EV Charger Installation Services in Los Angeles

If your EV charges from a garage outlet that shares a circuit with other loads, you have probably met the breaker by now. Maybe the panel is full, maybe an insurer has flagged its brand, or maybe a charger you already bought is mounted on the wall with no power running to it. RG Electric, License C10 #910807, designs and installs Level 1 and Level 2 EV charging throughout Los Angeles, with correct circuit sizing, permits, and inspections, so you can charge overnight without nuisance trips or unsafe workarounds.

Typical projects include dedicated circuits for residential Level 2 chargers, parking garage buildouts for multi-unit properties, workplace charging for commercial buildings, subpanel additions to carry the EV load, and conduit for future expansion. We handle everything from the load evaluation to permit closeout.

Licensed C10 #910807, bonded, and insured. New installations get a free estimate, for homeowners and property managers alike.

Why a Dedicated EV Circuit Matters

Public charging in Los Angeles has grown a great deal, but depending on it as your main source of power means planning your week around station availability. A dedicated circuit at home or at the property gives you a full battery most mornings, with nothing to wait for. It is also what the code expects: by code, an EV charger needs its own dedicated line.

What improvised charging does to a home

Many drivers start by plugging into a standard garage outlet, and it works for a while. But a 120V outlet on a shared circuit was never meant to carry the sustained load of nightly charging. Over time that means nuisance breaker trips, a receptacle that wears out early, and, in older homes in Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, or the West Side, stress on wiring that was already near capacity before the car arrived. A properly sized dedicated circuit removes the problem instead of managing it.

When a charger has no power

Some of our first EV calls are about a charger that simply is not getting power. A technician visits, and the cause is often that the charger shares its line with something else, or that it never had a dedicated circuit to begin with. The fix is a new breaker and a new line run to the charger, which is a bigger job than most people expect. Some homeowners want time to think it over and collect a competing bid, and that is a reasonable thing to do.

What we owe you in that moment is a clear explanation. The technician reports what was found to our supervising electrician, who writes the estimate, and someone on our team calls to walk you through each line and why the code requires it. Nothing is hidden in the estimate, and you decide what happens next.

What we evaluate before installation

Before recommending any equipment, we look at your main panel capacity, available breaker spaces, grounding and bonding, and the most practical route from the panel to the parking space. If the panel is a Zinsco, Federal Pacific, Challenger, or Pushmatic, we will recommend replacing it before adding a charger, because these are known fire hazards and insurers may decline coverage over them. We install Siemens panels, and we can fold a panel upgrade and the charger into a single permit, which saves scheduling and inspection coordination. While we are on site, we can also add whole-house surge protection, which makes sense when you are putting a significant new load on the system.

Level 1 vs Level 2 Charging

The choice comes down to how much range you need back each night and what your panel can support.

Level 1: 120V charging

Level 1 uses a standard 120V outlet and is slow, typically adding 4 to 5 miles of range per hour. It suits light daily driving, or serves as a backup until a Level 2 circuit is in. Most vehicles ship with a Level 1 cordset. When we install or verify a Level 1 setup, we confirm the outlet is on a dedicated circuit in sound condition and not sharing load with kitchen appliances, a garage door opener, or other equipment that draws current regularly.

Level 2: 240V dedicated circuit

Level 2 uses a 240V dedicated circuit, typically sized between 20A and 60A depending on the charger and the vehicle. It can add 20 to 30 or more miles of range per hour, so most drivers wake up to a full battery. We size the circuit to the charger’s continuous load rating and the manufacturer’s specifications, then verify voltage drop for the actual run. Outdoor installations use weather-rated equipment and protected conduit. Most homeowners in Encino, Culver City, Beverly Hills, and across the basin choose Level 2 for exactly this reason.

EV Charger Installation for Apartments and Commercial Properties

Multi-unit and commercial projects are a different scope from a garage installation at a single-family home. The electrical infrastructure is larger, tenants and property management add coordination, and the code picture includes requirements that single-family homes do not face.

California building code and EV readiness

California’s CALGreen code, part of Title 24, requires EV capable parking infrastructure in new multi-unit and commercial buildings, and certain additions and alterations, such as adding or altering parking, can trigger the same requirements. The 2025 code cycle took effect on January 1, 2026, so the thresholds that apply to your project should be confirmed before design starts, not after. For property managers in Koreatown, Downtown LA, Inglewood, and Torrance who are planning renovations, that early check prevents expensive retrofits. RG Electric plans EV-ready infrastructure that meets current code and lets you add stations as tenant demand grows.

Tenant demand and property value

Charging requests are showing up in tenant conversations and lease negotiations across the basin. Buildings with no charging infrastructure are starting to feel the gap, particularly in Santa Monica, on the Westside, and around Culver City. A well-planned buildout is an amenity that supports occupancy and rent positioning.

How we plan multi-unit charging buildouts

We begin with a site evaluation that maps the existing electrical infrastructure, identifies the house panel or meter main capacity, and determines how many stations the building can support with or without a service upgrade. From there we design a conduit plan that lets stations be added in phases without redoing the primary run each time. If the main panel is full or undersized, we propose a subpanel or a full service upgrade, coordinated through our commercial electrical services, so the charging project and any electrical upgrade move through permitting together.

Common scopes include conduit routing across parking garages, concrete coring with fire stopping at penetrations, trenching to detached parking areas, bollards for impact protection, ADA-compliant station placement, and signage. For networked chargers, we provision the equipment, test connectivity, and coordinate with your IT vendor or the manufacturer’s platform when a gateway is required. Property managers also ask early whether we can provide permits and a certificate of insurance. We can, on any commercial project, and the closeout packet is formatted for HOA oversight, insurance, or lender requirements.

