Workplace and commercial EV charging: what to plan

Workplace electric vehicle (EV) charging starts with three questions: how long cars stay parked, how many drivers will plug in, and how much power the building can spare. Level 2 equipment is the usual fit. Once those are answered, ownership, permits and funding follow, including a Maryland grant due December 9, 2026.^1,2

How many chargers do you need?

Count likely drivers before you count parking spaces. A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) guide for federal workplaces opens with an employee survey: who drives an EV or plans to, and how many miles they need. One Level 2 port can serve more than one driver when cars move at midday.²

Level 2 is the practical choice for most workplaces, at about 25 miles of range per hour. Direct current (DC) fast charging is typically not used at workplaces because of the cost and the short charge times. Across a review of federal campus sessions, the average session used 15 kilowatt-hours (kWh), and dual-port units can lower the cost per port.² Labor is the largest installation expense, and the cost per charger falls as a site adds chargers.³

A first port count comes from five inputs:

1. Survey results: who drives an EV or plans to, how often they’re on site, how far they travel.^2,4
2. Dwell time. Long stays allow slower, cheaper charging.
3. Rules for the ports: reserved, shared or timed, and who moves cars at midday.
4. Growth. Maryland’s grant rules list future charging demand, including future-proofing, as a design consideration.⁵
5. For a fleet, the vehicle count and return times. The Maryland grant program defines a fleet as three or more commercially used vehicles.⁶

How much power does a workplace charger need?

A common Level 2 port draws 32 amps at 208 or 240 volts. DOE’s guide says it needs a 40-amp breaker, because the National Electrical Code treats charging as a continuous load.⁷ Twelve ports at full power draw about 80 kilowatts (kW) at 208 volts, 92 kW at 240.⁸ Your panel and service decide if the building can carry that.

Have an electrician or engineer check available capacity first, because panels and transformers may need upgrades.⁷ Then call the utility early about installation needs, service upgrades and costs. Utilities can analyze power availability and capacity.³

Can load management avoid a new electrical service?

Sometimes. Load management, also called power sharing, caps what the chargers draw together, so a building can serve more ports from the same service. Cars charge more slowly as a result. Before you count on it, get the design engineer to confirm in writing how your permit office and utility treat a managed limit.^7,3

The DOE guide describes a kit that splits one 40-amp circuit between two ports and warns that sharing means longer charging times.⁷ It also describes chargers that can curtail charging when the facility is running at peak demand.⁹

Short stays change the answer. Shift workers who park for three hours, or fleet vehicles that must be full by a set departure time, leave little room to stretch charging. A site where many drivers arrive together can also hit the cap early in the day. Test the arrival and departure pattern from your survey before you size the cap.

Why do demand charges matter for EV charging?

Demand charges are typically based on the highest 15-minute power draw in a month, according to the DOE guide. A row of chargers that all start at once can set a new monthly peak, while chargers that curtail when the building is busy can hold it down. Your rate schedule decides how this is billed.⁹

For a closer look at how peak demand shows up on business bills, see our guide to solar demand charges and what panels and batteries change.

Pepco, the Potomac Electric Power Company, once offered a distribution demand charge credit for workplace chargers. The February 2026 edition of its Maryland tariff book still carries that rider, but the rider text shows that applications closed in 2021 and the credits ended by December 31, 2023.¹⁰ A page promising that credit today is out of date.

For Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) or any other utility, pull the rate schedule on your account and your last 12 months of interval data before you settle on a charger count.

What does a commercial EV charging station cost?

No single number applies, because installation depends on trenching, panel capacity and utility work. A Level 2 connector costs a few thousand dollars to buy and install, while a DC fast charger runs tens of thousands. The sourced figures below are federal and national benchmarks, not Maryland quotes.

Real quotes will differ. The DOE guide says installation costs are highly variable with the facility and the charger placement.² Ask any bidder to break the work into six lines:

1. Engineering, design and permit fees.^6,11
2. Equipment, including network or payment hardware.
3. Installation: breakers, conduit, wiring, trenching and restoration.
4. Utility-side work such as a service upgrade, priced by the utility.³
5. Annual network, warranty and maintenance costs, plus a registration fee per port if the chargers sell to the public.^2,12
6. Electricity, including any demand charge from the section above.

The Maryland grant treats engineering, electrical upgrades, equipment and signage as eligible costs. That helps with planning, but the grant is competitive and pays only after you spend.⁶

What permits does a commercial EV charger need?

