Maryland Wants to Register and Inspect All EV Chargers for Safety, but New Rules Could Stifle the Industry

A Maryland law that requires all commercial EV chargers to be registered with and inspected by the state could have a chilling effect on the proliferation of EV charging infrastructure, reports Christine Condon in Maryland Matters.

The program will cost companies or property owners who want to offer paid public charging $150 per charging port, which Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks says will help cover the cost of regular inspections. “Inspectors will begin visual checks in January, Atticks said, ensuring that chargers are registered (and affixing decals confirming that) and clearly display key information like the responsible party and the method of sale.”

EV advocates say the fees could discourage businesses from installing chargers and slow the adoption of EV infrastructure in the state. The fees could most severely impact condo and apartment buildings where chargers aren’t used very often. Robert Borkowski, owner of EV charging company Plug IO, suggests that chargers at multifamily dwellings should be charged differently and that “the department should focus on fast-chargers being used by travelers in need of rapid power, rather than slower chargers used by building residents who are not necessarily in a rush to find a charge.”