Choosing the Right Charger

Speed, location, and safety drive the decision. For most homes, a 40A or 50A Level 2 unit balances charging speed with practical panel capacity. Hardwired units are standard for outdoor installations and higher-amperage setups, while plug-in units offer flexibility when a protected 240V receptacle in a covered location is suitable. We recommend equipment with a recognized safety listing, solid cable strain relief, and practical cord management for daily use, not simply the lowest purchase price.

Planning for a second EV

If a second vehicle might ever join the household, the time to run conduit for a second station is during the first installation. We can run conduit with a pull string to a second parking position, install a larger subpanel near the parking area, or reserve breaker space in the panel for a future circuit. It costs very little as part of the initial scope and saves a good deal compared with mobilizing for a second project.

Long runs and voltage drop

Detached garages, carports at the far end of a driveway, and parking areas that need a long conduit run bring voltage drop into the conductor sizing. A circuit that tests fine at the panel can deliver noticeably less at the charger if the wire is undersized for the distance. We calculate voltage drop for every run and adjust the wire gauge so the charger delivers the power it is rated for.

Permits, Inspections, and Timeline

Most EV charger installations in Los Angeles need a permit and a final inspection. We handle the paperwork from start to finish: the application, a site sketch or plans when needed, and load information showing your panel can support the new circuit.

How it works in the City of Los Angeles

For a home served by LADWP, the process starts with an EV charging station request to LADWP, then an electrical permit from LADBS, which also offers an express permit path for EV chargers, and finally an inspection once the work is done. Outside the City of Los Angeles, the building department and the utility change. Pasadena, Glendale, and Burbank, for example, run their own, so we confirm who handles your address before we schedule anything. LADWP has also offered a rebate for qualifying Level 2 chargers. Programs and amounts change, so confirm current terms directly with LADWP.

When the panel needs to be part of the scope

If the main panel is full or undersized, we lay out the options, which include adding a subpanel, relocating loads, or scheduling a service upgrade, and fold that work into the same permit so you are not managing several approvals. During permitting we coordinate any utility requirements that apply to your property, such as LADWP shutoffs for panel work, meter location clearances, or access windows.

What installation day looks like

A standard home Level 2 installation usually takes a few hours once we are on site. That covers protecting finishes, running conduit or cable along the agreed path, mounting the charger, making the terminations at the panel, labeling the new circuit, and commissioning the unit with your vehicle. If walls or ceilings are finished, we use strategic access points to keep patching small. Where a run needs exterior trenching, concrete coring, or work on opposite sides of the home, we say so in advance, so the day holds no surprises.

Multi-unit and commercial timelines

Multi-unit and commercial projects take longer because coring, trenching, bollards, signage, and ADA-compliant routing need coordination with property management and sometimes other trades. We sequence the work by zone to keep parking accessible, post advance notices for residents, and schedule noisy work during approved hours. Inspection follows the same pattern as residential: our technician meets the inspector, demonstrates breaker sizing and labeling, verifies GFCI protection where required, and powers up the charger. You receive closeout photos, an updated panel directory, and any documentation a utility rebate program asks for.

Costs and What Affects Price

Price depends on the distance from panel to charger, whether the run is surface-mounted conduit or in-wall, the outdoor weather rating and protection needed, and whether a panel upgrade or subpanel is required. Trenching, concrete coring, and bollards add cost on commercial and multi-unit projects.

New installations get a free estimate, and we do not bill by the hour. We look at the scope and give you a written estimate with everything necessary in it. A charger that already exists but is not working is different. That starts as a service call with an upfront diagnostic fee, because a technician has to find the problem before there is anything to quote. To prepare, send a clear photo of your main panel with the door open, any subpanels, and the spot where you want the charger.

We stand behind our work for 12 months. If something we installed misbehaves in that window, you are already our customer, and we come back without charging another service call.

Related Electrical Services

Plan your charging project with complementary upgrades that improve reliability and capacity. See our wiring and dedicated circuits and emergency electrical repairs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to install an EV charger in Los Angeles?

In most cases, yes. In the City of Los Angeles the permit comes from LADBS and the inspection follows the installation. We file the application and meet the inspector for you.

Can my existing panel support a Level 2 charger?

Sometimes, and photos rarely settle it. It depends on your current load and the breaker space left, which we check during the estimate visit. If the panel is full or undersized, the upgrade and the charger can share one permit.

How long does a residential installation take?

Most home installations wrap up in a few hours on the day of work. A long run to a detached garage, or exterior trenching, can add time, and we tell you before we start.

Can you install chargers in an apartment parking garage?

Yes. The scope covers load evaluation, conduit design, coring, panel or subpanel work, ADA placement, bollards, and permits. We phase the work so residents keep access to parking.

What if I want a second charger later?

Run conduit with a pull string to the second space during the first installation. It adds little to the first project and saves a full mobilization later.

Do you work with HOAs and property management companies?

Regularly. We provide certificates of insurance, one-line diagrams, equipment documentation, and permit closeout packets, post notices for residents, and coordinate access with building staff.

My charger stopped working. Is that a free estimate?

No, that is a service call. A technician has to find out why it lost power before anything can be priced, so there is an upfront diagnostic fee. Brand-new installations are the ones that get a free estimate.

For immediate assistance or to schedule a professional evaluation, call RG Electric directly at (323) 521-5131.

Electrical work is hazardous. Always consult a licensed electrician like RG Electric before working on electrical systems.