How to Set Up Commercial EV Charging in India: Permissions, Meters and Tariffs

Who this guide is for

Owners and managers of commercial property in India (offices, malls, hotels, hospitals, restaurants and shops) who want to put EV chargers in their car park and charge drivers for using them. For housing societies, see our society installation guide.

Do you need a licence?

No separate licence is needed to set up an EV charging station in India.

The Ministry of Power treats charging as a service, not as a resale of electricity, and its guidelines for EV charging infrastructure allow any person or business to set up chargers, provided they meet the technical, safety and performance standards.

You still need the approvals that apply to any electrical work on your premises. Those are covered below.

Step 1: Check your power supply

Start with your sanctioned load: the maximum power your connection is approved for. It is on your electricity bill. Add up the power of the chargers you want, then compare.

• If you have spare capacity, chargers can run on your existing connection.
• If you do not, you can apply to your DISCOM for a higher load, or for a separate connection for EV charging.
• Load management software can share the available power between chargers, so you can install more chargers than your spare capacity strictly allows. See how load management works.

Step 2: Decide on the connection and meter

You have two options for powering the chargers.

Use your existing connection

Quickest to set up. The chargers' electricity is billed at your commercial tariff, together with the rest of the building. A sub-meter or the charging software's own records show how much the chargers used.

Apply for a separate EV connection

Many state electricity regulators have created a separate tariff category for EV charging, often lower than the commercial rate. To use it you usually need a separate connection and meter for the chargers.

Apply through your DISCOM; it will tell you the documents, load limits and timelines that apply in your state.

Step 3: Approvals and safety

• Installation by a licensed electrical contractor, following the Central Electricity Authority's safety regulations for charging stations.
• Inspection or approval from your state's electrical inspectorate where your state requires it, typically for larger installations.
• Building approvals: check your local building bye-laws and fire safety norms, and your landlord's or property manager's consent if you rent.
• Earthing, a dedicated circuit with protection for each charger, and signage at the bays.

Step 4: Choose the chargers

• AC chargers (3.3 kW to 22 kW) suit sites where cars stay for a few hours: offices, hotels, malls.
• DC fast chargers suit sites where drivers stop briefly, but they need far more power and a larger connection.
• Choose chargers that support OCPP, the open standard, so you can pick or change your software later without changing the hardware.

Compare models in our charger catalogue.

Step 5: Set your price

You set the price drivers pay, usually per unit (kWh). Work it out from your electricity cost per unit, plus a margin for the chargers, the software and maintenance. Check whether your state sets any ceiling on what public chargers can charge.

Different prices for busy and quiet hours work well at commercial sites: a higher rate at peak times and a lower one when the car park is empty. Staff and regular visitors can have their own rate.

Step 6: Decide how drivers pay

Visitors should be able to pay without installing an app, or many will not bother. The simplest option in India is a QR code that opens WhatsApp, with payment by UPI. Staff and tenants can use tap cards instead. Our guide to how drivers pay for EV charging compares the options.

Step 7: Run it

Once chargers are live, someone has to watch them: whether they are working, what each session earned, and what to do when one fails. Charging management software does this for every charger from one screen.

Checklist

1. Find your sanctioned load and spare capacity.
2. Choose: existing connection, higher load, or a separate EV connection.
3. Hire a licensed electrical contractor; get the inspections your state requires.
4. Check building bye-laws, fire norms and landlord consent.
5. Choose OCPP chargers that fit your power and how long cars park.
6. Set your per-unit price and any time-of-day rates.
7. Choose how drivers pay, and go live.

See how Savekar runs EV charging for hotels, malls and other properties, or compare the plans.