Bothell, WA Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- BMC 12.06.180(B)(7)
- Use status
- Accessory use to any permitted primary use
- Parking credit
- Counts toward required spaces for the primary use
- Parking space definition
- Marked space reserved exclusively for electric vehicles
- Same-section utility rule
- Service lines underground with new development
Summary
In the City of Bothell, Washington, BMC 12.06.180(B)(7) permits electric vehicle charging stations as an accessory use to any permitted primary use. Charging stations count toward the required number of parking spaces for that primary use, so adding a charger does not cost a site its required parking.
7. Electric vehicle charging stations are permitted as an accessory use to any permitted primary use and shall count towards the required number of parking spaces for said primary use.
Full Breakdown
The rule sits in the Utilities section of the zoning use chapter, BMC 12.06.180, as development and operating condition 7. It makes two moves. Electric vehicle charging stations are permitted as an accessory use to any permitted primary use, so no separate primary-use approval is needed to host one. And they shall count towards the required number of parking spaces for the primary use, so the space occupied by a charger is not subtracted from the parking the site must provide.
The city's definitions explain the terms. An electric vehicle charging station means a public or private parking space located together with a battery charging station that has as its primary purpose the transfer of electric energy to a battery or other storage device in an electric vehicle. Electric vehicle infrastructure means structures, machinery, and equipment necessary and integral to support an electric vehicle, including battery charging stations and battery changing stations. An electric vehicle parking space is any marked parking space that identifies the use to be exclusively for the parking of an electric vehicle, and an electric vehicle is any vehicle that operates, either partially or exclusively, on electrical energy from the grid or an off-board source.
The same section carries a utility rule that touches new charger installations. Condition 1 requires electrical and telecommunications service lines on individual properties to be placed underground in conjunction with new development or any construction activity which increases floor area, or a remodel valued at more than 50 percent of the assessed value of the structure. Separately, BMC 14.06.070 lists provision and maintenance of electric vehicle charging stations among the amenities and infrastructure that employers can offer under the City of Bothell commute trip reduction program.
Violations & Fines
BMC 12.06.180 sets no penalty of its own for charging stations. Zoning violations in the City of Bothell fall under BMC 1.24.010: unless an ordinance prescribes a different punishment, a misdemeanor with a fine not to exceed $1,000, imprisonment of not more than 90 days, or both. BMC 1.24.020 makes each day a separate offense. Condition 7 covers chargers as an accessory use to a permitted primary use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a business in Bothell install EV chargers in its parking lot?
Do EV charging spaces count toward Bothell's required parking?
How does Bothell define an electric vehicle charging station?
Does Bothell require new buildings to include EV chargers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bothell
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EV Charging in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle ev charging.