Getting Strata Approval for an EV Charger in Your Apartment Block
A clear comparison of your real options — shared charging, dedicated chargers, and how to get strata on board without the runaround.
What are your actual options for EV charging in a strata building?
Getting strata approval for an EV charger in your apartment block comes down to three realistic paths: installing a dedicated charger on your exclusive-use parking space, tapping into a shared common-area charging solution, or using a managed network charger billed per session. Each suits a different situation, and understanding the trade-offs upfront saves you months of back-and-forth with the owners corporation.
A dedicated charger on your own car space — typically a wall-mounted AC unit like those used for Tesla charger installation — gives you the fastest, most convenient home charging. You control it, you pay for the electricity directly, and it behaves exactly like a home charger. The catch: you need the car space to be on title as exclusive-use property, and your electrical panel must be close enough to run a dedicated circuit without crossing common property in a way strata won't approve.
Shared or managed charging suits buildings where multiple residents want EV charging but no single resident wants to carry the cost alone. A managed network charger sits in common parking, bills each driver for their own usage, and is funded (at least partly) by the owners corporation. It is slower to get up and running but removes the headache of metering and cost disputes between neighbours.
Dedicated vs shared EV charger: which option suits you?
A dedicated charger is the right choice if you own your car space as exclusive-use property, you charge at night and want a full battery every morning, and you are willing to absorb the installation cost yourself — typically covering a licensed electrician, a dedicated circuit, and any metering or sub-metering required by strata. This is the same setup used for home EV charger installation in a freestanding house, just with an extra layer of approval. Residents across Cronulla, Miranda, and Sutherland who own their parking spaces have successfully taken this route after a single strata meeting.
A shared managed charger suits you if your car space is common property (not exclusive-use), if multiple residents are asking for charging at the same time, or if the owners corporation wants a solution that serves the whole building rather than one unit. The downside is speed — shared chargers are often Level 2 units split across several bays, and peak demand can slow your charge. You also have no guarantee the bay you need will be free when you arrive home.
If you are unsure which category your car space falls into, check your strata plan — it will show whether parking is common property, exclusive-use common property, or part of your lot. That single answer determines which path is even available to you.
How do you actually get strata approval — step by step?
Strata approval for an EV charger follows a predictable process once you know what the owners corporation needs to say yes. Start by getting a written quote and a basic installation scope from a licensed electrician — this gives strata something concrete to assess rather than a vague request. Include details on where cabling runs, how electricity costs are metered to your unit, and whether any common property is affected.
Submit a formal written request to the strata manager before the next general meeting. Frame it as a minor renovation or alteration, reference the NSW Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, and note that EV charger installations on exclusive-use property typically require only an ordinary resolution (a simple majority) rather than a special resolution. Buildings in suburbs like Caringbah and Gymea often have strata managers who have already handled a request like this — ask whether there is an existing by-law covering EV chargers, because many buildings have quietly introduced one in the past two years.
Anticipate the three questions strata almost always asks: Who pays for the electricity? What happens if you sell the unit? And does the installation affect common property or building insurance? Prepare short, written answers to each. A metered dedicated circuit answers question one; a clause in your approval letter covering removal or transfer answers question two; and a letter from your electrician confirming the scope stays within exclusive-use property typically resolves question three.
What are the common reasons strata rejects EV charger requests — and how do you overcome them?
The most common rejection is not about EV chargers specifically — it is about incomplete information. Strata committees are made up of volunteers managing risk on behalf of all owners; a vague request reads as risk. A detailed scope of works, a licensed electrician's quote, and a clear metering plan address the majority of objections before they are raised.
Capacity concerns are the second most common sticking point. Older apartment buildings in areas like Engadine and Menai sometimes have switchboards that cannot support additional dedicated circuits without an upgrade. A proper load assessment by a qualified electrician will show exactly what headroom exists — if an upgrade is needed, knowing the cost upfront lets you negotiate with strata rather than being caught flat-footed at the meeting.
If a first request is knocked back, ask strata to specify in writing what would need to change for approval to be granted. This converts a rejection into a checklist. Most owners corporations that decline a first request will approve a revised one that addresses their stated concerns — particularly now that EV uptake is rising and more residents are asking the same question.
What does EV charger installation in a strata building actually cost and involve?
Installation costs for a dedicated EV charger in an apartment block are higher than a standard house installation because of the additional cabling run, sub-metering requirements, and the time involved in coordinating access with strata. As a rough guide, expect the electrical work alone to sit meaningfully above a single-family home installation — the exact figure depends on the distance from the switchboard to your car space, whether trenching or conduit through common areas is needed, and the charger hardware chosen.
For a Tesla charger installation specifically, the Wall Connector is the most common hardware choice and works cleanly with a dedicated 32A circuit. Other brands offer similar AC Level 2 output and are compatible with any EV. The charger hardware cost is separate from the electrical installation, so get a quote that itemises both.
The licensed electrician handling the job should be familiar with strata requirements, not just residential wiring. In the Sutherland Shire — covering suburbs from Sylvania through to Kirrawee and Como — the local council and network provider (Endeavour Energy) have their own connection requirements that a competent installer will already know. Confirm before you book that your electrician has completed strata EV installations previously, not just freestanding home jobs.
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What our customers say
"Voltie Electrical were fantastic from start to finish — turned up on time, explained everything clearly and left the place spotless. Highly recommend to anyone in Cronulla."
"Really happy with the ev charger installation here in Miranda. Fair price, genuinely professional, and no mess left behind. Will definitely use Voltie Electrical again."
"Fast, friendly and reliable — Voltie Electrical sorted everything the same day and kept me updated the whole way through. Great local service in Sutherland."
Ready to put a proper EV charger proposal to your strata?
Voltie Electrical installs home and Tesla EV chargers across Cronulla, Miranda, Sutherland, and the wider Sutherland Shire — and we can prepare the electrical scope and documentation your owners corporation needs to say yes.