If you rent a house, townhouse, apartment or condo in Florida and drive an EV, the law gives you no specific right to install a charger. Florida's landlord-tenant law, chapter 83, Florida Statutes, has no EV charging provision, so whether you can add a charger is up to your lease and your landlord. The good news is that many landlords will say yes to a clear, low-risk proposal, and plenty of renters get by on Level 1 charging from an ordinary outlet. This guide covers both.
Start with your lease
Most leases say something about alterations, improvements, fixtures or electrical work, and many require the landlord's written consent for any of them. Read those clauses before you buy a charger or call an electrician. Also look for rules about parking, extension cords and the use of exterior outlets, which are common in apartment communities.
If you rent a condo unit, note that the condo statute's EV charging right belongs to the unit owner, not the tenant (section 718.113(8), Florida Statutes). Your landlord, as the owner, can make the request to the association; you cannot make it yourself. If you rent a home in an HOA community, the HOA's documents apply on top of the lease, and the landlord will usually be the one who applies for approval; see Florida HOA EV charger rules.
Florida's 2024 preemption law does not help here either. It stops cities and counties from writing their own EV charging rules, and says nothing that requires a private landlord to allow a charger (section 366.94, Florida Statutes). Our guide to the preemption law explains what it does cover.
Level 1: charging from an ordinary outlet
Every EV comes able to charge from a standard 120 volt outlet, usually with a cord that ships with the car or is sold by the automaker. The U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center puts Level 1 at about 1.9 kW, roughly 5 miles of range per hour of charging, and Level 2 at typically 7.2 kW, roughly 25 miles per hour (AFDC, electric vehicle charging stations). Parked overnight for 10 to 12 hours, Level 1 adds something on the order of 50 to 60 miles, which covers many daily commutes.
A few practical points for renters on Level 1:
- Ask before you plug in. A garage or exterior outlet at a rental is still the landlord's electrical system, and in an apartment community the outlet may be on a common-area meter. Get permission in writing.
- Know what else is on the circuit. A garage outlet often shares a circuit with a freezer, a garage door opener or lights. A car drawing power for hours is a continuous load; if the breaker trips, stop and ask the landlord to have it checked rather than resetting it over and over.
- Read the car's manual on cords. Check what your manufacturer says about extension cords and adapters before using either.
- Watch the outlet. A plug or outlet that is warm, discolored or loose is a reason to stop charging from it and tell the landlord.
Our Florida Home EV Charging Guide goes further into how much charging a household actually needs.
Level 2: how to ask your landlord
A landlord weighing a request is thinking about safety, cost, damage, insurance and what happens when you move out. A good proposal answers all five before they are asked.
- Get a written scope from a licensed electrician. Where the charger or outlet would go, which panel feeds it, the circuit size, the conduit route, and whether the panel has room. Include the contractor's license number, which the landlord can check on the state's license lookup.
- Say it will be permitted and inspected. An electrical permit is required for this kind of work in South Florida (Miami-Dade electrical permits); see EV charger permits in South Florida. The permit and final inspection protect the landlord's property and insurance position.
- Propose who pays. Common arrangements: the tenant pays for the installation and the landlord keeps the circuit; the landlord pays and the rent reflects it; or the cost is split. Put the choice in writing.
- Propose how electricity is paid for. If the charger is on your own electric account, nothing changes. If it would be on a landlord's or common meter, agree on how usage is measured and billed. Some chargers report energy use in their app.
- Agree what happens at move-out. The landlord can keep the circuit, or you can agree to have it removed and the wall repaired. Write it down.
- Make it a signed lease addendum. The agreement belongs in writing, signed by both of you, not in a text thread.
Plug-in or hardwired when you rent
For renters, a plug-in Level 2 charger on a new 240 volt receptacle is often the easier conversation. The landlord gets a permitted circuit and outlet that adds value to the property, and you can unplug the charger and take it with you when you leave. Receptacles installed for EV charging require GFCI protection under the electrical code Florida uses, NEC 2020 (NEC 625.54), and a heavy-duty, EV-rated receptacle is worth asking for. A hardwired charger can deliver more current, but it is a fixture, and you will need an agreement on whether it stays or goes.
Apartments and shared charging
In a large apartment community, an individual circuit to one parking space is often impractical. The better request may be for the owner to add shared chargers for residents. If your property manager is open to that, point them to our multifamily and commercial EV charging page. For condo buildings, the association itself can install chargers on the common elements and set charges for residents under section 718.113(9); see condo EV charger installation.
This is general information about Florida law, not legal advice. Statutes and rules change, and your own declaration, bylaws, rules, lease or other governing documents may add requirements. Read them, and talk to a Florida attorney if a dispute is likely.
Questions homeowners ask
Does Florida law let a tenant install an EV charger?
No specific right exists for tenants. Chapter 83 has no EV charging provision, so your lease and your landlord's written consent control.
Can I charge my EV from a regular outlet at my rental?
Usually yes, with the landlord's permission. Level 1 charging from a 120 volt outlet adds about 5 miles of range per hour. Make sure the outlet is in good condition and ask what else shares its circuit.
Who should pull the permit for a charger at a rental?
The licensed electrical contractor, with the property owner's authorization. The owner-builder exemption is for owners working on their own homes, so it does not help a tenant.
Can I take my charger with me when I move?
A plug-in charger can go with you; the outlet and circuit stay. A hardwired charger depends on what your written agreement with the landlord says.
If your landlord wants to see a scope before saying yes, send us the address, a photo of the panel and where you park, or call (305) 359-7312. KRW Electric (EC13012832) can prepare a written scope for the owner, and our home EV charger installation page explains how the work is done.
Reviewed by Kyle White, KRW Electric Company LLC — licensed electrical contractor EC13012832.
