Quick answer: Under the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021, private chargers sold in Great Britain must be smart, keep working if you switch supplier, keep charging if they lose connection, and come preset to charge outside weekday peak hours (8am to 11am and 4pm to 10pm). You can accept, remove or change those hours, and you can override them. Chargers also add a random delay of up to 10 minutes, which you can cancel.
What the regulations are for
The government’s guidance for sellers says the rules are there to help manage the increase in electricity demand as people switch to electric cars. Smart chargers let cars charge when demand on the grid is lower, or when more renewable electricity is available.
The law itself is the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 (SI 2021/1467). The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) enforces it.
Which chargers are covered
The rules cover private chargers, meaning those sold for use at home or at work in Great Britain, and smart cables that can send and receive information.
They took effect on 30 June 2022. The security requirements followed on 30 December 2022.
They do not apply to chargers that are:
- sold in Northern Ireland
- sold before 30 June 2022
- not intended for use in Great Britain
- sold privately second-hand, between individuals and not as a business
- non-smart cables, or rapid chargers intended for public use
The rules are aimed at sellers. The guidance says they apply to anyone selling, offering or advertising a charger for sale, not to you as the owner.
What a compliant charger must do
According to the government guidance, a compliant charger must have:
- Smart functions. It must be able to send and receive information, respond to signals to change the rate or time of charging, and have a user interface such as an app or screen.
- Supplier interoperability. It must keep its smart features if you switch electricity supplier.
- Continued charging offline. It must keep charging even if it loses its connection to the communications network.
- Safety provisions. It must stop users carrying out operations that could risk anyone’s health or safety.
- A measuring system. It must measure or calculate the electricity used and how long charging lasts, and let you see that information.
- Security. It must meet security requirements consistent with the cyber security standard ETSI EN 303 645.
Default off-peak hours
This is the rule most owners notice. Under regulation 10, a charger must come with pre-set default charging hours outside peak hours.
The regulations define peak hours as:
- 8am to 11am on weekdays
- 4pm to 10pm on weekdays
When you first use the charger, you must be offered the chance to:
- accept the pre-set hours
- remove them
- set different hours
You must be able to change them again later, and override the default during the default charging hours, for example if you need a top-up in the early evening.
The regulations only set the default. They do not stop you charging at peak times, and they do not set what you pay. Your tariff does that.
The random delay
Under regulation 11, each time charging is due to start, a compliant charger operates with a random delay of up to 600 seconds (10 minutes). The idea is to stop lots of chargers switching on at exactly the same moment.
The rules say:
- you must be able to cancel the delay
- the charger must be capable of a delay of up to 1,800 seconds (30 minutes), and that maximum can be adjusted remotely
In practice, if you plug in and nothing happens for a few minutes, the random delay may be why. Check your charger’s app.
Demand side response
The regulations also require chargers to be capable of providing demand side response services. That means adjusting charging in response to signals, for example from a supplier or another service you have agreed to. The regulations say the owner must be able to override this.
What this means for your bills
The default hours avoid the weekday times when demand is typically highest. That fits with many smart EV tariffs, which offer cheaper electricity overnight. But the regulations do not guarantee you a cheaper rate. Check that your schedule matches your tariff’s cheap hours. Our price cap explainer covers current home electricity rates.
Buying a charger
If you buy a new home charger from a business in Great Britain, it should already comply. The seller must be able to provide a statement of compliance.
Be more careful with:
- a second-hand charger bought from a private individual, which the rules do not cover
- a charger bought for use outside Great Britain
For prices of popular chargers, see our guide to home EV charger installation costs.
How to report a problem
If you think a charger sold in Great Britain does not comply, the GOV.UK guidance says you can contact OPSS at OPSS.enquiries@businessandtrade.gov.uk.
Frequently asked questions
Can I charge during peak hours?
Yes. The regulations set default hours, but you can remove or change them, and override them when you need to.
Do the rules apply to my old charger?
Not if it was sold before 30 June 2022. Older chargers may still have smart features, but the regulations did not require them.
Do the rules apply in Northern Ireland?
No. The guidance says chargers sold in Northern Ireland are not covered.
Do I have to stay with one energy supplier?
No. A compliant charger must keep its smart functions if you switch supplier.
Sources
- The Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021, legislation.gov.uk
- Regulations: electric vehicle smart charge points, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Office for Zero Emission Vehicles and Office for Product Safety and Standards, GOV.UK
Last checked: 19 October 2026
Image credit: Volkswagen AG press office.
