Civil Code section 1947.6 places installation costs, ongoing electricity costs, and maintenance costs on the tenant.

What if my building only has four parking spaces?

The statute does not apply to properties with fewer than five parking spaces. You are not bound by its mandatory approval duty, though you can still choose to allow a charger if you want to.

Does the tenant need insurance to install a charger?

Generally yes, unless the equipment is certified by an OSHA-approved testing laboratory and installed by a licensed electrician, in which case the separate insurance requirement can be waived. When insurance is required, the statute ties it to a level that can reach up to 10 times the annual rent.

What happens to the charger when the tenant moves out?

That is exactly what the written agreement the landlord can require is meant to cover, installation, maintenance, and removal terms should all be spelled out before the tenant installs anything.

Can I charge extra rent for the space where the charger sits?

Yes, if the arrangement gives the tenant a reserved space, the landlord may charge additional rent for it, but the landlord cannot condition approval on the tenant providing extra parking spaces.

This article summarizes a California statute and is general information, not legal advice. Confirm how Civil Code section 1947.6 applies to your specific property and lease with a California landlord tenant attorney before approving or denying a tenant's request.

Topics: compliance, electric vehicles, landlord tenant law, South Bay, property management

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