Massachusetts right to charge: a board has 60 days to answer an EV charger request, or it is approved
Massachusetts right to charge: a board has 60 days to answer an EV charger request, or it is approved
2026-09-10 · Massachusetts · Compliance
What happened. Massachusetts associations have been living under a statutory right to charge since 18 February 2025, and the provision most boards still miss is a deadline that runs against them.
M.G.L. c. 183A §10A was added by section 86 of Chapter 239 of the Acts of 2024, approved 20 November 2024.1 The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities issued a notice on 26 February 2025 stating that the rule was in effect and that it would not be filing regulations to implement it — so the statute stands alone, with no agency gloss.2
It reaches HOAs, not just condominiums
This is unusual for Massachusetts and worth stating precisely. §10A defines “Association” as
“a condominium association, homeowners' association, community association, cooperative, trust or other nongovernmental entity with covenants, by-laws and administrative provisions with which the compliance of a homeowner or unit owner is required.”
Most of c. 183A applies only to condominiums submitted to the chapter. §10A is one of the few Massachusetts statutes that expressly binds homeowners associations as well.
The prohibition
Under §10A(b), and notwithstanding chapters 21, 40C and 183A or any other law, a historic district commission, a neighbourhood conservation district board, or the manager or organization of unit owners “shall not prohibit or unreasonably restrict an owner from installing electric vehicle supply equipment” on the owner's separate interest or an area of exclusive use.
Reasonable restrictions remain permitted — but in setting them the board “shall give substantial weight to threats posed by climate change,” and “reasonable” is defined narrowly: restrictions that do not significantly increase cost or installation cost, decrease efficiency or specified performance, or effectively prohibit installation.
The 60-day clock
Section 10A(d) is the operative deadline. The board must approve or deny in writing within 60 days of receipt, or the application “shall be deemed approved” — absent delay caused by a reasonable request for further information.
The application must be processed the same way as an architectural modification application, and no fee beyond the standard architectural review fee may be charged.
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Related Massachusetts HOA Topics
- M.G.L. c. 183A §10A, electric vehicle supply equipment (codified text) ↩
- EOHLC, Notice of Right to Charge Rule in Effect, 26 February 2025 ↩
- National Grid Massachusetts, Multi-Unit Dwelling EV programs and pre-approval deadline ↩
- Chapter 239 of the Acts of 2024, sections 84–86 (session law text) ↩
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