This guide covers the City of San Diego. Other cities and the unincorporated County have their own rules. It summarizes City, County and State pages and the San Diego Municipal Code as of November 8, 2026, in our own words; programs and contacts can change, so check the linked sources. It is general information, not legal advice.
Who runs the City's public chargers
- The City program. The City's Public Electric Vehicle Charging Program puts public chargers at City sites. The City Council approved a long-term concession in 2024 with a company called everged, which finances, designs, permits, builds, runs and maintains the chargers.
- Where. The program page lists replacing existing public chargers and adding chargers at public City facilities such as libraries and recreation centers among its first priorities, followed by City workplaces and new City buildings. everged keeps a map of the City chargers.
- Paying. According to the City's visitor information, you can pay at these chargers by tapping a card or through the everged app, without a membership.
- Everything else is private. Chargers at shopping centers, grocery stores, gas stations, workplaces and apartment buildings belong to a charging network or the property owner, not the City.
Reporting a broken charger
First check the charger's screen and the sign on it: most list the operator and a support phone or app. Then:
- A City charger. Get It Done has an Electric Vehicle Charger Issue report for chargers in lots the City owns or operates. Note the site, the charger or stall number and what went wrong (no power, broken screen, damaged cable, card reader not working).
- A session that failed or charged you wrongly. The City's visitor information sends these to everged: the support section of its app, the contact details on the charger, or [email protected].
- A private charger. Contact the network on the charger, or the business where it stands. The City cannot fix chargers it does not own.
- A dangerous charger. Sparks, smoke, a burning smell or exposed wires: keep away, call 911, then report it to the owner.
A car parked in an EV space
San Diego Municipal Code section 86.0151 covers chargers on City streets and in parking facilities the City owns, leases or operates. A vehicle may park there only if it is an electric vehicle (battery electric or plug-in hybrid), it is actively charging (plugged in, with power flowing), and it has not passed any posted time limit. State law, California Vehicle Code section 22511.1, also bars parking in a designated EV charging space unless the car is connected for charging, and bars blocking access to one.
- On a City street or City lot. Use the Get It Done parking form, which lists an EV Charger category, or call the San Diego Police non-emergency line, 619-531-2000, which the City's parking enforcement page also gives. Add the plate, the exact location and a photo that shows the car is not plugged in. See our illegal parking guide.
- In a private lot. The City rule does not reach private parking, so tell the business, building manager or HOA. Many private lots post their own EV parking and towing signs.
- Fines. As of November 8, 2026, the City's published parking fine list (January 2026) has no separate line for EV spaces, so we do not list an amount here.
For accessible charging, Development Services' Information Bulletin 187 says plans for new charging stations must show accessible ones under the California Building Code; a missing or blocked accessible space can be raised with the site owner or through our accessibility barriers guide.
Billing and overcharging
- Ask the operator first. A double charge or a session that never started is usually fixed by the network's support line or app; keep a screenshot of the price shown and your receipt.
- County Weights and Measures. The County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures inspects EV chargers along with other commercial meters and takes complaints at 858-694-2739 (San Diego office), 760-752-4700 (San Marcos office) or [email protected]. The state Division of Measurement Standards refers consumer complaints to the county office.
- What the rules say. In California, public chargers sell electricity by the kilowatt-hour, not by time; separate time-based fees, such as an idle fee after charging ends, can still be allowed. A charger that bills energy by the minute is worth reporting.
Charging at home: permits and the sidewalk
- The permit. Information Bulletin 187 says a home EV charger needs an electrical permit from Development Services. A single-family home, duplex or townhouse usually qualifies for a simple permit without plans, using Circuit Card DS-1779A. The bulletin lists an inspection fee of $264.25 per charger as of November 8, 2026; check the bulletin for the current amount.
- Keep it out of the right-of-way. Municipal Code section 141.0419 says a charger on private property must let a car charge without reaching into the public right-of-way. We did not find a City program for residents to put chargers at the curb, or a City page about running a cord across the sidewalk. A cord lying across a sidewalk can trip people, so it is safer to park and charge on your own property.
- Apartments and condos. Chargers at shared buildings go through the owner or HOA and the same permit rules; IB-187 covers the requirements for multifamily and commercial sites too.
Who to call: quick reference
A broken, damaged or out-of-service charger in a City-owned lot (library, recreation center, City office)
Responsible: City of San Diego, through its charging operator everged
Contact: Get It Done, Electric Vehicle Charger Issue; for a failed session or payment, the support contact on the charger, the everged app, or [email protected].
A gas car, or an EV that is not charging, parked at a charger on a City street or City lot
Responsible: San Diego Police parking enforcement
Contact: Get It Done parking form, or the non-emergency line 619-531-2000.
