EV charging without a driveway: your options.

Your main options

Around 40% of homes in England have no off-street parking, according to Department for Transport figures. The realistic options for charging at home without a driveway are:

• A cross-pavement solution with a charger on your house wall: home electricity rates and home tariffs, but only if your local council permits it at your specific address.
• Public lamppost chargers or on-street charging points if your council has installed them on your street. These use public charging rates, which are typically higher than home rates.
• Creating a driveway by applying for a dropped kerb and planning permission. Once you have dedicated off-street parking, you become eligible for the standard OZEV charger grants.

What is a cross-pavement solution?

A cross-pavement solution is a way to run your charging cable safely from the charger on your house wall to your car parked on the street. The Department for Transport guidance for local councils describes two main types:

These do not count as a cross-pavement solution and will not qualify for the on-street grant:

A channel does not reserve the parking bay outside your home. Any vehicle can still park there. The DfT guidance notes that a channel works best where you can park outside at least once a week.

England: planning permission no longer required (October 2026)

Before October 2026, homes without off-street parking did not have permitted development rights to install a wall-mounted charger. That changed on 21 October 2026, when the Electric Vehicles (Permitted Development) (England) Order 2026 (SI 2026/1056) came into force. From that date:

• The cable channel put in by, for, or with the permission of the highway authority no longer needs planning permission. It must be removed when no longer needed, with the pavement reinstated.
• The wall charger itself is now permitted development for homes without off-street parking, subject to adequate footway clearance being maintained for pedestrians. One charger per property is covered.

These rules apply in England only. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have different planning frameworks. If you are outside England, check with your local planning authority before proceeding.

Conservation areas and listed buildings are excluded from these permitted development rights: planning permission is still required in those locations.

The council still decides whether a channel can go in

Removing the planning permission requirement is not the same as removing the need for council approval. As the highway authority for your street, the council still decides whether a channel is permitted at your specific location. It considers factors including:

• The width of the pavement and whether adequate pedestrian clearance can be maintained
• What utilities are buried under the pavement at that point
• Whether yellow lines, loading bays, or crossing points are nearby
• The council's own policy on cross-pavement solutions

Some councils have approved channels across their area; others have not yet published a policy. The Guardian reported in October 2026 that more than 20 councils were still declining to permit channels at all. Contact your council's highways department before spending money on a quote to confirm that a channel is possible at your address.

Is there a grant for no-driveway charging?

Yes. The OZEV on-street parking grant pays the same as the renter grant: 75% of the cost of the charger and installation, up to £500. You can apply if all of the following apply:

Apply before any work starts. The grant cannot be claimed for a charger that is already installed.

See our full guide on the OZEV EV Chargepoint Grant for how the application process works step by step.

What if the council refuses a channel?

If your council will not permit a cross-pavement channel at your address, your remaining options for home charging are:

• Lamppost or on-street chargers installed by your council. Available in a growing number of areas and payable by contactless or app. Use Zap-Map to find the nearest on-street chargers to your home.
• Creating a driveway. Applying for a dropped kerb gives you private off-street parking, which then makes you eligible for the standard OZEV charger grant (75% up to £500) as a homeowner or the renter grant if you rent. See our guide on home EV charger costs for typical installation prices.

Common questions