For years, the dream of owning an electric vehicle in Australia came with an unwritten prerequisite: You must own a driveway. If you lived in an apartment, the narrative was usually, “It’s too hard,” or “The strata committee will never agree.” Many would-be EV owners found themselves trapped in a loop of wanting to switch but fearing they’d be left stranded with a flat battery and a “No” from their Body Corporate.

But as we roll into 2026, the walls are coming down. From the inner-west of Sydney to the high-rises of Brisbane and the leafy blocks of Melbourne, apartment dwellers are finally getting their “Right to Charge.” At EV Evolution, we know that high-density living shouldn’t mean low-density innovation. The laws have changed, the technology is smarter, and the “garage requirement” is officially a thing of the past. Here is your roadmap to navigating strata in 2025 and 2026.

🏛️ The New Legal Landscape: NSW, VIC, and QLD (2025–2026)

For a long time, strata committees could block EV charger installations simply because they didn’t “like the look of it” or feared a mythical fire risk. Recent legislative shifts have flipped the script, making it significantly harder for committees to say no without a valid, evidence-based reason.

New South Wales: The Gold Standard

NSW is currently leading the charge. Under the Strata Schemes Management Act updates that fully matured in 2025, EV charging is now classified as “Sustainability Infrastructure.”

• The 50% Rule: Previously, major work on common property required a “special resolution” (75% approval). Now, a “Sustainability Infrastructure Resolution” only requires a simple majority (50%). If more than half the owners want it, it happens.
• Aesthetics are Gone: As of mid-2025, an owners corporation cannot ban an EV charger installation based solely on aesthetics unless the building is heritage-listed.

Victoria: The NCC 2022 Effect

While Victoria hasn’t passed a standalone “Right to Charge” law, they have leaned heavily into the National Construction Code (NCC) 2022. Since May 2024, all new apartment builds must be “EV Ready.”

• Retrofitting Power: For older buildings, the Victorian Government’s 2025 guidelines have streamlined the “Exclusive Use By-law” process. This allows individual owners to pay for their own charger and wiring while the strata committee simply “permits” the use of common property conduits.

Queensland: The Transparency Pivot

Queensland’s 2025 updates to the BCCM Act focused on transparency. Committees are now encouraged to be proactive rather than reactive. If an owner submits a request for a charger that costs less than $3,000 (including installation), the committee can often approve it directly without a general meeting, provided it doesn’t negatively impact other owners’ electricity supply.

🔍 The “Right to Charge” Feasibility Study: Your Secret Weapon

The biggest mistake apartment owners make is asking for a charger before they have the data. If you go to a committee meeting and say, “I want a charger,” they will say, “The grid can’t handle it.”

The solution is a Feasibility Study.

In 2026, this is the standard first step. A feasibility study is a professional assessment of your building’s “spare capacity.”

• Load Management: Most buildings don’t need a million-dollar transformer upgrade. They just need a Load Management System (LMS). This tech “talks” to the chargers and ensures they only draw power when the elevators and air conditioners aren’t at peak usage (usually between 11 PM and 5 AM).
• The Subsidy: In NSW, the EV Ready Buildings Grant (which was expanded for 2025-2026) actually co-funds these studies. You pay a fraction of the cost, and the government covers the rest to prove your building can handle EVs.

EV Evolution Pro Tip: Don’t fight your committee with emotions; fight them with an LMS proposal. It solves their biggest fear: a building-wide blackout.

🔌 Living Without a Dedicated Spot: The “Shared Charger” Model

What if you don’t have a deeded parking spot? Or what if your spot is in a location where running cable is physically impossible?

2026 has seen the rise of the “Visitor Bay Conversion.” Many progressive buildings are now installing one or two high-speed (22kW) chargers in visitor spots.

• User Pays: Residents use an app (like Evie or Chargefox) to unlock the charger.
• Revenue for Strata: The building can actually set a small markup on the electricity, meaning the EV chargers help pay for the building’s communal electricity or gardening costs. This is the ultimate “win-win” to pitch to your committee.

🪜 Your 5-Step Roadmap to Apartment Charging

1. Survey the Room: Talk to your neighbors. You aren’t the only one wanting an EV. A group request for five chargers is much more powerful than one person asking for a single plug.
2. Check the By-laws: See if your building already has a “Sustainability Infrastructure” by-law. If they don’t, that’s your first motion at the next AGM.
3. Request the Feasibility Study: Ask the committee to commission a study. Offer to help source quotes from companies like JetCharge or EVSE.
4. Propose a “Standardized” Solution: Committees hate messy wiring. Propose a single “Backbone” system that everyone can eventually plug into, rather than 50 separate cables.
5. Formalize the By-law: Ensure you have an “Exclusive Use” or “Special Privilege” by-law in place so that the charger stays with your unit if you ever sell.

🇦🇺 Be the Catalyst

At EV Evolution, we believe that the apartment dweller is the next great frontier of the EV transition. You shouldn’t be penalized for living in a city or choosing a sustainable, high-density lifestyle.

You have the law on your side. You have the government grants on your side. And most importantly, you have the data on your side.

Don’t wait for your building to “eventually” get around to it. Be the person who brings the proposal to the table. The “Wait and See” approach is how buildings become obsolete. The “Charge and Lead” approach is how they gain value.

🤖 Join the Evolution: Get Your Strata Request Ready

Negotiating with a Body Corporate can feel like learning a second language. You need the right terminology—terms like “load balancing,” “ancillary infrastructure,” and “sustainability resolutions.”

Don’t write it from scratch. Let the AI do the heavy lifting.

At EV Evolution, we’ve built a specific database of the 2025/2026 strata requirements for every Australian state.

Ask the Chatbot today:

• “Provide a ‘Strata Request Template’ for an EV feasibility study in a NSW apartment block.”
• “What are the current VIC guidelines for retrofitting EV chargers in a 1970s brick flat?”
• “Write a letter to my QLD Body Corporate proposing a shared visitor-bay charger.”
• “List the top 3 EV Load Management providers currently operating in Sydney.”

About EV Evolution

EV Evolution is the leading online platform dedicated to Australian electric vehicle owners and enthusiasts. We foster a vibrant community, delivering essential EV news and insights, and enhancing user engagement through our innovative, AI-powered chatbot for dynamic discussions. Our mission is to empower Australian electric vehicle owners and enthusiasts by fostering a vibrant, AI-driven online community that connects, informs, and advances the nation’s electric vehicle landscape.