The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized an 18-month extension for an exemption of all electrical and building permit fees for electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS). The current exemption, which was scheduled to expire on May 1, 2024, has been extended through October 31, 2025.

The exemption supports the county’s climate goal for a carbon-free Fairfax —“a future for Fairfax County that is healthy, sustainable, and economically prosperous without local greenhouse gas emissions”—as well as the Environment Community Outcome Area of the Countywide Strategic Plan. Eliminating the permit fees for EVCS may encourage the use of electric vehicles, which is an important step toward achieving the overarching goal of community-wide carbon neutrality by 2050.

A permit is still required for any new installation of EVCS, in accordance with the Uniform Statewide Building Code, and the permit holder is subject to the re-inspection fee. No permit is required if you are plugging a stand-alone charging station into an existing outlet. In addition, EVCS must comply with zoning requirements (for detailed information, see the memorandum “Applicable Zoning Provisions for Electric Vehicle Charging Spaces.”)

A new GIS application was created to let the public see the distribution of Electric Vehicle Charging Station (EVCS) permits across Fairfax County for the first 12 months of the trial period. This application overlays the location of LDS Commercial and Residential Electrical Permits for EVCS against the Fairfax County Vulnerability Index Map to show equity impacts.

For general information on permits for EVCS and to access the GIS application, please visit Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Permits.