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Fayetteville, NC Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified October 2026

Key Facts

Governing section: Fayetteville Code § 16-296(b), (c), Restricted Parking Zones
Penalty for an EV space violation: $50.00
Who may use the space: Vehicles powered by electricity and recharged by plugging in
Unplugged plug-in vehicle: In violation if not attached to the charging station
Other § 16-296 penalties: $100.00 fire lanes; $25.00 any other violation
Appeal request deadline: 10 business days from the citation issuance date

Summary

In Fayetteville, a space designated as "Plug-in Electric Vehicle Parking" is reserved for vehicles that run on electricity and recharge by plugging into an off-board power source or charging station. Stopping, parking, or blocking access with any other vehicle violates Code § 16-296(b), and so does leaving a plug-in car in the space without attaching it to the charger. The penalty is $50.00.

b. It shall be unlawful to stop, park, or otherwise block or bar access to a parking space designated as "Plug-in Electric Vehicle Parking", except vehicles that are propelled or powered by electricity and recharged by connecting a plug to an off-board electric power source or charging station. Plug-in electric vehicles parked in such a designated space but not attached to the charging station are in violation of this ordinance. c. The penalty for a violation of parking in a space set forth on the fire lanes traffic schedule shall be $100.00. The penalty for a Plug-in Electric Vehicle Parking violation shall be $50.00. The penalty for any other violation of this section shall be $25.00.

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Full Breakdown

Subsection (b) of § 16-296 makes three separate acts unlawful in a designated Plug-in Electric Vehicle Parking space: stopping, parking, and otherwise blocking or barring access to the space. The "block or bar access" wording stands apart from "stop" and "park", so the ordinance reaches conduct beyond leaving a car inside the stall.

The only vehicles excused are those "propelled or powered by electricity and recharged by connecting a plug to an off-board electric power source or charging station." The text turns on two things: the vehicle runs on electricity, and it recharges through a plug connected to a source outside the vehicle. A vehicle that does not meet both is outside the exception.

Qualifying as a plug-in electric vehicle is not enough on its own. The second sentence of subsection (b) says plug-in electric vehicles parked in the designated space "but not attached to the charging station" are in violation. The space is for a vehicle that is connected to the charger, and an electric car that parks there and walks away unplugged faces the same $50.00 penalty as a gasoline car.

Subsection (c) sets a three-tier penalty schedule for the whole section: $100.00 for parking in a space on the fire lanes traffic schedule, $50.00 for a Plug-in Electric Vehicle Parking violation, and $25.00 for any other violation of § 16-296, which covers the loading, no parking and restricted parking zones in subsection (a). The EV penalty is double the base rate and half the fire lane rate. Parking in a disabled space under § 16-297 is penalized separately at $250.00.

Subsection (a) of the same section ties its zones to the traffic schedules adopted in § 16-61. That section adopts sixteen schedules, kept on file in the offices of the city manager, the city traffic engineer and the police department, among them restricted parking, parking prohibited, loading and unloading zones and fire lanes. Subsection (b) is built around the space being "designated" as Plug-in Electric Vehicle Parking. It states no maximum stay and no charging fee. The section also carries a state law reference to G.S. 14-4 on parking fines.

Violations & Fines

A violation of subsection (b) carries a $50.00 penalty. Three situations qualify: stopping or parking a vehicle that does not run on electricity in a designated Plug-in Electric Vehicle Parking space, blocking or barring access to such a space, and leaving a plug-in electric vehicle in the space without attaching it to the charging station. Because article X of Chapter 16 is listed in § 1-9, the person cited can request an independent hearing. A citation that is neither paid nor appealed goes to collections once 60 days pass from the day of issuance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a gasoline car park in a Plug-in Electric Vehicle Parking space in Fayetteville?

No. Section 16-296(b) makes it unlawful to stop, park, or otherwise block or bar access to a designated Plug-in Electric Vehicle Parking space. The only exception is for vehicles propelled or powered by electricity and recharged by connecting a plug to an off-board power source or charging station. A vehicle outside that exception that stops or parks there faces the $50.00 penalty in subsection (c).

Does my electric car have to be plugged in to park in the space?

Yes. The ordinance states that plug-in electric vehicles parked in a designated space but not attached to the charging station are in violation. Owning a qualifying vehicle does not protect a driver who parks in the space without connecting to the charger. The penalty for that violation is the same $50.00 set for a Plug-in Electric Vehicle Parking violation in subsection (c).

How does the $50.00 EV space penalty compare with other Fayetteville parking penalties?

Subsection (c) sets $100.00 for parking in a fire lane space, $50.00 for a Plug-in Electric Vehicle Parking violation, and $25.00 for any other violation of § 16-296. Parking in a disabled space is penalized separately under § 16-297 at $250.00. The EV space penalty therefore sits at twice the base rate and half the fire lane rate.

How do I contest an EV parking citation in Fayetteville?

Article X of Chapter 16 is listed in § 1-9, which gives the person cited a hearing right. Submit a written request to the city attorney's office within 10 business days of the citation's issuance date, on the form provided with the citation. The hearing is held within 30 calendar days of receipt of the request, before an independent hearing officer registered with the city attorney's office. A decision in your favor is final.

What happens if I do not pay or appeal within the deadline?

Under § 1-9, a person who submits no written appeal request and does not pay the civil penalty within 60 days of the day of issuance has the outstanding citation forwarded to collections. The same 60-day payment deadline applies if the hearing officer decides the penalty is due. The deadline runs from issuance, not from the hearing date.

Does Fayetteville limit how long a vehicle can stay in an EV space or charge a fee?

Subsection (b) of § 16-296 states no maximum stay and no charging fee. Its conditions are the type of vehicle, which must run on electricity and recharge by plug, and the requirement that a plug-in electric vehicle be attached to the charging station. The only monetary figure in the provision is the $50.00 penalty in subsection (c).

Sources & Official References

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