EV Charging Infrastructure & Permits

Commercial EV Charger Installation: Site, Utility, and Permitting Requirements

Commercial EV charger installations are infrastructure projects, not equipment installs. They routinely trigger civil, electrical, and sometimes plumbing review, and are subject to full site and utility coordination with the local building department.

Because chargers affect grading, drainage, power distribution, lighting, and accessibility, commercial EV installations are reviewed as part of the site rather than as isolated electrical work.

Disciplines Commonly Required for Commercial EV Charger Projects

Commercial EV charger permitting typically requires coordinated documentation across multiple disciplines:

Civil Engineering

Grading and drainage plans
Required when trenching, new pads, curb cuts, or paved surface modifications occur.

Utility routing
Conduit paths, transformer locations, and utility clearances.

Site accessibility and parking impacts
Including accessible routes and stall modifications.

Electrical Engineering

Power distribution and service capacity analysis

Electrical site plans showing chargers, feeders, panels, and equipment

Electrical load calculations

Site lighting and photometric plans
Required when new lighting is added or existing lighting is modified to support nighttime use, safety, or code compliance.

Plumbing (When Applicable)

Landscape irrigation coordination
Required when trenching or equipment placement impacts existing irrigation systems.

Water management considerations
Including protection of irrigation lines and coordination with drainage improvements.

Architectural / Site Coordination

Equipment clearances and mounting details

Pedestrian circulation and accessibility compliance

Visual coordination with existing site features where required by the jurisdiction

Permitting and Review Process

Commercial EV charger projects typically follow this sequence:

Site evaluation and utility capacity assessment

Preparation of coordinated civil, electrical, and supporting plans

Submission for municipal plan review

City comments and revisions

Permit issuance

Construction and inspections

Final approval for use

The level of review increases with site disturbance, number of chargers, and electrical demand.

Why Commercial EV Chargers Trigger Multi-Discipline Review

Cities require multi-discipline review because EV chargers:

Alter site drainage through trenching and pad installation

Impact underground utilities and irrigation systems

Increase electrical demand and nighttime site use

Require compliant lighting for safety and accessibility

Modify parking layouts and accessible routes

Introduce long-term infrastructure into the public realm

Treating EV chargers as “just electrical” is a common cause of permitting delays and redesign.

EV Charging Infrastructure Expertise

Commercial EV charging infrastructure requires coordination across engineering disciplines and familiarity with municipal review standards.

VoltHohm is a Scottsdale-based EV infrastructure company specializing in commercial EV charger projects, including site coordination, permitting support, and construction execution.

Learn more at:
https://volthohm.com/

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