This Model Statewide Municipal Electric Vehicle (EV) Ordinance published by DCA on September 1, 2021, was written with support from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Board of Public Utilities (BPU), to comply with P.L. 2021, c. 171, which Governor Phil Murphy signed into law on July 9, 2021.

The law requires that Electric Vehicle Supply/Service Equipment (EVSE) and Make-Ready parking spaces be designated as a permitted accessory use in all zoning or use districts and establishes associated installation and parking requirements related to EVSE in New Jersey’s 565 municipalities. In order to implement this, the bill requires that DCA publish a model statewide municipal EV ordinance on its website. The model ordinance is required to include the installation and parking requirements detailed in the bill, as well as address installation, sightline, and setback requirements and other health- and safety-related specifications (“Reasonable Standards”) for EVSE and Make-Ready parking spaces.

The intent of the model statewide ordinance is to ensure that municipalities are requiring installation of EVSE and Make-Ready parking spaces in a consistent manner and also to provide an ordinance that can be easily used by every municipality with no or minimal amendments by the municipality.

The model statewide ordinance is mandatory and becomes effective in all municipalities upon DCA publication. Municipalities are allowed to make changes to the “Reasonable Standards” portion of the ordinance through the normal ordinance amendment process, but may not change the parts of the ordinance that were required by the legislation (installation and parking requirements). For municipalities with existing EV ordinances, the statewide ordinance will supersede those requirements. The model statewide ordinance will enable EV adoption among residents who can’t charge at home and will alleviate “range anxiety” by increasing the proximity of charging infrastructure and giving residents the confidence to drive electric.  

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Charge Up Your Town – Best Management Practices to Ensure Your Town is EV Ready
• 2019 NJ Energy Master Plan
• DEP Drive Green website: https://www.drivegreen.nj.gov/index.html
• New Jersey Partnership to Plug-In https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562019/20190603b.shtml
• EV Law (P.L. 2019, c. 362)
• EVSE Requirements in MLUL (P.L. 2021, c. 171)
• EVSE Requirements in MLUL Amended (P.L. 2023, c. 220)

See Press Release here: Murphy Administration charges toward an electric vehicle future, including new effort to encourage EV charging infrastructure in every New Jersey municipality