Montgomery County’s Department of Permitting Services (DPS) says any EV charging station needs a permit. A commercial installation needs a commercial building permit and an electrical permit, with drawings signed and sealed by a Maryland Professional Engineer. Plan on engineering fees before you plan on equipment.¹¹

DPS does not issue building permits in the cities of Rockville or Gaithersburg, which run their own permit offices.¹¹ Prince George’s County, Howard County, Arlington County and the District of Columbia also have their own permit offices, so check with yours.

DPS lists what the drawings should include: a riser diagram, a panel schedule, a load calculation, grounding detail, and conductor and breaker sizes. For a new service, DPS wants the available fault current from the utility in an official letter or email, or a Professional Engineer’s calculation. Bollards or similar protection may be required, depending on where the equipment sits.¹¹

The sequence on a commercial site looks like this:

1. Find out which permits and drawings the permit office requires.
2. If a new service is likely, request the available fault current from the utility. Montgomery County requires it for a new service.¹¹
3. Have an engineer prepare the electrical drawings and load calculation.
4. Submit plans through the permit office. DPS generally returns review comments within 30 calendar days for properly submitted plans.¹¹
5. Build, then schedule the required inspections.

The Alternative Fuels Data Center adds that permitting can also involve fire, environmental or electrical inspection approvals.³

Plan the ground as well as the wiring. Maryland’s grant rules list pedestrian accessibility and safety, physical protection such as bollards and wheel stops, lighting and security as design considerations, and they require signs that mark spaces as reserved for EVs with a maintenance phone number.⁵

Accessibility needs its own check. The U.S. Access Board says that even where the federal accessibility standards don’t mention EV charging stations, regulated entities must still ensure the stations are accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. It lists places of public accommodation and commercial facilities among the entities the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers, and it says its design recommendations are technical assistance, not legally binding.¹³ Whether the ADA applies to your site is a question for your designer or attorney, so settle accessible spaces with them before the layout is final.

Own it, lease it, or subscribe?

You can own the chargers, lease space to a charging operator, or pay a monthly subscription. The DOE guide describes charging as a service, a subscription that can cover hardware, installation, operation and maintenance.² The Alternative Fuels Data Center says a third-party owner installs and maintains the chargers, and the site host may lease the space.³

Ownership also decides how the state treats you. The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Weights and Measures program says electricity sold at retail as vehicle fuel must be sold by the kilowatt-hour, and that publicly available chargers that charge a fee must be registered with it.¹² The department lists a $75 registration fee per port and sorts workplace chargers like this:¹²

The department’s registration page set a July 1, 2026 date for registering public-facing chargers. It says unregistered public chargers that charge a fee will be removed from service until registration is complete. For newly installed devices, the page describes a placed-in-service report. Owners may submit it with the registration form before customers can use the charger for a transaction. Contact the department to confirm the requirements for your opening date.¹²

Public access affects funding too. The Maryland grant scoring gives preference to publicly accessible sites over limited-access ones, though workplace is an eligible project type.¹⁴ And if you plan to offer free charging to employees, the Alternative Fuels Data Center suggests checking the tax implications with your accountant or chief financial officer.⁴

Which incentives are open for workplace charging in Maryland?

As of October 25, 2026, the federal charger credit no longer applies to property placed in service after June 30, 2026, and the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) no longer offers a commercial charger rebate. One competitive MEA grant covers workplace and fleet charging, with applications due December 9, 2026. Pepco’s older workplace rebate and demand charge credit have also closed.^{15,16,1,17,10}

The federal credit was narrow even while it lasted. The IRS says the property had to be installed in a low-income community census tract or a non-urban census tract.¹⁹ The tax code’s termination clause says the section “shall not apply to any property placed in service after June 30, 2026,” and an IRS FAQ says the same.^18,15 Property placed in service on or before that date is a question for your tax professional.

Utility make-ready programs

Make-ready programs, which help pay for the utility-side work, run under Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) orders and change over time. The Commission’s December 2025 planning report described a proposed Phase II package from Pepco and Delmarva Power. It included a destination make-ready incentive for workplaces and a technical siting service for commercial customers, both then awaiting a decision.²⁰ The Commission extended the Phase I programs to January 31, 2026, or until it ruled on Phase II.²¹

That ruling has since come. A Sierra Club Maryland press release dated January 30, 2026 says the Commission approved the utilities’ five-year Phase II plans the day before, including make-ready, fleet advisory and charge management programs.²² The Charge Ahead Partnership also reports that the Commission issued its Phase II order in early 2026.²³ Neither source lists what Pepco’s workplace program now pays, so the incentive levels, eligibility and budget are still yours to confirm. Ask Pepco, BGE or SMECO what is active on your account today, get the answer in writing, and look for the order in Case No. 9478 on the Commission’s website.²⁴

The MEA workplace grant, in numbers

For workplace, parking hub and fleet sites, the payment per port depends on power level and who operates the chargers.

