Howard County, MD Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Howard County Code § 3.105
- Individual homes
- Dedicated line for future Level 2 charger
- Shared parking
- 1 charging station per 25 units, rounded up
- Minimum charging level
- Level 2 (SAE J1772 standard)
- Enacted
- C.B. 76, 2018; amended C.B. 37, 2019
Summary
Howard County's Building Code requires new houses, townhouses, condos and rental buildings to be built EV-ready. Section 3.105 makes single-family homes and townhouses with a garage, carport or driveway include a dedicated electric line sized for a future Level 2 charger, and requires larger residential developments to install a working charging station in at least one communal space per 25 units.
(b)Scope.(1)This section applies to any proposed construction of:(i)Residential Group R-1 and Residential Group R-2 occupancies...(iii)Residential Group R-3 townhouse and single family detached occupancies...regardless of the ownership arrangement. (c)Provision of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure.(1)For new construction subject to this section:(i)A residential unit with a garage, carport, or driveway shall feature a dedicated electric line of sufficient voltage so that an electric vehicle charging station may be added in the future; and(ii)The developer shall ensure that at least one communal parking space for each 25 residential units that are not covered under item (i) of this paragraph features an electric vehicle charging station.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 91 | Zoning: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
105 of the Howard County Code, adopted by County Council bill in 2018 and amended in 2019, applies to new construction of Residential Group R-1 and R-2 occupancies, condominium or cooperative buildings with more than two units, and R-3 townhouse and single-family detached homes regardless of ownership. For a residential unit built with a garage, carport, or driveway, the developer must run a dedicated electric line of sufficient voltage so a charging station can be added later, even if no charger is installed at the time of construction.
For units without their own garage, carport or driveway, communal parking has its own threshold: developers must equip at least one shared parking space with a working EV charging station for every 25 residential units that lack individual charging infrastructure, and if that math produces an odd number or a fraction, the county rounds up to the next even number of required spaces. 207(c)(5) of the County Code. The Building Official can specify additional performance standards for the charging equipment itself. The section includes a sunset clause: it stops applying automatically if the Howard County Building Code is later updated with its own provisions requiring and regulating EV charging equipment for the same residential occupancies.
Violations & Fines
Because Section 3.105 is enforced as part of new construction plan review, a residential building or site plan that omits the required dedicated wiring or the communal charging stations will not clear the Building Official's review, and a certificate of occupancy will not issue until the required EV infrastructure is installed and inspected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to install an EV charger when I build a new house in Howard County?
What about condos or apartment buildings without individual garages?
Does this rule apply to existing homes?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Howard County
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