EV charger installation cost
As of October 3, 2026, the published sources we read put the typical cost of installing a home Level 2 charger at $1,098 to $1,354 for the installation work alone (Idaho National Laboratory 2022 median $1,098, Avista 2019 average $1,316, and Idaho National Laboratory 2015 average $1,354), and $1,400 to $1,766 with the charger included (ICCT 2019 average $1,400 and Avista 2019 average $1,766); Qmerit (2026) gives $1,810 without saying whether the charger is in it.
Each figure below is printed in the dollars of the year it was published, not adjusted for inflation, and each comes from one source: a study that costs the installation without the charger is never added to a charger price from somewhere else. The widest range any source publishes for a single job is $150 to $18,000, from Idaho National Laboratory (2022), for installation only, charger not included.
Every source and what its figure covers
| Source | Year | Figure | Low | Typical | High | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho National Laboratory (U.S. DOE) | 2022 | Installation only, charger not included | $150 | $1,098 (median, mean $1,310) | $18,000 | Residential Level 2 installations in the SCA dataset (US, multiple states). Labor included, permit included, panel upgrade included. |
| Idaho National Laboratory (U.S. DOE), The EV Project | 2015 | Installation only, charger not included | Not published | $1,354 (mean) | $8,000 (stated as 'over $8,000') | Residential Level 2, EV Project regions (US). Labor included, permit not stated, panel upgrade included. |
| International Council on Clean Transportation | 2019 | Charger and installation | $650 | $1,400 (study average, detached house) | $2,423 | Detached house, Level 2 charger upgrade (new wiring and a charger); attached house and apartment figures in notes. Charger included; labor included, permit included, panel upgrade included. Low and high: range of the underlying studies. |
| International Council on Clean Transportation | 2019 | 240 V outlet only, no charger (detached house) | Not published | $680 | Not published | New wiring and a 240 V outlet, with no charger, for a detached house. |
| National Renewable Energy Laboratory (now National Laboratory of the Rockies), U.S. DOE | 2023 | Charger hardware only | $400 | Not published | $1,200 | L2 residential, per port. The charger alone, no installation. |
| National Renewable Energy Laboratory (now National Laboratory of the Rockies), U.S. DOE | 2023 | Installation only, charger not included | $500 | Not published | $1,700 | L2 residential, per port. Labor included, permit not included, panel upgrade not stated. |
| U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center | not dated | Charger hardware only | $380 | Not published | $690 | Residential Level 2. The charger alone, no installation. |
| U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center | not dated | Installation only, charger not included | Not published | $1,300 (approximately, per connector) | Not published | Residential Level 2. Labor not included, permit not included, panel upgrade not stated. |
| Rocky Mountain Institute | 2019 | Charger hardware only | $380 (2.9 kW unit) | Not published | $689 (7.7 kW unit) | Level 2 residential charger hardware only. The charger alone, no installation. |
| Avista Corp. (utility), report to the Washington UTC | 2019 | Charger and installation | Not published | $1,766 (average per port, non-networked, including the charger, Table 1; networked $2,445) | Not published | Residential AC Level 2, Avista Washington service territory. Charger included; labor included, permit included, panel upgrade included. |
| Avista Corp. (utility), report to the Washington UTC | 2019 | Installation only, charger not included | Not published | $1,316 (average, not including the charger) | Not published | Residential AC Level 2, Avista Washington service territory. Labor included, permit included, panel upgrade included. |
| Qmerit (installer network) | 2026 | Installation, charger inclusion not stated | Not published | $1,810 (average) | Not published | Level 2 home charger installation, Texas. Charger not stated; labor included, permit not included, panel upgrade not stated. CA page: $1,810. |
| California Energy Commission (state energy office) | 2019 | Permit fee | $0 | Not published | $400 | California residential Level 2 program; permit fees only. |
Sources read October 3, 2026. "Not published" means the source gives no number for that column, so none is estimated. Years are publication years; the Alternative Fuels Data Center page carries no date.
What changes the cost
- Distance from the panel and the length of the circuit: named by Idaho National Laboratory (2022) and ICCT (2019).
- The electrical panel: its age and condition, and whether it or the service needs an upgrade: named by Idaho National Laboratory (2022), Idaho National Laboratory (2015), ICCT (2019), the Alternative Fuels Data Center (not dated), Avista (2019), and Qmerit (2026).
- Local electrician rates: named by Idaho National Laboratory (2022), Idaho National Laboratory (2015), the Alternative Fuels Data Center (not dated), and Qmerit (2026).
- Permit fees: named by Idaho National Laboratory (2022), Idaho National Laboratory (2015), the Alternative Fuels Data Center (not dated), Rocky Mountain Institute (2019), Qmerit (2026), and the California Energy Commission (2019).
- The charger's power rating: named by Idaho National Laboratory (2022) and Qmerit (2026).
- Housing type (detached house, attached house or apartment): named by ICCT (2019).
- More extensive work: named by Avista (2019).
