Interpretation of the New Regulations: Public Charging Points in the UK | “The Public Charge Point Regulations 2023”

With the publication of the U.K.’s “Public Charge Point Regulations 2023,” the landscape of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the U.K. is changing; these regulations are designed to standardize the charging experience for electric vehicle drivers. These regulations are critical for charge point operators and hardware manufacturers. They apply to all public charge points, excluding those located in restricted-use areas such as workplaces, private garages, and shared residential parking lots. It is worth noting that failure to comply with these regulations may result in substantial fines, which can reach up to £10,000 per charging point, with even higher fines possible for more serious violations.

PART 01 Payment Requirements

Contactless payment integration by November 2024

Integrate contactless payment by November 2024

By November 2024, operators must provide a contactless payment terminal at all charging points with a power rating exceeding 8 kilowatts, allowing users to pay for charging via contactless methods. This includes slow-charge, fast-charge, rapid-charge, and ultra-rapid-charge points. Existing charging points that are already open to the public must also be equipped with contactless payment terminals.

Payment roaming integration by November 2025

Implement payment roaming integration by November 2025

Operators must make their charging stations accessible to at least one third-party roaming platform, and users must be able to pay through that roaming platform. Operators must also notify the State Secretary’s office when they permit or prohibit third-party roaming platforms from offering payment services at their charging stations. Annual reporting requirements for operators effective January 2026. For each calendar year, operators must submit a report to the Secretary of State detailing: The total number of charging points in operation The network reliability percentage (the standard is 99%, as noted above) The reliability of each charging point, including location and status The deadline for the first report is January 14, 2026, covering the entire calendar year of 2025. Thereafter, reports for the preceding calendar year must be submitted annually by January 14.

PART 02 Performance Section

Achieving 99% reliability in charge point networks by November 2024

The network must achieve an average reliability of 99% throughout the calendar year. Reliability is determined by the “available,” “charging,” or “reserved” statuses of shared charging points as reported via OCPP. If a charging point reports an “unknown” or “blocked” status, this will affect reliability. Reliability must be published on the operator’s website.

Helpline for Charge Point Users

Operators must provide toll-free telephone support to their charge point users, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to address any support inquiries related to charge point functionality. This helpline number must be clearly displayed on the charging point or in its immediate vicinity. Every call must be logged, and a quarterly report must be submitted to the Secretary of State detailing: the number of calls, categorized by type of assistance sought and resolution time, in 10-minute intervals.

PART 03 Open Charge Point Data Section

Open Charge Point Data Reporting by November 2024

By November 24, 2024, operators must accurately record and report reference data and availability data for each charging point in their network. Reference data includes: location, connector type, available payment methods, and pricing. Availability data includes: whether the charge point is working (defined as either available, charging, or occupied), updated within 30 seconds of a status change.

PART 04 Pricing Transparency

Ensuring price transparency at charge points

Operators must clearly display the charging price per kilowatt-hour (kWh); once a charging session has begun, the charging price may not be changed.

PART 05 Civil Sanctions

Penalties for non-compliance with regulations

For each charging point that fails to meet the requirements for “contactless payment,” “roaming,” “reporting,” “open charging point data,” and “price transparency,” operators may be subject to a maximum fine of up to 10,000 pounds per charging point. If the network fails to maintain 99% reliability, the maximum fine is 10,000 pounds. Operators who obstruct law enforcement or intentionally violate the new regulations may face a maximum fine of 250,000 pounds.

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