• Owner-operated, per port
• Third-party operated, per port

• 6 to 17 kW$7,000$5,500
• 18 to 49 kW$15,000$10,000
• 50 to 149 kW$50,000$45,000
• 150 kW and over$100,000$85,000

View the data as a table

Power per port	Owner-operated, per port	Third-party operated, per port
6 to 17 kW	$7,000	$5,500
18 to 49 kW	$15,000	$10,000
50 to 149 kW	$50,000	$45,000
150 kW and over	$100,000	$85,000

A site must result in at least two Level 2 or Level 3 ports. A business can receive at most $900,000 across all its sites, and funds are paid as reimbursements after costs are incurred.⁶ MEA anticipates up to $16.5 million for the whole round and scores each application against the criteria in its funding announcement.^1,6 For questions, MEA lists webinars for applicants on November 17 and December 1, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern, and posts a program FAQ and a recorded October 6 webinar.¹ For the wider picture on state grants and property-tax financing for businesses, see Maryland commercial solar grants and commercial property-assessed clean energy (C-PACE) financing.

What must the chargers meet to qualify for the grant?

The grant sets hardware and service rules. Chargers need a warranty of at least five years, an outdoor rating, 97 percent uptime, and repairs within 15 business days.⁵ Grant funds generally don’t cover costs incurred before the grant agreement takes effect, unless MEA agrees in writing. Buying equipment first can disqualify the spend.^5,6

The funding announcement, as modified October 9, 2026, adds more:

• Networked chargers must use Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) 1.6 or newer software, and payment can’t run solely through a phone app.⁵
• The project, including reporting, must finish within about 24 months of the signed grant agreement.⁵
• A tenant must upload a letter from the property owner that permits the work.⁵
• Applications need vendor quotes, manufacturer specification sheets, and a project narrative with an operations and maintenance plan.⁵
• Eligible costs include engineering and design, electrical upgrades such as panels, transformers and switchgear, equipment, and accessibility and signage costs.⁶

The grant is competitive, so a complete application can still be turned down.¹ For battery options at the same site, see commercial battery storage in Maryland.

What should you bring to a first meeting with a designer?

A designer can size your project much faster if you arrive with the basics already in hand, so the first meeting goes to capacity, load management and permits instead of paperwork. Collect what you can, and flag what you can’t find:

• your utility account’s rate schedule name and 12 months of interval data
• the main panel’s rating and any single-line diagram
• a parking plan with photos of the candidate spaces and the path to the electrical room
• the results of your driver survey
• your lease terms, if you rent, and the property owner’s contact
• your target dates, including the December 9, 2026 grant deadline if you plan to apply

If you plan to apply for the state grant, start the quote work early. The application needs vendor quotes and manufacturer specification sheets, and applications are due December 9, 2026.

Soleil Energy’s EV charging page describes workplace and fleet charging banks with power distribution and metering behind them. Its construction division handles commercial building projects.²⁵ If you’re also weighing home charging for staff, read our guide to Level 2 charger installation at home.

Planning a workplace or fleet charging project? Request a proposal (choose “Something else” as the project type) or call (301) 953-4140.

Solar savings and incentive eligibility depend on your roof, your usage, your utility, and your tax situation. Incentive programs change and some have limited funding. We are not tax advisors — we will review your bill with you and tell you what you may qualify for. Confirm any tax credit with a qualified tax professional.

Program rules decide who qualifies. Ask any installer whether it is on the program’s contractor list.

Sources (25)

1. Maryland Energy Administration, Community Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Grant Program (fiscal year 2027), program page; funding announcement issued September 9, 2026; webinar dates listed on the page, https://energy.maryland.gov/Pages/CommunityEVSE.aspx, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

2. U.S. Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program, Federal Workplace Charging Program Guide, August 2025, https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2025-08/federal-workplace-charging-program-guide_08-2025.pdf, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³

3. U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center, Procurement and Installation for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (undated page; cost figures attributed there to the National Laboratory of the Rockies and Idaho National Laboratory, Levelized Cost of Charging EVs in the United States), https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity-infrastructure-development, current page read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

4. U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center, Workplace Charging for Electric Vehicles (undated page), https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity-charging-workplace, current page read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩²

5. Same source as ⁶ (modified October 9, 2026), read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

6. Maryland Energy Administration, FY27 Community EVSE Grant Program Funding Opportunity Announcement, issued September 9, 2026, modified October 9, 2026, https://energy.maryland.gov/SiteAssets/Pages/CommunityEVSE/FY27%20Community%20EVSE%20Grant%20Program%20FOA%20-%20Modified%2010.09.26.docx.pdf, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷

