Community Development
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS)
If you own or are planning to buy an electric vehicle such as a Chevy Bolt, Hyundai Kona, Nissan Leaf or Tesla Model X, the City of Long Beach has established a new permit process for installing an EVCS at homes and businesses. Through recently enacted ordinances (LBMC Chapter 18.76), the City has adopted an expedited and streamlined process that complies with the California Government Code to achieve timely and cost-effective EVCS installations. The City encourages the use of EVCS while helping protect the public health and safety by removing unreasonable barriers, minimizing costs and expanding the ability of residents and businesses owners to do charger installations.
The permitting process for the design and installation of an EVCS and its related supply equipment or system for one- and two-family dwellings, multi-family dwellings, and/or non-residential buildings or sites depend on a variety of factors such as, but not limited to:
- The type and quantity of equipment to be installed.
- The type and amount of related equipment to support the station.
- The location and type of building or site where the installation will occur.
Simple EVCS design and installation may avoid a detailed plan review and a streamlined electrical permit issuance may be granted through the Express Permit Service. All other types of EVCS design and installation, however, may require a detailed plan review and must be processed through the Submitted Plan Review Service.
More detailed information on the type of plan review that may be required for your project,
application submittal requirements, costs related to the review and/or permit and inspection processes can be found in the sections below.
PERMITTING PROCESS FOR EVCS
OVERVIEW:
Simple EVCS design and installation for one or two electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) with limited electrical scope of work to existing one- and two-family dwellings, multi-family dwellings, and/or nonresidential buildings or sites may avoid a detailed plan review and a streamlined electrical permit issuance may be granted through the City's Express Permit Service.
EXPRESS PERMIT SERVICE:
Simple EVCS design and installation that meets the criteria of one of the three express permit checklists (FORM-019, FORM-037 or FORM-038) referenced herein may qualify for the Express Permit Service.
Review the express permit checklist appropriate for your type of EVCS installation and complete all the questions. If the responses to all the questions are “Y”, then your project may qualify for this service and the issuance an electrical permit issuance may be processed on the same day of your scheduled visit to the Permit Center. If there is an “N” response to any of the questions, simple EVCS installation may still qualify for permit issuance upon further review over-the-counter by one or more of the following plan review staff: Planning, Building, Fire and/or Electrical.
Refer to Information Bulletin IB-049 Permitting Process for EVCS for additional information.
FILING AND SUBMISSION REQUIREMENT:
Request to install EVCS and related equipment starts with the filing and submission of a completed permit application, plot plan, and one of the three express permit checklists to the Permit Center by appointments.
Download, complete and sign the following documents prior to the time of the appointment:
- APP-012 Express Electrical Permit Application
- FORM-028 Plot Plan
- FORM-019 Express Permit Checklist for One- and Two-Family EVCS
- FORM-037 Express Permit Checklist for Multi-Family Dwelling EVCS
- FORM-038 Express Permit Checklist for Nonresidential Dwelling EVCS
PERMIT FEE:
The only applicable fee is for an express electrical permit. An express electrical permit may be issued for the installation of EVCS for a total electrical permit fee of, including all applicable surcharges and filing fees, $193.32. The electrical permit fee covers up to three electrical equipment installation (e.g., two EVSEs and a panel upgrade in the case of one- and two-family dwellings) and all required electrical inspection services. All fees will be collected at the time of electrical permit issuance.
Where simple EVCS design and installation require an over-the-counter plan review, an addition plan review fee may be applicable.
APPOINTMENTS:
Schedule an appointment for an Express Permit Service.
OVERVIEW:
All other EVCS design and installation will require a detailed plan review and must be processed through the Submitted Plan Review Service.
SUBMITTED PLAN REVIEW SERVICE:
For all other EVCS design and installation that do not meet the express permit checklists referenced above, then the need for a detailed plan review will be required. Construction documents will be required to be submitted for plan review to verify that the project meets the latest edition of the CEC, CEEC, CGBSC, CBC, CFC and LBMC.
Construction documents should include, but not limited to, the following information:
- General
- Drawn to scale.
- Quality blue or black line drawings with uniform and light background color.
- Maximum 36” x 48” size with minimum ⅛ inch lettering size.
- Sticky back details must produce prints without contrasting shades of background color.
- Title Sheet
- Address of property.
- Name, address, phone number of the property owner.
- Name, address, phone number and license number of the person responsible for the EVCS system design.
- Codes applicable to the project.
- Occupancy and use of the facilities.
- Narrative description and scope of the proposed work.
- Site Plan Sheet
- Location and name of structure(s) on the site.
- Property lines, streets, lot dimensions, north arrow, the distance from property lines to structures and the proposed EVCS equipment.
- Dimensioned parking improvements, driveways, etc.
- EVCS equipment, main electric service panel, disconnects and overcurrent protection locations.
- Underground conduit locations and routing.
- Location of additional meter, if applicable.
- Floor Plan
- Plan view of the location of the proposed EVCS and related equipment, including the use of the space or area where the EVCS will be installed.
- All applicable electrical plan related requirements of CEC Article 625 are shown or specified on the plan.
- All accessibility requirements prescribed by the CBC are shown and fully specified.
- Detailed and specific plan of all related proposed work.
- Single-Line Electrical Diagram
- List and label all EVCS supply equipment.
- Conductor and conduit size, type and location.
- Size of the over current device (circuit breaker) supplying the EVCS.
- The size and location of the main electric panel, distribution panels (sub panels). overcurrent protection, disconnects, additional meters, and EVCS equipment.
- The type (level), voltage and ampacity for each EVCS.
- All equipment labeling requirements per CEC 625.15.
For additional information that may be required on the construction documents, please visit the plan review service webpage.
FILING AND SUBMISSION REQUIREMENT:
Request to install EVCS and related equipment starts with the filing and submission of a completed permit application, plot plan, and construction documents to the Permit Center by appointments.
Download, complete and sign the following documents to be submitted at the time of the appointment:
PLAN REVIEW AND PERMIT FEE:
Plan review and permit fees may be applicable for all other EVCS design and installation that do not qualify for the Express Permit Service. Plan review fees will be collected at the time the construction documents are submitted for plan review and permit fees will be collected at the time of permit issuance.
APPOINTMENT:
Schedule an appointment for a submitted plan review service.
For information on EVCS design and installation as part of new construction development projects, please refer to Information Bulletin IB-050 - EV Charging for New Construction.
RELATED INFORMATION
AB 970 (McCarty, 2021), codified in Government Code Section 65850.71, builds on AB 1236. The City is limiting EVCS project review to health and safety requirements. Applicants should communicate with City staff to ensure application compliance with building, electrical, accessibility, and any health and safety requirements from the California Electrical Code (CEC), California Energy Code (CEEC), California Green Building Standards Code (CGBSC), California Building Code (CBC), California Fire Code (CFC), and the Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC).
AB 1100 (Kamlager-Dove, 2019), codified in Vehicle Code Section 22511.2, permit charging spaces to count as standard parking spaces for the purpose of complying with minimum zoning parking requirements. Accessible charging spaces with an access aisle count as two standard parking spaces.
Civil Code Section 4745: limits a homeowner association’s ability to prohibit or restrict the installation of an EVCS by a member.
Civil Code Section 1947.6 (residential) and Civil Code Section 1952.7 (commercial): tenants have the right to install EVCS and landlords must grant permission under specified circumstances.
