Somerville requires EV-ready wiring in new residential and commercial construction. Public on-street chargers are for active charging only, 4-hour limit.
Somerville has adopted a municipal EV-readiness ordinance requiring that new residential buildings of five or more units include EV-ready conduit to at least 25 percent of parking spaces, with a portion fully wired. Commercial and institutional projects have similar requirements under the Stretch Energy Code and Somerville's climate ordinance. Public curbside chargers installed by the City and partners like Voltpost are limited to 4 hours of active charging; vehicles left plugged in past the session or parked at a charger without charging are ticketed. Private home chargers (Level 2, 240V) require an electrical permit from ISD; panel upgrades may also require Eversource coordination. Condo associations cannot unreasonably block a unit owner from installing an EV charger under Massachusetts right-to-charge guidance.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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