7. Same source as ² (August 2025), read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

8. Illustrative calculation, run October 2026, with the inputs sourced at ² and ⁷. ↩ ↩² ↩³

9. Same source as ² (August 2025), read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩²

10. Pepco, Maryland tariff book Electric–P.S.C. Md. No. 1, Rider EVCDDCC, issued December 4, 2020, in the tariff book file dated February 4, 2026, https://www.pepco.com/cdn/assets/v3/assets/bltbb7c204688a1a6a8/blte8a580e4cc79e2c4/6984d9aaa88c126a53f51a93/2026-02-04_MASTER_MD_Pepco_Tariff_Book_.pdf?branch=prod_alias, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³

11. Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, Commercial EV Charging Building Permit Process (undated page), https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/department-permitting-services/all-permits/commercial-permits/commercial-ev-charging-building-permit-process, current page read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

12. Maryland Department of Agriculture Weights and Measures, EVSE Registration (undated page), including “Placing a Device into Service: PIS Report,” https://mda.maryland.gov/weights_measures/Pages/EVSE_Registration.aspx, current page read October 26, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

13. U.S. Access Board, Design Recommendations for Accessible Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, last updated July 17, 2023, https://www.access-board.gov/tad/ev/, read October 25, 2026. ↩

14. Same source as ⁶ (modified October 9, 2026), read October 25, 2026. ↩

15. Internal Revenue Service, FAQs for modification of sections 25C, 25D, 25E, 30C, 30D, 45L, 45W, and 179D under Public Law 119-21 (FS-2025-05), published August 21, 2025, https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/faqs-for-modification-of-sections-25c-25d-25e-30c-30d-45l-45w-and-179d-under-public-law-119-21-139-stat-72-july-4-2025-commonly-known-as-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-obbb, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³

16. Maryland Energy Administration, Residential Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Rebate Program (fiscal year 2027), announcement issued July 8, 2026, modified October 9, 2026, https://energy.maryland.gov/transportation/pages/incentives_evserebate.aspx, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩²

17. Pepco, Maryland tariff book Electric–P.S.C. Md. No. 1, Rider EVCP pages issued August 4, 2023, in the tariff book file dated February 4, 2026, https://www.pepco.com/cdn/assets/v3/assets/bltbb7c204688a1a6a8/blte8a580e4cc79e2c4/6984d9aaa88c126a53f51a93/2026-02-04_MASTER_MD_Pepco_Tariff_Book_.pdf?branch=prod_alias, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩²

18. Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, 26 U.S.C. 30C(i) (termination) and 30C(c)(3) (eligible census tracts), current text (undated republication; its notes record that Public Law 119-21 substituted “June 30, 2026” for “December 31, 2032” in subsection (i)), https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/30C, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩²

19. Internal Revenue Service, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit, page last reviewed or updated May 26, 2026, https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/alternative-fuel-vehicle-refueling-property-credit, read October 25, 2026. ↩

20. Maryland Public Service Commission, Electric System Planning report under Public Utilities Article section 7-802, December 1, 2025, https://psc.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025-CSNA-Report-on-Electric-System-Planning-Final.pdf, read October 25, 2026. ↩

21. Maryland Public Service Commission, Order No. 92115, Case No. 9478, issued December 30, 2025, https://psc.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Order_EV-Ph.-1-Extension-9478.pdf, read October 25, 2026. ↩

22. Sierra Club Maryland Chapter, “Maryland Public Service Commission’s Approval of EV Phase II Filings a Step in the Right Direction,” press release dated January 30, 2026, https://www.sierraclub.org/maryland/blog/2026/01/press-release-maryland-public-service-commission-s-approval-ev-phase-ii, read October 25, 2026 from the Internet Archive copy captured January 31, 2026, https://web.archive.org/web/20260131125104/https://www.sierraclub.org/maryland/blog/2026/01/press-release-maryland-public-service-commission-s-approval-ev-phase-ii. An advocacy group’s account, not the order itself. ↩

23. Charge Ahead Partnership, What’s Happening in Maryland (undated page), https://www.chargeaheadpartnership.com/state-activity/md, current page read October 25, 2026. ↩

24. Maryland Public Service Commission, EV Phase 1 Program Extension (9478) posting dated December 30, 2025, https://psc.maryland.gov/news/2025/ev-phase-1-program-extension-9478/, read October 25, 2026. The Commission’s news pages carry no release on the Phase II order, so the order itself sits in the Case No. 9478 docket. ↩

25. Soleil Energy, EV charging page and construction page, current pages read October 25, 2026. ↩