Harford County, MD Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)

Harford County Code § 267-23C(1)(a)[9], added by Bill No. 21-019, lists electric vehicle charging stations among the structures allowed to encroach into a property's required yard setback in the unincorporated county's zoning code, Chapter 267. Like the outdoor dining allowance in the adjoining subsection, the encroachment is capped at 50% of whatever front, side or rear yard setback the district otherwise requires, so a homeowner or business in a district with a 30-foot side setback could locate an EV charger no closer than 15 feet from the side lot line.

The provision sits within the broader list of permitted yard encroachments alongside awnings and cornices (3 feet), bay windows and porches (3 feet), fire escapes (5 feet) and unenclosed patios and decks (up to 35% of the yard requirement), meaning EV charging equipment gets a more generous allowance than most accessory features except outdoor dining. Because a charging station still counts as a structure under the zoning code, installing one requires the zoning certificate mandated for accessory structures generally, and the equipment must otherwise comply with electrical permitting requirements administered by the County's Electrical Examining Board.

The rule applies countywide outside Bel Air, Aberdeen and Havre de Grace, each of which sets its own zoning standards for charging infrastructure inside town limits.