In an independent house, installing a home charger is a one-day job. In an apartment, it can mean a society meeting, a 40-metre cable run from the basement meter room, and a quote that makes you wonder if you're being taken for a ride.
It doesn't have to be that way. Most apartment installations follow the same five steps, and once you know them, you can plan each one.
To install an EV charger in your apartment, confirm your car's charging rating and your sanctioned load, apply to your RWA in writing with the charger's specifications and the planned cable route, have a certified electrician run a dedicated circuit from your meter to your parking spot, and choose whether to bill charging on your flat's meter or a separate sub-meter. The Ministry of Power's 2024 guidelines allow residents to install a charger in their own parking space.
How to install an EV charger in your apartment, step by step
Step 1: Check your car and your sanctioned load
Start with two numbers.
• Your car's onboard charger rating. Find "AC charging" in the brochure. If it says 3.3 kW, a 3.3 kW charger is all you need. If it says 7.2 kW or more, a 7.4 kW charger will charge it more than twice as fast.
• Your sanctioned load. It's on your electricity bill, in kW. A 3.3 kW charger like Kazam Zip Pro needs no load enhancement, even on a 3 kW sanctioned load. A 7.4 kW charger like Kazam Zoom needs one. Our [sanctioned load guide] explains how to apply.
This step decides your charger, and your charger decides most of what follows.
Step 2: Apply to your RWA in writing
Most societies need to approve any wiring that runs through common areas. Make it easy for them to say yes. Your application should include:
• The charger's specifications: model, power rating and safety certifications
• The planned cable route from your meter to your parking spot
• Who's installing it: the installer's name and electrician's licence details
• How it will be billed: on your own meter, so the society pays nothing
• Safety measures: a dedicated circuit with MCB, RCD and tested earthing
Keep a copy and note the date. If the society delays or refuses, a written record matters (see the next section).
Step 3: Plan the cable route
This is the step that drives apartment installation costs. In most buildings, your meter sits in a meter room on the ground or basement level, and your parking spot may be on a different level altogether.
• Ask for the run length in metres. Your installer should measure it on site.
• Expect the cable size to match the job. A 3.3 kW charger draws 16 A; a 7.4 kW charger draws 32 A and needs heavier cable. Long runs need thicker cable too, so ask the installer to explain the size they've chosen.
• Agree the route with the society. Cable trays, conduits along the parking ceiling and any wall drilling should be in your written application.
Step 4: Choose how charging is billed
You have two options:
• Your flat's existing meter. The simplest route. Charging shows up on your normal electricity bill.
• A separate sub-meter or EV connection. The Ministry of Power's 2024 guidelines let residents charge through their existing meter or a dedicated sub-meter, and you can apply to your DISCOM for a separate metered EV connection, at an EV tariff where your state offers one. This suits buildings where the cable runs from a common supply, or where you want charging billed independently.
Step 5: Install and test
On installation day, make sure the electrician:
• Installs a dedicated MCB and RCD for the charger alone
• Tests the earthing and shows you the reading
• Mounts the charger where it won't block other residents or get hit by a reversing car
• Uses a weatherproof charger (IP54 or better) if your parking is open to rain
Our guide to home charging safety covers the wiring mistakes behind most burnt sockets and tripped chargers.
What if your society says no?
It happens more often than it should. Most refusals come from one worry: fire risk. Kazam's own Right-to-Charge analysis argues that this fear isn't well supported by data, and that the real risk comes from unsafe wiring: plugging into general sockets or running extension cords. A properly installed charger on a dedicated, protected circuit removes exactly that risk.
Here's how to handle a refusal or a request that's gone unanswered:
Answer the safety concern directly. Share the charger's certifications, the protection on the circuit (MCB, RCD, earthing) and the installer's credentials. Offer to have the installation inspected.
Point to the Ministry of Power's 2024 guidelines. They allow residents of apartment complexes to install their own charger in their parking space, using their existing meter or a dedicated sub-meter.
Show that the society pays nothing. Charging billed on your own meter costs other residents nothing.
Keep everything in writing. Dates of your application, reminders and any reply.
The question is now in the courts. In 2025, a resident in Maharashtra challenged an arbitrary refusal of an NOC in the Bombay High Court. In February 2026, the Supreme Court issued notice on a petition by a Greater Noida resident whose society had not answered his request for months. That case was seeking clear rules on residents' right to install chargers. [Recheck the status before publishing.]
Some states are moving too. In April 2026, Haryana proposed amending its building code to make EV charging mandatory in housing societies, at one charging point for every five parking spaces. The proposal was a draft open for public comment.
A better deal for everyone: shared charging for the whole society
If several residents in your building have EVs, or are about to, a private charger for each one isn't the only answer. Many societies now set up shared chargers in common parking, and it can solve the approval problem before it starts.
With Kazam's solution for housing societies:
• Kazam assesses the site first: parking layout, existing electrical capacity and DISCOM load availability
• Certified technicians install the chargers, typically within 2 days of approval, after Kazam Rangers check the earthing, wiring and load capacity
• Every resident uses the Kazam app, with their own usage tracked and billed automatically, so there are no shared meters or manual readings
• The RWA earns a share of the revenue from every charging session
Shared charging works best alongside private chargers, not instead of them. Residents with a dedicated parking spot can still install their own Zip Pro or Zoom, while visitors and residents without one use the shared points. Taking this proposal to your managing committee can turn a no into a yes.
Which Kazam charger fits an apartment?
Kazam Zip Pro (3.3 kW) is the easier apartment install:
• No load enhancement, even on a 3 kW sanctioned load, so no DISCOM paperwork
• A 16 A circuit, which keeps cable costs lower on long runs from the meter room
• Tamper-proof cable lock, so nobody can unplug your car in shared parking
• App scheduling to charge late at night, plus usage tracking for your own records
• Also charges electric scooters and bikes
Kazam Zoom (7.4 kW) is worth the extra setup if:
• Your car accepts 7.2 kW or more and you drive long distances
• You can get a load enhancement or a separate EV connection
• Your parking spot is close enough to the meter room to keep the heavier 32 A cable run practical
• You want more than twice the charging speed every night
Not sure what your building can take? Book a home assessment and Kazam Rangers will check your meter room, cable route, earthing and sanctioned load, and tell you which charger fits.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need my society's permission to install an EV charger?
In most apartments, yes, because the cable runs through common areas. Apply in writing with the charger's specifications, the cable route, the installer's details and how charging will be billed.
Can my housing society refuse an EV charger?
The Ministry of Power's 2024 guidelines allow residents to install a charger in their own parking space, using their existing meter or a sub-meter. Refusals have been challenged in the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court. Start by addressing the society's safety concerns in writing.
Who pays for the electricity my charger uses?
You do. Charging is billed on your own flat's meter or a separate sub-meter, so it costs the society and other residents nothing.
Why does installation cost more in an apartment?
Mostly because of the cable run from the meter room to your parking spot, which can be much longer than in an independent house. Ask for the length in metres and the rate per metre in your quote.
Can I charge my EV in a basement parking?
Generally yes, with a dedicated circuit, proper earthing and protection. Some cities require approvals from the power utility or fire services, so check local rules before you install.
