Charging at home

If you have off-street parking, such as a drive or a garage:

You do not need planning permission to install an electric vehicle charger if you have all of these:

  • Lawful, off-street parking within the boundary of your private property.
  • Your house is not a listed building
  • The charger unit does not exceed 0.2 cubic meters in size.

If you do not meet any of the above criteria: it is likely that you will require planning permission to install an electric vehicle charger. You must contact your district council for advice.

If you do not have off-street parking:

To install a home electric vehicle charger, you must:

  • Have a cable tray installed outside your home, or have written confirmation from Lancashire County Council that you will be getting one
  • Have planning permission from your district council (if required)
  • Have permission from your landlord or housing association, if you rent your home

If you don’t have off‑street parking but want to install a home electric vehicle charger, your 'wallbox' installer will need confirmation from Lancashire County Council that you have been approved for a cross‑pavement solution. This allows your charging cable to run safely across the pavement.

If you have to charge your electric vehicle while parked on the street, you must do so safely and legally. Your vehicle must:

  • Be parked on the same side of the road as the charger
  • Be parked at least 2.5 metres away from electrical equipment (e.g. lampposts, electrical cabinets, or other charging vehicles)
  • Not block or obstruct other road users, including people using the pavement

These solutions are often called gullies or cable trays. They usually involve digging a shallow trench in the pavement and installing a channel that keeps the cable safely out of the way. You cannot install a cable gully yourself on the street outside your home. Only the council can authorise or install any equipment on the pavement or highway. 

If you think a cable gully is the right option for your home, please email: lhscustomerservice@lancashire.gov.uk 

How to use a cable tray

The cable must be fitted into the tray and under the retaining curtain or lid whilst in use. Place only the minimum length of cable required for charging in the cable tray, with excess cable safely away and causing trip hazards.

Once any charging session is completed, the cable MUST be removed from the cable tray and stored away from the adopted highway. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to safely store any excess charging cable off of the highway.

Do not use cable mats

We have a legal duty to ensure the safety of the highway. Placing an obstruction such as a wire or cable across the highway in a way likely to cause danger is an offence under the Highways Act 1980. Any electrical equipment on the highway must also be certified and regularly tested as electrically safe.

LCC has considered the use of the common protective measures, such as rubber covers, but does not support the use of these as they are liable to movement, are heavy to manoeuvre and likely to be left in place after charging. The prolific use of cable mats in an area could create a hazard for vulnerable road users.  

Grants

You may be eligible for a grant to offset the cost of the home or workplace chargepoint installation.  Find out more on the dedicated government website - Electric vehicle chargepoint grants - GOV.UK