Glossary · EV charging
Key points
- Private EV charge points sold in Great Britain for home or workplace use must be smart under the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021.
- The regulations came into force on 30 June 2022, with the security requirements following on 30 December 2022.
- A smart charger must include pre-set off-peak default charging hours, which the owner can accept, remove or change.
- It must keep charging even if it loses its connection to a communications network.
- Government grant rules for residential chargepoints also require compliance with the same regulations.
How a smart charger works
A smart charger can communicate. GOV.UK says private EV charge points sold in Great Britain are regulated so that they have smart functionality, which allows charging when there is less demand on the grid, or when more renewable electricity is available.[1]Office for Product Safety and Standards, Regulations: electric vehicle smart charge points The aim is to help manage the rise in electricity demand as more people switch to electric vehicles.
In practice it means the charger can receive information and respond to signals that change the rate or time at which electricity flows through it. The off-peak side of this is covered in off-peak EV tariff.
What the regulations require
The Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 set device-level requirements for charge points sold for private charging at home or work. GOV.UK lists them.[1]Office for Product Safety and Standards, Regulations: electric vehicle smart charge points
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Smart functionality | The ability to send and receive information, respond to signals to increase the rate or time at which electricity flows, support demand side response services, and provide a user interface |
| Supplier interoperability | The charge point keeps its smart features if you switch electricity supplier |
| Offline charging | Charging continues even if the charge point loses its connection to a communications network |
| Safety provisions | It prevents the user carrying out an operation which could risk the health or safety of a person |
| Measuring system | It measures or calculates the electricity imported or exported and how long charging lasts, and the owner can see this |
| Security | Requirements consistent with the existing cyber security standard ETSI EN 303 645 |
| Off-peak default hours | Pre-set off-peak default charging hours, which the owner can accept, remove or change |
| Randomised delay | A randomised delay function |
The regulations came into force on 30 June 2022, apart from the security requirements, which came into force on 30 December 2022.[1]Office for Product Safety and Standards, Regulations: electric vehicle smart charge points The seller must keep a statement of compliance and a technical file.[1]Office for Product Safety and Standards, Regulations: electric vehicle smart charge points
Who it applies to
The regulations apply to charge points sold in Great Britain for domestic or workplace use, including smart cables. They do not apply to charge points sold before 30 June 2022, sold in Northern Ireland, or sold second-hand between private individuals outside a trade or business. Public charge points are outside these rules but may be subject to other regulations.[1]Office for Product Safety and Standards, Regulations: electric vehicle smart charge points A charger sold before that date falls outside the regulations.
Government grants follow the same line. To be eligible for the OZEV home chargepoint grants, a chargepoint must comply with the 2021 regulations, including their cybersecurity requirements.[2]Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, Residential chargepoints: minimum technical specification The grant also requires a 3-year on-site warranty on parts and installation.[2]Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, Residential chargepoints: minimum technical specification
Smart does not change who may fit the unit. A registered installer fits it, and the network operator may need to be told. See DNO notification and our EV charger installation page. For the cable question, see tethered vs untethered charger.
Example
Mehmet buys a charger in March 2026 for his home in Armley. Because it was sold after 30 June 2022, it must meet the smart requirements. When he sets it up he is offered pre-set off-peak charging hours. He can accept them, change them or remove them, and the unit keeps charging even when his broadband drops out.
What people get wrong
The common mistake is to think smart means the charger controls you. GOV.UK says the owner can accept, remove or change the default off-peak charging hours, and the charger must carry on charging if it loses its communications link.
A second mistake is to assume any charger already on a wall is smart. The rules apply to charge points sold from 30 June 2022, so an older unit may fall outside them.[1]Office for Product Safety and Standards, Regulations: electric vehicle smart charge points
The bottom line
A smart charger can send and receive information and shift charging to times when the grid is less busy. Since 30 June 2022, private charge points sold in Great Britain must meet the 2021 regulations, including default off-peak hours that the owner controls and continued charging when offline. Check the date of sale and ask your installer to confirm the unit meets the regulations.
Common questions
Is every home EV charger now a smart charger?
Charge points sold in Great Britain for private use from 30 June 2022 must meet the smart requirements. The regulations do not apply to charge points sold before that date, or to second-hand sales between private individuals.
What does smart actually mean here?
The charge point must be able to send and receive information, respond to signals to change the rate or time that electricity flows, support demand side response services and have a user interface. The full requirements are in the regulations.
Can I change the off-peak charging hours?
Yes. GOV.UK says the charge point must incorporate pre-set, off-peak default charging hours and allow the owner to accept, remove or change them on first use and afterwards.
Will it still work if my wifi goes down?
Yes. The regulations require continued charging even if the charge point ceases to be connected to a communications network.
Sources
We cite the original source for every fact: legislation, GOV.UK, HSE, the IET, registration bodies and manufacturers' own documents. Each one shows the date we last checked it.
- Office for Product Safety and Standards. Regulations: electric vehicle smart charge points. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- Office for Zero Emission Vehicles. Residential chargepoints: minimum technical specification. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
