Charleston, SC Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies in
- Upper Peninsula District only, § 54-299.21 et seq.
- Parking credit
- EV spaces count toward min. parking, § 54-299.28
- Bonus threshold
- 4 spaces or 5% of parking, whichever greater
- Charger type
- Minimum Level 2 or DC fast charging
- Points earned
- 1 of 29 total incentive points, Table 1
- Maintenance duty
- Must remain for life of the building
Summary
In Charleston's Upper Peninsula District, parking spaces designated as electric vehicle charging stations count toward a project's minimum off-street parking requirement. Buildings using the district's height and density bonuses can also earn points by installing EV chargers for at least four spaces or 5 percent of total parking, whichever is greater.
Spaces that are subject to an approved space-sharing agreement, or that are part of a car share program, or that are designated as electric vehicle charging stations, or that are designated for compact car only, count toward fulfilling minimum parking requirements... 1.Install electric vehicle car charging stations (minimum Level 2 or DC fast charging) with appropriate signage for electric vehicles to provide service for four (4) vehicle parking spaces or five (5%) percent of total vehicle parking spaces for the building utilizing bonuses, whichever is greater.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 114 | Zoning: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 28 of the Zoning Ordinance, part of the Upper Peninsula District regulations (Part 17, Sec. ), states that off-street parking spaces designated as electric vehicle charging stations count toward fulfilling a project's minimum parking requirement, alongside space-sharing agreements, car-share spaces and compact-car-only spaces. This applies only within the Upper Peninsula District, the area of the peninsula generally east of Interstate 26 and north of Huger Street; it is not a citywide parking credit. The Upper Peninsula District separately offers a 'Mobility and Transportation' incentive option under Sec.
4-unit-per-acre limit: installing electric vehicle charging stations (minimum Level 2 or DC fast charging), with appropriate signage, to serve at least four vehicle parking spaces or 5 percent of the building's total parking spaces, whichever is greater, earns 1 of the 29 total incentive points available under Table 1. A project can instead mix car-share and EV charging to reach the same four-space/5-percent threshold for the same point. All incentive options must be verified by documentation and field inspection before a certificate of occupancy issues, and any option used toward a height or density bonus must be maintained for the life of the building. Owners who fail to maintain committed EV charging infrastructure must substitute another incentive option to keep the bonus.
Violations & Fines
Removing or failing to maintain EV charging spaces credited toward a height or density bonus violates Sec. 54-299.32(a) and (h), which require every incentive option to remain in place for the life of the building. The Zoning Administrator can withhold a certificate of occupancy until the owner substitutes another qualifying incentive option, and unpermitted construction beyond the bonus earned is enforceable as a misdemeanor under Sec. 54-950.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do EV charging spaces count toward Charleston's minimum parking requirement?
How many EV chargers does a Charleston Upper Peninsula project need for a height bonus point?
Does this EV parking rule apply outside the Upper Peninsula District?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston
Compare Charleston to another location·View the South Carolina parking rules overview
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EV Charging in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Charleston County handle ev charging.