Cost drivers and the amounts each source states
| Driver | Stated amount | Source | In the source's words |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from the electrical panel | $12 to $18 per foot | Idaho National Laboratory (2022) | For the average installation, the installation cost increases between $12 - $18 per foot distant from the power source. |
| Panel (service) upgrade | $1,248 to $4,031 added | Idaho National Laboratory (2022) | With the average installation cost of $1310, the upgrade cost ranged from $1,248 to $4,031. |
| Whole job when a panel upgrade was needed | $2,558 to $5,341 total installation | Idaho National Laboratory (2022) | Six of the SCA installations required a service upgrade of the residential panel. The total installation costs for these varied from $2,558 to $5,341. |
| Permit fee | $15 to $100 (Texas cities) | Idaho National Laboratory (2022) | There the permit fees ranged from $15 in North Richmond to $100 in Dallas. |
| Permit fee as a share of the job | 0.3 to 11.3 percent of total installation cost, average 3.5 | Idaho National Laboratory (2022) | the permit fee ranged from 0.3% to 11.3% with the average of 3.5% of overall installation cost. |
| Power rating of the circuit | $92 per kW above 4 kW | Idaho National Laboratory (2022) | Circuit costs increased approximately $92 per increase in kW rating above 4 kW |
| Local electrician rates | No amount given | Idaho National Laboratory (2022) | Installation costs are greatly dependent upon local electrician rates |
| Panel (service) upgrade | No amount given | Idaho National Laboratory (2015) | driven up by expensive installations that required upgraded electrical service, which was often necessary in older homes. |
| Electrician wages and permit fees by region | No amount given | Idaho National Laboratory (2015) | Cost varied regionally based on electrician labor wages and permitting fees. |
| Wall and floor penetrations, circuit length, service upgrades | No amount given | ICCT (2019) | Higher costs for home charging upgrades generally correspond to a greater number of wall and floor penetrations, total circuit distance, or service upgrades. |
| Housing type | Level 2 charger upgrade: detached $1,400, attached house $2,800, apartment $4,100 | ICCT (2019) | Level 2 charger upgrade $1,400 $2,800 $4,100 |
| Site, trenching, existing wiring, electrical upgrades, labor and permits | No amount given | the Alternative Fuels Data Center (not dated) | Installation costs can vary significantly based on factors including the number and type of charging infrastructure, geographic location, site location and required trenching, existing wiring and required electrical upgrades to accommodate existing and future charging needs, labor costs, and permitting. |
| Labor | No amount given | the Alternative Fuels Data Center (not dated) | Data show that labor is the largest expense in a typical installation |
| Permitting costs over time | No amount given | Rocky Mountain Institute (2019) | as overall residential installation costs in California fell from 1996 through 2012, costs associated with permitting grew, both in absolute terms and as a percentage of total installation costs |
| More extensive work | $2,659 average total installation, against $1,197 for the other jobs | Avista (2019) | The data shows that 17 out of 226 installations with more extensive work averaged $2,659 total installation costs, compared to the average of $1,197 for all other installations |
| Panel (service) upgrade | No amount given | Avista (2019) | Older homes with 100A to 125A service generally required panel upgrades |
| Permit fee | $557 average, Texas | Qmerit (2026) | Electrical Permit $557 |
| Labor rates, charger power and panel age | No amount given | Qmerit (2026) | Factors that can influence the overall price include: Labor costs in your area Your EV charger's power requirements Age & condition of your electrical panel |
| Permit fee | $0 to $400, California jurisdictions | the California Energy Commission (2019) | Amounts varied by jurisdiction from $0 to $400. |
Charger prices, kept separate
These are prices for the charger alone, from verified retailer offers checked October 5, 2026. They come from a different source and a different year than the installation figures above, so they are not added to them.
| Charger | Priced models | Median price | Price range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 A | 9 | $170 | $109 to $314 |
| 24 A | 4 | $245 | $240 to $250 |
| 32 A | 23 | $399 | $169 to $930 |
| 40 A | 46 | $334 | $179 to $1,011 |
| 48 A | 47 | $679 | $199 to $3,904 |
| 80 A | 14 | $2,030 | $559 to $7,213 |
| Tesla Wall Connector | 1 | $585 | $585 |
Each amp row covers every catalog model at that rating with a verified offer. None of the installation sources above is specific to one charger brand, the Tesla Wall Connector included.
What each source says
- Idaho National Laboratory (U.S. DOE), Breakdown of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Installation Costs (INL/RPT-22-68598) (2022). Method: Installer (SCA) records of residential installations; total installation cost per site.
Installation costs ranged from a low of about $150 for an easy installation to about $18,000 for a particularly challenging installation.
While the average installation cost is $1,310 and the median cost is $1,098, 45% of installation costs are less than $800.
- Idaho National Laboratory (U.S. DOE), The EV Project, Plugged In: How Americans Charge Their Electric Vehicles (INL/EXT-15-35584) (2015). Method: Documented installation cost of the Blink residential Level 2 stations installed in The EV Project (2011-2013).
