Pennsylvania does not have a statewide EV-ready building mandate or model municipal EV ordinance comparable to New Jersey's, so EV charging in Reading is governed primarily by the locally adopted zoning provisions of Chapter 600 of the Reading Codified Ordinances and the electrical permit requirements of the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (34 Pa. Code §§401-405, adopting the NEC). Single-family residential EVSE is generally treated as a permitted accessory use requiring only an electrical permit.
Pennsylvania is one of the states that has not adopted a statewide EV-ready / Make-Ready parking mandate; the Commonwealth instead relies on the PennDOT EV Model Ordinance Toolkit, the DEP Electric Vehicle Guidebook for Pennsylvania Municipalities, and local zoning adoption. The Bucks County Planning Commission and DVRPC offer regional model ordinances, but adoption is municipality-by-municipality. The City of Reading's Chapter 600 (Zoning) does not impose a statewide-style EV-ready percentage on new construction; instead, EV charging stations are evaluated under existing zoning categories - accessory uses for single-family installations, principal or accessory uses for non-residential sites depending on configuration. Installation of EVSE itself requires an electrical permit issued by the City Codes / Building Inspections office under the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (34 Pa. Code §§401-405), which adopts the IBC, IRC and NEC; level 1 and level 2 chargers must be installed by a licensed electrician and inspected. Larger commercial DC fast-charging sites may trigger zoning review for parking-lot layout, lighting and signage. Reading is on the I-176 / US-422 corridor and has been included in regional EV infrastructure planning under PennDOT and DVRPC.
Installing EVSE without the required electrical permit violates the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (34 Pa. Code §§401-405) and is enforceable by the City Codes office with stop-work orders, fines under the local Code and refusal to issue a Certificate of Occupancy or final inspection until the work is properly permitted and inspected. Zoning issues for commercial installations (parking layout, signage, screening) are enforceable by the Reading Zoning Office under Chapter 600.
Reading, PA
Every swimming pool in Reading must be enclosed by a permanent barrier or fence at least four feet in height with no opening larger than four inches, and the...
Reading, PA
Reading Zoning Code § 600-1304 bans barbed-wire fences in residential settings, electrically-charged fences (except invisible pet fences), broken glass affix...
Reading, PA
Reading's zoning code does not require neighbor consent for a boundary fence under § 600-1301, but Pennsylvania's partition-fence statute (53 P.S. § 46202) a...
Reading, PA
Reading Zoning Code § 600-1301 requires a permit from the Zoning Administrator for any fence, wall, or similar structure greater than three feet in height. F...
Reading, PA
Reading Code Section 141-220 effectively caps a household at six dogs and/or cats combined. Owning more than six requires a permit from the Reading Animal Co...
Reading, PA
Propane (LP-gas) storage in Reading is regulated through the 2018 International Fire Code Chapter 61 (Liquefied Petroleum Gases), adopted by Reading Chapter ...
See how Reading's ev charging rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.