EV charging in a private garage box: rules and safety

Installing a charging station for an electric car in your own box is a right granted to the individual owner, but it must be exercised in compliance with safety and legal limits. Article 1122-bis of the Italian Civil Code allows the owner to install, at their own expense, systems for producing energy from renewable sources and infrastructure for charging electric vehicles, on individually owned parts and, under the conditions provided, also on common parts. When charging takes place entirely inside the private box, powered by the individual supply, the work is simpler, but it still requires technical care and notice to the administrator.

The owner's right and the notice

Article 1122-bis provides that the owner notify the administrator of the intention to install the charging infrastructure, indicating how the work will be carried out, so as to let the condominium verify that the safety, stability and decorum of the building are not impaired. If the station is placed in the private box and connected to the owner's individual meter, the system burdens their supply and does not affect the common parts, but prior notice remains advisable for transparency and for the correct keeping of condominium documentation.

The meeting cannot prohibit installation absolutely, because the right is recognized by law, but it may prescribe alternative ways of carrying it out to protect safety and decorum, or require suitable guarantees for any damage. The passage of cables through common parts, when necessary, must be agreed and carried out so as not to harm the rights of the other owners.

Electrical safety requirements

The safety of the system is the central point. Charging an electric vehicle requires a dedicated line and adequate protection devices, because it draws high current for prolonged periods. Installation must be carried out by a qualified technician who issues the system's declaration of conformity. The essential elements are:

• a line dedicated to charging, sized for the station's power
• a residual-current protection device suitable for vehicle charging
• protection against overcurrents and a proper earthing system
• workmanlike installation with the technician's declaration of conformity
• compliance with the reference technical standards for charging infrastructure

Using non-dedicated domestic sockets and extension leads for prolonged charging is inadvisable and potentially dangerous, because it can cause overheating. A fixed charging station, correctly installed, is the safe solution.

Fire prevention in garages

Garages and boxes are environments subject to specific fire precautions. Installing charging infrastructure in these spaces must take account of the safety rules applicable to the space, especially when it comes to large or underground garages. It is prudent for the owner to check, also with the installing technician, the system's compatibility with the box's characteristics and any fire-safety requirements of the common garage, informing the administrator.

When the boxes are in a common garage, the administrator must assess whether the spread of several charging stations affects the common electrical loads and the overall safety of the space, possibly coordinating an organic intervention instead of disorderly individual installations.

Who pays for charging and the system

If the station is powered by the owner's individual meter, the energy consumed is paid directly by them, with no impact on condominium accounts. The costs of installing the system in the private box are borne exclusively by the owner, as is maintenance. Different is the case of charging infrastructure built on common parts serving several owners, which follows dedicated splitting criteria and resolutions.

The owner who installs the charging point is liable for any damage the system causes to others and to the common parts. For this reason it is advisable to keep the technical documentation and the declaration of conformity, and to consider adequate insurance cover.

Coordinating works in the condominium

With the growth of electric mobility, many condominiums see charging requests in the boxes increase. A careful administrator collects the notices, keeps a register of installed systems and assesses whether a common solution set up upfront is preferable. Orderly management of communications and technical documents prevents conflicts and safety problems.

AmministraPro helps to collect and archive owners' notices and the technical documentation of the systems, keeping track of works in the boxes. You will find the document-management and communication features on the /funzioni page and the available plans on the /prezzi page.