Photo: Wolfmann (CC BY 4.0)
Apartment Charging
The Right to Charge in France: Installing an EV Charger as a Co-owner in 2026
July 18, 2026
By Hugo Beignon, Founder of ma-borne-electrique.com
In France, the 'droit à la prise' lets any co-owner or tenant install a charging point at their own expense, without a building vote.
A growing share of EV drivers in France live in apartment buildings, and the same question keeps coming up: can you install a charging point on your co-ownership parking space without every other owner agreeing? The answer is yes, thanks to a specific legal right known as the 'droit à la prise', the right to charge.
A right written into French law
Any co-owner or tenant using, or planning to use, an electric vehicle can request installation of a charging point on their own parking space, at their own expense. No vote at the general assembly is required, and the building manager (syndic) cannot block the request without a valid reason.
Only two valid grounds for refusal
There are only two acceptable reasons to refuse: an existing collective charging infrastructure that's already accessible, or a proven technical impossibility tied to the building's electrical setup. Crucially, the burden of proof sits with the syndic, not with the person making the request.
Newer buildings are already required to prepare
Buildings constructed after January 1, 2012 must pre-equip a share of their parking spaces for EV charging. And whenever a co-ownership undertakes major renovation work on its parking areas or electrical installation, that pre-equipment becomes part of the project by law.
A mandatory item on the annual agenda
Every co-ownership must now put EV charging installation on the agenda of its annual general assembly, alongside the budget review, making it easier to plan shared infrastructure instead of handling requests one by one.
The practical steps
- Send a written request to the syndic with the technical details of the planned installation.
- The syndic forwards the file to the building's electrical grid manager and informs the other co-owners.
- Without a justified objection within the legal deadline, work can begin, at the requester's expense.
- If the refusal is unjustified or there's no response, the co-owner can take the case to court.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need approval from the general assembly to install a home charger in my building?
No. The 'droit à la prise' lets any co-owner or tenant install a charging point at their own expense on their parking space without a building-wide vote.
Can the building manager refuse my charging station request?
Only for two reasons: an existing collective charging system that's already accessible, or a proven technical impossibility tied to the building's electrical setup. The burden of proof is on the manager, not on you.
What can I do if the syndic refuses without a valid reason?
If the refusal is unjustified or you get no response, you can take the case to court to enforce your right to charge.
Are newer apartment buildings already set up for EV charging?
Buildings built after January 1, 2012 must pre-equip a share of their parking spaces, and the same applies whenever a co-ownership carries out major work on its parking area or electrical system.
Want to find a charging station nearby? Check the charging map to plan your next trip.