The same problem in a private lot (shopping center, apartment garage, workplace)
Responsible: The property owner or manager
Contact: Tell the business or building management; the City's EV parking rule covers only City streets and City lots.
A broken charger on a private network (mall, grocery store, gas station, dealership)
Responsible: The charging network or site host
Contact: The support phone or app shown on the charger itself.
Overcharged, billed by the minute for energy, or the price shown does not match the bill
Responsible: County Agriculture, Weights and Measures
Contact: 858-694-2739 or [email protected], with the complaint form.
A charger that sparks, smokes, has exposed wires or a cord across a walkway
Responsible: Call 911 for fire or shock danger; then the charger owner
Contact: Stay clear of the unit and keep others away.
An idea for a new City charger location, or a question about the City program
Responsible: City Public EV Charging Program
Contact: [email protected] (see the program page).
Let your neighbors know
Report it to the City or the charger's operator first. If a public charger stays broken for weeks, sharing it on SaveSanDiego lets neighbors see it has been reported, add details and follow it. SaveSanDiego is an independent community platform, not a City service.
Frequently asked questions
How do I report a broken EV charger owned by the City of San Diego?
Use the Get It Done "Electric Vehicle Charger Issue" report, which the City lists for chargers in lots the City owns or operates, such as libraries and recreation centers. If a charging session failed or you were billed wrongly, also contact everged, the company that runs the City's public charging network, through its app, the contact details on the charger, or [email protected], according to the City's visitor information.
Who runs the public EV chargers at City of San Diego libraries and recreation centers?
Under the City's Public Electric Vehicle Charging Program, a company called everged finances, builds, runs and maintains chargers at City sites under a long-term concession the City Council approved in 2024. The City's program page lists public City facilities such as libraries and recreation centers, and replacement of older public chargers, among the first priorities. everged keeps a map of the chargers at sandiego.everged.com.
Can a gas car park in an EV charging spot in San Diego?
Not at a charger on a City street or in a City-owned or City-operated lot. San Diego Municipal Code section 86.0151 lets a vehicle park at those chargers only if it is an electric vehicle, it is actively charging, and it has not passed any posted time limit. California Vehicle Code section 22511.1 also bars parking in a designated EV charging space unless the car is connected for charging. In a private lot, the owner or manager decides how to enforce it.
Can a hybrid or EV park in an EV space without charging?
Not in a City EV space. Section 86.0151 requires the vehicle to be actively charging, which it defines as the connector plugged in and power flowing. A plug-in hybrid counts as an electric vehicle under the code, but a conventional hybrid that cannot plug in does not, and a fully charged EV left in the space after charging stops no longer meets the rule.
How do I report a car parked in an EV charging spot in San Diego?
On a City street or in a City lot, use the Get It Done parking form or call the San Diego Police non-emergency line, 619-531-2000. Include the plate, the exact location and a photo that shows the car is not plugged in. In a private lot, tell the property manager or business.
Do I need a permit to install an EV charger at home in the City of San Diego?
Yes. Development Services Information Bulletin 187 says a home EV charger needs an electrical permit. For a single-family home, duplex or townhouse, a simple no-plan permit using Circuit Card DS-1779A is usually enough; the bulletin lists an inspection fee of $264.25 per charger as of November 2026. The Municipal Code also says a charger on private property must let the car charge without reaching into the public right-of-way.
Who do I complain to if a public charger overcharged me?
Start with the charging company's support line or app. If that does not settle it, the County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures inspects EV chargers like other commercial meters and takes complaints at 858-694-2739 or [email protected]. Under state rules, chargers sell electricity by the kilowatt-hour, although separate time-based fees such as idle fees can be allowed.
Sources
- City of San Diego General Services: Public Electric Vehicle Charging Program (as of November 8, 2026)
- City of San Diego: EV charging common visitor questions (PDF)
- City of San Diego: Get It Done report types
- San Diego Municipal Code, Chapter 8, Article 6, Division 1 (section 86.0151)
- San Diego Municipal Code, Chapter 14, Article 1, Division 4 (section 141.0419)
- City of San Diego: Parking citation fine amounts (PDF)
- City of San Diego: Parking Enforcement
- San Diego Police Department: Contact
- City of San Diego Development Services: Information Bulletin 187, Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
- County of San Diego Agriculture, Weights and Measures: Weights and Measures Complaints
- County of San Diego Agriculture, Weights and Measures: Scales and Meters
- California Department of Food and Agriculture, Division of Measurement Standards: Complaints
- California Vehicle Code section 22511.1
Last checked November 8, 2026. Programs, fees and phone numbers change; the City, County and State pages linked above are the final word. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Related guides: Blocked Driveways and Illegal Parking in San Diego, Broken Parking Meters and Meter Tickets in San Diego, Problems at a San Diego Public Library Branch.