Local Government EV Charging Permitting

Encouraging local governments to adopt land use codes for a more streamlined EV charging permitting process.

Background

The 2023 Colorado EV Plan estimates that Colorado needs about 7,500 electric vehicle (EV) charging ports by 2025 to achieve our EV goals. To enable this robust charging network across the state, local governments may need to adjust their permitting processes to facilitate this new type of land use. To support local governments in this work, the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) met with local governments and charging developers in 2023 to discuss permitting challenges and solutions and published the findings in a study.
View EV Charging Permitting Study

Close-up of an electric vehicle charging station plug in a holster with a blue and white color scheme, indicating a clean energy source. The focus is on the handle of the plug, which is white with black accents and a textured grip, against a softly blurred background.

Electric Vehicle Charging System Permits Law

Following this study, Colorado passed the Electric Vehicle Charging System Permits law (HB24-1173) in 2024. This law encourages local governments to adopt land use permitting processes and standards for public charging projects to foster more streamlined, transparent, and consistent permitting processes.

Municipalities with 10,000 or more people and counties with 20,000 or more people are required to take at least one of the following compliance actions by December 31, 2025:

Adopt the permitting processes and standards from the EV Charging Model Land Use Code that CEO publishes;
Adopt the permitting processes and standards prescribed by HB24-1173;
Adopt an ordinance or resolution stating that the local government does not wish to change its existing land use codes and opts out of revising its codes.

Support for Local Government Implementation

HB24-1173 requires CEO to support local governments with code adoption and implementation. CEO will provide support in three ways:

Model Code: Publishing EV Charging Model Land Use Code language and adoption guidance by March 31, 2025
Code Adoption Support: Providing on-call code adoption support to help local governments integrate the EV charging model code language into existing land use codes
Staff Training: Training local government planning staff to help them interpret and apply EV charging permitting standards and processes

Implementation Timeline:

Fall 2024 - March 31, 2025: CEO to develop and publish model code guidance
Spring 2025 - End of 2025: CEO to provide on-call code adoption support
December 31, 2025: Local governments to complete compliance action
March 1, 2026: Local governments to provide compliance reports to CEO
Spring and Summer 2026: CEO to provide staff training to local governments

EV Charging Permitting Model Land Use Code Development

In coordination with representatives from local governments, disproportionately impacted communities, electric utilities, and other stakeholders, CEO is in the process of developing the model code guidance required by HB24-1173.
Sign up for updates on the EV Charging Permitting Model Land Use Code

Please submit questions or comments regarding the EV Charging Permitting Model Land Use Code through the form linked below.
Submit comments

Please contact Jaxon Fagan, jaxon.fagan@state.co.us, for additional information or to sign up for updates on the model code development.

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Local Government EV Charging Permitting