Bill Text: CA AB1820 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Electric vehicle charging stations: permit fees.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Passed) 2026-09-20 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 348, Statutes of 2026. [AB1820 Detail]
Download: California-2025-AB1820-Chaptered.html
Assembly Bill
No. 1820
CHAPTER 348
An act to add and repeal Chapter 7.7 (commencing with Section 66015.5) of Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code, relating to local government.
[
Approved by
Governor
September 20, 2026.
Filed with
Secretary of State
September 20, 2026.
]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1820, Schiavo.
Electric vehicle charging stations: permit fees.
Existing law requires a city, county, or city and county to administratively approve an application to install an electric vehicle charging station through the issuance of a building permit or similar nondiscretionary permit, and requires every local government to adopt an ordinance that creates an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations, as provided. Existing law defines “electric vehicle charging station” to mean any level of electric vehicle supply equipment station that is designed and built in compliance with specified provisions, and delivers electricity from a source outside an electric vehicle into a plug-in electric vehicle.
Existing law requires fees charged by a local agency for specified purposes, including permits, to not exceed the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for
which the fee is charged, unless a question regarding the amount of the fee charged in excess of this cost is submitted to, and approved by, 2/3 of the electors. Existing law, until January 1, 2034, prohibits a city, county, city or county, or charter city from charging a permit fee for a solar energy system that exceeds the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged, which cannot exceed $450 plus $15 per kilowatt for each kilowatt above 15kW for residential solar energy systems, and $1,000 plus $7 per kilowatt for each kilowatt between 51kW and 250kW, plus $5 for every kilowatt above 250kW, for commercial solar energy systems, unless the city, county, city and county, or charter city provides substantial evidence of the reasonable cost to issue the permit as part of a written finding and an adopted resolution or ordinance, as provided.
This bill, until January 1, 2036, would prohibit a city, county, city or county, or charter city from charging a permit fee for an electric vehicle charging station that exceeds the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged, which cannot exceed $500 plus $5 per kilowatt for each kilowatt between 51kW and 250kW, plus $2 for every kilowatt above 250kW, for a level 2 electric vehicle charging
station installed at a new or existing multifamily housing development, unless the city, county, city and county, or charter city provides substantial evidence of the reasonable cost to issue the permit as part of a written finding and an adopted resolution or ordinance, as provided. The bill would make its provisions operative on July 1, 2027, but for every city, county, city and county, or charter city with a population of fewer than 200,000 residents, the provisions would apply beginning on January 1, 2028. By requiring local agencies to perform additional duties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would make related findings and declarations.
The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) Transportation currently accounts for more than 50 percent of California’s greenhouse gas emissions, 80 percent of smog-forming pollution, and 95 percent of toxic diesel emissions.
(b) More than 90 percent of Californians breathe unhealthy air pollution each year, with the burden falling most heavily on communities near freight corridors, ports, and warehouses.
(c) Zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) are critical to reducing emissions and improving public health, are a key
part of California’s clean innovation economy, and are already California’s second largest global export market.
(d) California’s growing zero-emission manufacturing economy includes over 55 ZEV-related manufacturing companies and over 26,200 jobs in ZEV manufacturing and infrastructure.
(e) In 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Executive Order No. N-79-20 that required the State Air Resources Board to implement regulations to mandate that all in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks be zero emission by 2035, all sales for new drayage trucks be zero emission by 2035, and all operations of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles be 100 percent zero emission by 2045.
(f) To ensure the necessary infrastructure to
support ZEVs, the order requires state agencies, in partnership with the private sector, to accelerate deployment of affordable fueling and charging options.
(g) Local governments are a key partner in the state’s effort to transition to ZEVs through permitting charging infrastructure in local communities.
(h) According to the Energy Commission’s recently released Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Assessment, the state will need over 1,000,000 more chargers by 2030 and 2,000,000 more chargers by 2035.
(i) Improved access to electric vehicle charging is especially necessary in multifamily housing.
(j) In 2015, Assembly Bill 1236 (Chapter 598 of
the Statutes of 2015) was enacted, requiring local governments to create an expedited permitting and inspection process for electric vehicle charging stations.
(k) In 2021, Assembly Bill 970 (Chapter 710 of the Statutes of 2021) was enacted, establishing timeframes in which local agencies must approve permits for electric vehicle charging stations.
(l) In order to support California’s clean energy goals, the Legislature and the Governor have approved three bills to require local governments to charge affordable permit amounts for residential and commercial solar installations, through Assembly Bill 1132 (Chapter 357 of the Statutes of 2023), Assembly Bill 1414 (Chapter 849 of the Statutes of 2017), and Senate Bill 1222 (Chapter 614 of the Statutes of 2012).
(m) Consistent with previously enacted bills for solar permit affordability, legislation is necessary to ensure that all local jurisdictions are charging affordable permit amounts for residential and commercial electric vehicle charger installations.
SEC. 2.
Chapter 7.7 (commencing with Section 66015.5) is added to Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code, to read:CHAPTER 7.7. Fees for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
66015.5.
(a) (1) A city, county, city and county, or charter city shall not charge a permit fee for an electric vehicle charging station that exceeds the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged. Except as provided in paragraph (2), that fee shall not exceed five hundred dollars ($500) plus five dollars ($5) per kilowatt for each kilowatt between 51kW and 250kW, plus two dollars ($2) for every kilowatt above 250kW, for a level 2 electric vehicle charging station installed at a new or existing multifamily housing development.(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a city, county, city and county, or charter city may charge a permit fee for an electric vehicle charging station that exceeds the fees specified in paragraph (1) if the city, county, city and county, or charter city, as part of a written finding and an adopted resolution or ordinance, provides substantial
evidence of the reasonable cost to issue the permit.
(b) A written finding adopted pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) shall include all of the following:
(1) A determination that the municipality has adopted appropriate ordinances, permit fees, and processes to streamline the submittal and approval of permits for electric vehicle charging stations pursuant to the practices and policies in state guidelines and model ordinances.
(2) A calculation related to the administrative cost of issuing an electric vehicle charging station permit.
(3) A description of how the higher fee will result in a quick and streamlined approval process.
(c) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Administrative costs” means the costs incurred in connection with the review, approval, and issuance of the permit, and the hourly site inspection and followup costs, and may also include an amortization of the costs incurred in connection with producing a written finding and adopting an ordinance or resolution pursuant to subdivision (a).
(2) “Electric vehicle charging station” has the same meaning as defined in Section 65850.7.
(3) “Permit fee” means the sum of all charges levied by a city, county, city and county, or charter city in connection with the application for an electric vehicle
charging station that is installed on the property.
(d) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2027, but for every city, county, city and county, or charter city with a population of fewer than 200,000 residents, this section shall apply beginning on January 1, 2028.
(e) This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2036, and as of that date is repealed.
