Reviewed and updated 14-10-2026. This article previously described an EV charger approval pathway taken from a Bill before Parliament, including a 3-month "deemed approval" and a no-objection notice. That Bill is not law at 14-10-2026, so we have removed that detail and set out the rules that apply now.
Want to install an EV charger at your townhouse or villa? Under current NSW strata law there is no special EV pathway, but the rules are clearer than many people think — and a by-law can't block a charger just because of how it looks.
Appearance is no longer a reason to say no
EV charging equipment is sustainability infrastructure. A by-law can't prevent sustainability infrastructure from being installed solely to preserve the external appearance of the building — unless the property is heritage-listed or in a heritage conservation area (s139B of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015).
How approval works now
Which approval you need depends on the work:
- No work can be done on common property without authority (s111). Cabling through walls, a charger on an external wall, or work in a common driveway all affect common property.
- Minor renovation (s110). Some work may qualify as a minor renovation. That needs approval by ordinary resolution at a general meeting, unless a by-law of your scheme delegates the decision to the strata committee. See our article on minor renovations.
- Alteration to common property (s108). Larger work needs a special resolution, and the resolution must say who will maintain the altered common property.
We'll tell you which route applies to your proposal before you spend money on quotes.
Who pays for what
Who pays to install the charger, and who maintains it afterwards, should be set out in the approval. Under section 108 the resolution has to say whether the owners corporation or the owner maintains the altered common property. Electricity use, insurance and any damage to common property should also be covered in the approval terms.
What this means for your scheme
For townhouse and villa owners: most complexes have driveways or carports where charging makes obvious sense. Put your request in writing with the electrician's details, the location, how it will be wired and metered, and who will maintain it.
For committees: have a process ready. A refusal based only on appearance won't stand. Deal with real issues — electrical capacity, safety, cost allocation and maintenance — in the approval terms.
For everyone: getting the paperwork right protects all owners. We can help draft the resolution.
Sources
Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), s108, s110, s111, s139B.