Providence, RI Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- condo, co-op, HOA associations
- Who pays
- owner covers install & electricity
- Permit needed
- licensed contractor + building permit
- Application deadline
- deemed approved after 60 days
- Fees allowed
- only reasonable processing fee
Summary
Providence code bars condo, co-op, and HOA associations from blocking or unreasonably restricting owners who want to install an EV charging station on their own unit, exclusive-use area, or a nearby common element.
An association shall not prohibit or unreasonably restrict an owner from installing an electric vehicle charging station: a. On or in areas subject to the owner's separate interest; b. On or in areas to which the owner has exclusive use; or c. On a common element; provided, however, that the common element is within a reasonable distance of the dedicated parking spot.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 7).
Full Breakdown
Under Providence City Code § 15-133, homeowner, condo, and cooperative associations can't flatly refuse or unreasonably restrict a unit owner's request to add an EV charging station on their own unit, an area they have exclusive use of, or a nearby common element. The owner pays for the install, must use a licensed contractor with a building permit, and covers the electricity. Associations can require a written application, but it's automatically approved if not denied in writing within 60 days, and the association can only charge a reasonable fee for processing the paperwork -- not for the installation itself.
Violations & Fines
The ordinance doesn't spell out a specific fine; an association that unreasonably blocks or delays a charging-station request is not complying with § 15-133, and an owner can pursue the association's standard dispute or legal remedies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my condo association say no to an EV charger?
Who pays for the charging station and the electricity?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Providence
Compare Providence to another location·View the Rhode Island parking rules overview
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