Lake Forest, CA Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)

Lake Forest supports electric-vehicle charging primarily through city-owned ChargePoint stations rather than a dedicated parking-enforcement ordinance. According to the city's Electric Vehicle Charging Stations page, the Civic Center campus provides 13 electric-vehicle charging stations for public use. The ChargePoint stations are located at 100 Civic Center Drive, on both floors of the Civic Center parking deck and on the west side of City Hall near Police Services. Pricing is structured to encourage turnover: parking is free during charging and $6 per hour after charging ends, calculated pro-rata, with an energy rate of $0.30 per kWh. The city states that drivers can park at the stations while attending an event, requesting information, or simply to recharge; the page does not list a separate maximum charging time or cite a Vehicle Code section. The enforceable rule about who may occupy a charging space comes from state law: California Vehicle Code Section 22511 makes it unlawful to park a vehicle in a stall or space specifically designated for charging electric vehicles unless the vehicle is connected for electric charging, and signage/markings let the space be enforced and the vehicle towed. New charging infrastructure in the city is also governed by the state's expedited EV-charging-station permitting framework (Government Code Section 65850.7), and the city publishes an Electric Vehicle Charger Service (EVCS) permitting process for installations. Together these mean Lake Forest offers public charging with a turnover-based fee, while state law backstops the rule that only actively charging EVs may use a charging stall.