Winter Park, FL Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)

Section 98-12 of the Winter Park Code sets the parking rule for public electric vehicle charging spaces in the City of Winter Park, Orange County, Florida. The code defines an electric vehicle as any vehicle that operates, either partially or exclusively, on electrical energy from the grid or an off-board source that is stored on board for motive purpose. An electric vehicle charging station is a public parking space served by battery charging station equipment whose primary purpose is transferring electric energy, by conductive or inductive means, to a battery or other energy storage device in an electric vehicle.

Signed spaces on public property are reserved for parking and charging electric vehicles only. Once a sign gives notice that a space is a designated public electric vehicle charging station, no person can park or stand a nonelectric vehicle in it, and any nonelectric vehicle there is subject to fine or removal. The rule also binds electric vehicles: one in a designated space on public property that is not electrically charging is subject to a fine and/or removal. The code defines charging as the vehicle being parked at the station and connected to the charging station equipment, so a car that is parked without a connection does not qualify.

Where the city builds public charging stations, the city engineer must cause signs and markings to be placed in and around the spaces. The signs must state that the space is reserved for charging electric vehicles and that an electric vehicle can park there only for charging purposes.

Enforcement runs through Chapter 1, including Sections 1-21 and 1-23, and the fine is a Class II violation. Section 1-23 sets Class II at $100.00, Class III at $200.00 and Class IV at $300.00, and each repeated violation of the same section moves up one class. Under Section 1-21 each violation is a civil infraction, each day is a separate infraction, the maximum civil penalty is $500.00 per violation plus court costs and legislative assessments, and a citation can be contested in county court.

Private development follows a different section. Section 58-86, the off-street parking and loading regulations, requires each non-residential property to provide one electric vehicle parking space with a charging station per every 20 required off-street parking spaces, at Level 2 or better, with outlets mounted no less than 36 inches and no higher than 48 inches from the surface.