Does the 2026 CALGreen Code Require EV Charging in My Multifamily Building?

Published August 10, 2026

Yes, for new construction. The 2025 CALGreen code takes effect January 1, 2026 and raises electric vehicle charging infrastructure requirements for new apartment buildings. Existing buildings are not retrofitted by this code.

The short answer

Yes, but only for new construction. The 2025 CALGreen code, part of the 2025 California Building Standards Code, takes effect January 1, 2026 and requires new multifamily buildings to provide electric vehicle charging infrastructure, a mix of fully wired spaces and conduit-ready spaces, sized to the number of parking spaces on site. It does not require you to retrofit an existing apartment building.

Last verified: August 10, 2026

Where this rule actually lives

CALGreen is Title 24, Part 11 of the California Code of Regulations. It sits alongside the Building Code, the Electrical Code, and the Energy Code as one of the parts that make up the state's Title 24 building standards. The California Building Standards Commission and the Department of General Services publish a new triennial edition every three years.

The 2025 edition was published July 1, 2025, with an effective date of January 1, 2026, according to the Department of General Services. That is the source of the "2026 CALGreen" shorthand contractors and property managers use. Before that date, projects are still reviewed under the 2022 edition, which took effect January 1, 2023.

The trigger for compliance is normally the date a building permit application is submitted, not the date construction finishes. A project permitted in December 2025 is typically reviewed under the 2022 code even if it breaks ground in 2026. Confirm the applicable edition with your city's building and safety division before you plan.

What the rule covers, and what it does not

CALGreen's EV charging requirements are a new-construction mandate. They apply when a multifamily building is newly built, and in some cases when a building undergoes a major addition or alteration that triggers full code compliance. They are not a retrofit mandate. An existing 1980s fourplex in Torrance with no EV infrastructure is not out of compliance with CALGreen simply because the calendar changed.

That distinction matters because it is the one landlords get wrong most often. CALGreen sets a floor for what gets built. It does not reach back and require you to rewire a building you already own and did not just build or substantially renovate. Separate obligations can still apply if a tenant asks to install a charger themselves. That is governed by Civil Code section 1947.6, not CALGreen, and it is a different question with a different answer.

What the 2022 code, still in force through the end of 2025, actually requires

Because the 2025 edition's exact multifamily numbers were not something this article could confirm against primary code text, here is what the currently effective 2022 CALGreen residential mandatory measures require for new multifamily construction, based on an industry compliance summary of section 4.106.4:

| Requirement | Share of total parking spaces | What it means |

|---|---|---|

| EV capable spaces | 10 percent | Panel space, conduit, and a termination point are roughed in for a future Level 2 charger. No charger installed yet. |

| EV ready spaces | 25 percent | A fully wired 208/240 volt, 40 amp receptacle is installed and usable immediately. |

| EV supply equipment (EVSE), 20+ unit projects only | 5 percent | An actual Level 2 charger is installed, with at least one in a common area accessible to all residents. |

Treat this table as the shape of the rule, not a number you can build permit drawings from. Confirm the figures your project must meet with your local building department, because the 2025 edition changes them and this article could not verify the new percentages from the primary code text.

Why this matters for financing and design, not just permitting

Electrical service sizing is the expensive part. Meeting the EV ready and EVSE percentages means the building's electrical panel and service entrance have to be sized for simultaneous 40 amp charging loads across a real share of the parking field, not just for the chargers installed on day one. Owners who scope this late in design tend to eat change-order costs that a solar and EV readiness study, done at schematic design, would have avoided.

If you are buying a recently built multifamily property in the South Bay, ask the seller which CALGreen edition the building permitted under and get the approved plan set's Title 24 compliance documents. That tells you what EV infrastructure is actually in the walls, which is not always obvious from a walkthrough.

FAQ

Does CALGreen require me to add EV chargers to my existing apartment building?

No. The EV charging requirements in CALGreen apply to new construction and to alterations large enough to trigger full code compliance, not to buildings as they stood before those requirements existed.

What is the difference between EV capable, EV ready, and EVSE?

EV capable means the electrical rough-in exists but no charger is installed. EV ready means a wired outlet is installed and usable. EVSE means an actual charging station is installed and operating. The requirements typically layer, with more spaces required to be capable than ready, and more ready than EVSE.

Does a small four-unit building have to meet the same rules as a 100-unit building?

Some CALGreen thresholds scale differently by unit count, and the EVSE (installed charger) requirement in the currently effective 2022 code applies specifically to projects of 20 or more units. Confirm which thresholds your project size triggers with your building department, since the 2025 edition may set different breakpoints.

Can my city require more than the state CALGreen minimum?

Yes. CALGreen is a statewide floor. Cities can and do adopt local amendments that exceed it. Check with the building and safety division in the city where your property sits before assuming the state minimum is the whole story.

If I install EV chargers voluntarily in an older building, do I have to follow CALGreen?

Voluntary installations in existing buildings are typically governed by the Building Code and Electrical Code provisions applicable to the work you are doing, and by any tenant-installation rules under Civil Code section 1947.6 if a tenant is the one requesting it, rather than by CALGreen's new-construction mandatory measures. Confirm the applicable code path with your contractor and building department.

This article is general information about state building code requirements, not a substitute for a title 24 consultant, architect, or licensed contractor. Confirm the code edition, applicable thresholds, and any local amendments for your specific project with your city's building and safety division before you design or permit anything.

Topics: compliance, CALGreen, electric vehicles, multifamily, South Bay, property management

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