Q: My wife and I bought a condo a few years ago. Last year, we bought an electric car, only to learn that the building limits personal chargers to 14, along with the three shared chargers, for the nearly 200 parking spaces. The board informed me that the limit is due to the electrical service to the building, and upgrading the service would require a special assessment, something the other residents do not favor. Now I am stuck charging my car at the nearby mall, despite being willing to pay for a charger installed at my assigned spot. Is there anything I can do? — Anonymous

A: In Florida, where I practice, the law allows condominium unit owners to install electric vehicle stations within their designated parking spaces.

However, this right is subject to specific conditions and limitations, including the responsibility of the unit owner to cover all costs associated with installation, operation, maintenance, and removal, and ensure that the installation does not cause irreparable damage to condominium property.

The constraints of your specific building’s electric service raise a significant issue because while the law protects your right to install a charger, it does not require your association to upgrade the building’s electrical infrastructure to accommodate additional chargers.

Your association can regulate, manage, and maintain the association as it sees fit, provided it does not arbitrarily or discriminate against particular residents. Your association seems to have a valid concern about the capacity of the electrical service and has provided shared charges, so it seems to be acting reasonably under the circumstances.

You may still have some options thanks to evolving technology. New load management systems can allow more chargers to be installed than the raw electrical capacity might otherwise permit by ensuring they do not all draw maximum power simultaneously. Do the research and petition your Board to consider this less expensive solution.

If your community still does not want to invest in this new technology, you may have to band with several other interested owners and cover the cost.

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