Sonoma, CA Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)
Key Facts
- Marking rule
- SMC 19.48.070(F)
- Infrastructure standard
- State Green Building Code via SMC 19.48.070(I)
- Local amendments adopted
- Under Chapter 14.10 SMC
- Striping width
- 4-inch painted lines
- Enforcing office
- City planner / building official
Summary
Every electric vehicle charging stall in a City of Sonoma parking facility must be clearly marked, under the striping standard at SMC 19.48.070(F). The underlying infrastructure requirements come from the state-adopted California Green Building Standards Code, which SMC 19.48.070(I) locally applies through Chapter 14.10.
F. Striping and Identification. Parking spaces shall be clearly outlined with four-inch-wide lines painted on the surface of the parking facility. Every stall designated to accommodate compact cars, motorcycles, handicap or electric vehicle charging shall be clearly marked as such. Parking spaces for the disabled shall be striped and marked according to the applicable state and federal standards. ... ... I. Electric Vehicle Infrastructure. Electric vehicle infrastructure shall be provided in compliance with the California Green Building Standards Code (Title 24 Regulations) as adopted and amended from time to time under Chapter 14.10 SMC.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 13-2025, passed December 3, 2025).
Full Breakdown
48 Parking and Loading Standards, sets two rules that govern electric vehicle charging in the City of Sonoma. Subsection (F), Striping and Identification, requires every parking space in a facility to be outlined with four-inch-wide painted lines, and specifically requires that any stall designated for electric vehicle charging, along with compact car, motorcycle, or handicap stalls, be clearly marked as such, so a driver or code enforcement officer can identify a charging space at a glance. 10 SMC. 070 alone to find the number of required stalls.
Once a charging stall exists, it must still satisfy the general parking facility standards in the same section, including the 90-degree, 60-degree, and parallel stall dimensions in subsection (B), the four-inch striping requirement, and the general surfacing and maintenance duties in subsection (G). Any charging equipment mounted within a parking area must also avoid encroaching into required drive aisles or landscaped setbacks under subsection (E).
Violations & Fines
Failing to mark a designated electric vehicle charging stall, or installing charging infrastructure that does not meet the state-adopted Green Building Standards Code as locally amended under Chapter 14.10, is enforceable as a code violation under SMC 1.12.010: an infraction citation carries up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second violation of the same section within a year, and $500 for a third, and no building or zoning permit will issue until any related penalty is paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sonoma require EV charging stalls to be marked?
How many EV charging stations does a new building need in Sonoma?
Do EV charging stalls have to meet the standard parking space dimensions?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma
California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma to another location·View the California parking rules overview
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EV Charging in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sonoma County handle ev charging.