A business can usually charge drivers for charging, but the rules are not the charger’s to set. Whether you may bill per kilowatt-hour, per session or per hour — and whether that counts as reselling a utility supply — is decided where your site sits, and differs between markets. Choose a fee structure you can meter, then confirm the local position on resale and metering before the first paid session.
Key Takeaways
- Charging a fee is two decisions: a structure you can meter, and a local rules check.
- Per-kWh billing stands or falls on permission and metering accuracy — both written confirmations.
- Billing lives on the platform; a touchscreen is not a payment terminal.
- Free charging is also a structure — the electricity becomes a cost you chose to carry.
First, the Rules Question Is Local
Three confirmations decide what you may do — none is answered by a product page:
- May a business here resell electricity at all? In some places only a licensed utility may sell electricity by measure; elsewhere EV charging is permitted or carved out. Ask your utility, the regulator or energy office, or your adviser — for your site, in writing.
- If per-kWh billing is allowed, what metering standard applies? Billing by energy usually carries a metering-accuracy expectation. Whether your charger meets it is a per-model written confirmation — see our explainer on smart meters for EV chargers.
- What must the driver be shown? Price display, receipts and fee notices live in local rules and your platform’s current terms. Agree them before launch.
Funding brings rules of its own: U.S. NEVI corridor stations must under 23 CFR Part 680 offer contactless card payment, no membership required. Read any scheme’s conditions too.
The Fee Structures and What Each Needs
| Structure | What must be true | The confirmation that decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Per kWh | Hardware and platform meter energy per session; driver sees the rate first | Local rules allow per-kWh resale and the metering meets the local accuracy expectation — per model, in writing |
| Per session (flat fee) | The fee buys the connection, not the energy — session metering is enough | Display rules accept a flat session fee, clear for short and long stays |
| Per hour | Time is what is sold; the clock runs after the battery is full | Rules accept time-based charging; the platform notifies drivers mid-session |
| Idle fee after charging ends | Platform detects charge completion and applies the fee, with notice | The fee exists in the platform’s current terms, disclosed before the session |
| Free to drivers | No payment changes hands; the resale question largely falls away | How the cost sits in your accounts — one question for your accountant |
The driver’s side is in our guides to how much charging stations charge and free vs paid charging.
What the Hardware and Platform Must Support
Billing lives on the operator platform, not the charger: the charger meters, identifies the driver and reports the session, while pricing, payment and receipts run through the platform you choose. No EVDANCE listing states a billing platform — the EV-AC03201T dual-connector AC station states OCPP 1.6J and RFID access, the facts a platform pairs with, and its 7-inch touchscreen is a display, not a payment terminal. Before committing, get two things in writing: the exact model meters energy as your structure needs, and pairs with the platform that will bill. Time-based tariffs add a third check (see time-of-use tariffs and scheduling).
Free or Fee: Decide It From Your Own Goals
The structure follows the purpose. A workplace charging staff recovers a cost it chose to offer as a benefit — our workplace charging program guide covers that design. A retail site may price at cost recovery, or free. A revenue site prices against its own tariff — U.S. commercial electricity averages 14.53 cents per kWh (EIA) as a reference; yours is the number that matters. Either way, run the rules confirmations first: a fee you are not permitted to charge is not a pricing strategy. Businesses planning paid charging can start from our commercial EV charging range or contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add a margin and bill drivers per kWh?
The margin is your commercial decision; the permission is not. Per-kWh billing needs two confirmations: that your market allows reselling electricity by measure, and that the metering meets the accuracy expectation. Get both in writing before the first paid session.
Does the charger itself take card payments?
Not on any EVDANCE listing: payment and receipts run through the operator platform you arrange. The charger meters and reports; the EV-AC03201T’s touchscreen is a display. Confirm the pairing in writing.
Do I need a licence to sell charging to drivers?
It depends on your market, fee structure and any funding conditions. Treat it as a pre-launch confirmation with your utility, the regulator, and your adviser.
Related Reading
- How Much Do EV Charging Stations Charge? Pricing Models Explained
- Do EV Charging Stations Cost Money? Free vs Paid Charging Explained
- How to Plan a Workplace EV Charging Program