Residential Level 2 unit installation cost ranged from a few hundred dollars to over $8,000.
average residential installation cost was $1,354.
- International Council on Clean Transportation, Estimating electric vehicle charging infrastructure costs across major U.S. metropolitan areas (Working Paper 2019-14) (2019). Method: Average across published studies (INL, EPRI, NC PEV Taskforce, CARB and others), hardware plus installation, by housing type.
Level 2 charger upgrade $1,400 $2,800 $4,100
Level 2 outlet upgrade $680 $2,000 $3,300
total installed costs ranged from $650 in the Rocky Mountain Institute study to $2,423 for a networked charger as assessed by Avista Utility.
Hardware and installation costs are included, and installation is composed of labor, materials, taxes, utility upgrades, and permits.
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (now National Laboratory of the Rockies), U.S. DOE, The 2030 National Charging Network: Estimating U.S. Light-Duty Demand for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (NREL/TP-5400-85654) (2023). Method: Ensemble of publicly accessible reports (Borlaug et al. 2020; Fixr.com 2022; Courtney 2021; HomeAdvisor 2022); plausible optimistic and pessimistic bounds.
L2 residential Low: $400 $500
High: $1,200 $1,700
These costs include charging equipment and installation costs which are intended to reflect labor and materials for construction on the customer-side of the meter.
certain construction soft costs (such as delays associated with local permitting utility service connection)
- U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center, Procurement and Installation for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (not dated). Method: Cites Rocky Mountain Institute (hardware) and the NLR/INL Levelized Cost of Charging report (installation).
a residential Level 2 charger can range from $380 to $690, according to a Rocky Mountain Institute Report
the charger installation costs for residential use vary from $400 to $600 per connector for Level 1 equipment and approximately $1,300 per connector for Level 2 equipment, not including labor and permitting costs.
- Rocky Mountain Institute, Reducing EV Charging Infrastructure Costs (Nelder and Rogers) (2019). Method: Hardware price survey; Exhibit 1 lowest and highest observed cost.
Level 2 residential charger $380 (2.9 kW) $689 (7.7 kW)
- Avista Corp. (utility), report to the Washington UTC, Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Pilot Final Report (2019). Method: Actual costs of 226 residential installations by Avista's contractor, 2016-2019, eastern Washington.
Residential AC Level 2 - $1,766
Avista EVSE Pilot 2016 - 2019 226 $1,316
Comparison of Average Costs for Residential Installations (not including EVSE)
networked installations including the cost of the EVSE averaged $2,427, which is 38% higher than the non-networked average of $1,775.
These costs include labor and materials for mounting the EVSE, wiring connections, network connections, signage, EVSE testing, and work to complete required permitting and inspections.
- Qmerit (installer network), EV charger installation cost by state (Texas and California pages) (2026). Method: Qmerit's own 2026 project data (stated on page).
Based on 2026 Qmerit project data, the average cost of a Level 2 home charger installation in Texas is $1,810 .
Level 2 EV Charger Installation $1,810 Electrical Permit $557
- California Energy Commission (state energy office), Residential Electric Vehicle Charging Program in California (CEC-600-2019-053) (2019). Method: Final report of a CEC-funded program that installed 1,758 residential EVSE (2013-2014).
Permit costs were not eligible for reimbursement as set by Energy Commission program requirements. Thus, the EV buyers paid for local permits. Amounts varied by jurisdiction from $0 to $400.
Prices and specifications verified October 5, 2026, and re-checked weekly after that. Installation figures from 9 published sources, read October 3, 2026. How these numbers are checked.
Installation cost questions
- How much does it cost to install a Level 2 EV charger?
- As of October 3, 2026, the published sources we read put the typical cost of installing a home Level 2 charger at $1,098 to $1,354 for the installation work alone (Idaho National Laboratory 2022 median $1,098, Avista 2019 average $1,316, and Idaho National Laboratory 2015 average $1,354), and $1,400 to $1,766 with the charger included (ICCT 2019 average $1,400 and Avista 2019 average $1,766); Qmerit (2026) gives $1,810 without saying whether the charger is in it. The widest range any source publishes for a single job is $150 to $18,000, from Idaho National Laboratory (2022), for installation only, charger not included.
- Does a panel upgrade add to the installation cost?
- Where one is needed, yes. The sources that put a figure on it: Idaho National Laboratory (2022), $1,248 to $4,031 added; Idaho National Laboratory (2022), $2,558 to $5,341 total installation; Avista (2019), $2,659 average total installation, against $1,197 for the other jobs.
- Is the charger included in the installation price?
- It depends on the source. Idaho National Laboratory (2022), Idaho National Laboratory (2015), NREL (2023), the Alternative Fuels Data Center (not dated), and Avista (2019) cost the installation without the charger. ICCT (2019) and Avista (2019) include the charger. Qmerit (2026) does not say. Separately, the 159 Level 2 chargers in our catalog with a verified price, checked October 5, 2026, have a median of $475 and range from $109 to $7,213; that figure comes from a different source and is not added to any installation figure.
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