Providence, RI HOA Rules: CC&R Enforcement (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Code of Ordinances § 15-133
- Application deadline
- 60 days or deemed approved
- Installer requirement
- Licensed contractor/electrician, permit
- Cost responsibility
- Owner pays install and repair
Summary
City ordinance bars Providence homeowners' and condo associations from prohibiting EV charging stations, letting them impose only reasonable installation conditions.
An association shall not prohibit or unreasonably restrict an owner from installing an electric vehicle charging station... on a common element; provided, however, that the common element is within a reasonable distance of the dedicated parking spot. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit an association from making reasonable restrictions, as defined in this section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 7).
Full Breakdown
Under Code of Ordinances § 15-133, a homeowners', condominium, or cooperative association in Providence cannot prohibit or unreasonably restrict an owner from installing an electric vehicle charging station on their own unit, an exclusive-use area, or a nearby common element. Associations may still require a permit-backed application, licensed-electrician installation, and cost-allocation terms, and may deny only for documented safety or structural reasons: an application not denied in writing within 60 days is automatically approved.
Violations & Fines
An association that flatly bans or indefinitely stalls an EV charging application is not enforcing a valid restriction: the owner can install once 60 days pass without a written denial, and the association bears no removal or damage costs beyond what this section assigns to the owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my Providence HOA just say no to an EV charger?
What can the association still require?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Providence
Compare Providence to another location·View the Rhode Island hoa rules overview
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