What does the UK smart charging law require? Under the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021, a charge point sold in Great Britain for private use must be a smart charge point — and the seller must provide a statement of compliance declaring that the model meets the regulations, backed by a technical file the seller keeps. For a buyer, it is the document to ask for before you pay. Position as of October 2026.
Key Takeaways
- GB’s smart charging law is evidenced on paper: the seller must supply a statement of compliance for the model.
- The statement declares the regulatory behaviours — smart functionality, off-peak defaults, randomised delay, security — and rests on a technical file.
- Buyers should request the statement before paying, match it to the exact model, and file it with the installation certificate.
- No EVDANCE page states compliance with these regulations — get the position confirmed in writing first.
The Requirements Behind the Statement
The statement certifies the behaviours defined by the Smart Charge Points Regulations 2021 for private home and workplace charge points sold in Great Britain:
| Requirement area | In one line |
|---|---|
| Smart functionality | Connects to a network, sends and receives information, responds to signals. |
| Default off-peak schedule | Charging pre-set outside peak hours; the owner can change the defaults. |
| Randomised delay | A built-in random delay before a scheduled start, so chargers do not all switch on in the same second. |
| Security requirements | A further set covering how the unit and its app protect access and data. |
Public chargers sit under a separate framework, and Northern Ireland is outside these regulations.
The Statement Itself
The statement of compliance is the seller’s formal declaration that a named model meets those requirements. It must be provided with the sale; it is a legal document the seller answers for, not marketing copy. Behind it sits a technical file: the seller must compile and keep the evidence for how the model complies, and produce it to the enforcement authority if asked. That two-part structure makes the law checkable without any government body testing chargers in advance. And because the duty attaches to selling the charge point in Great Britain, an importer or distributor who sells the unit on can be the party who must provide the statement and hold the file.
How a Buyer Checks
- Ask before you pay. Request the statement for the exact model from the seller, in writing.
- Match the model. The name and model on the statement must match the unit and its label.
- Keep it with the installation paperwork. File it alongside the electrical installation certificate.
- Treat a missing statement as a stop sign. If a seller cannot produce one, the model’s compliance is unevidenced — ask why before buying.
What the Statement Does Not Prove
- It is not safety certification. Electrical safety marking is a separate system — UKCA and CE recognition in Great Britain, covered in our UKCA versus CE guide.
- It is not a quality grade. It states that the regulatory behaviours are present, not that the charger is fast or durable. The feature side is covered in our guide to smart versus non-smart chargers.
EVDANCE Products and the Statement
EVDANCE product pages do not state compliance with the Smart Charge Points Regulations for any model, so treat compliance as a written-confirmation item: before buying for a GB home or workplace, ask in writing whether the exact model is supplied with a statement of compliance for GB sale, via our contact page. The EV-ACT3204PE 22 kW wallbox (tethered Type 2 cable, RFID and app, IP66, CE stated) has the app-controlled shape the regulations assume, and the EV-ACS3210E 32A Type 2 portable charger (about 7 kW, IP66) covers simpler portable use — but a feature list is not a compliance statement, and we do not present it as one.
Frequently Asked Questions
My charger arrived with no statement of compliance in the box. What now?
Ask the seller for it in writing — providing it with the sale is their duty, and the model named should match your unit. Keep the reply with your installation documents. If a seller cannot produce one, GOV.UK guidance sets out how concerns are reported.
Does the statement mean the government tested my charger?
No. It is the seller’s declaration, backed by a technical file the seller must keep. Enforcement can demand the file, but no authority tests the model before it is sold.
Do the same rules cover a charger for Northern Ireland or a public site?
No. The regulations cover private charge points sold in Great Britain only; public charging sits under a separate framework, and Northern Ireland follows its own arrangements.
Related Reading
- UKCA vs CE for EV Chargers Sold in Great Britain
- Smart vs Non-Smart EV Chargers: What Installers Actually Want
- EV Charger Certifications Explained: CE, UKCA, UL, ETL, CB and What Buyers Should Ask For
- How to Become an Approved EV Charger Installer in the UK (OZEV)
