Is a fire NOC required for an EV charging station?

Not as a blanket rule. The Ministry of Power's 2024 guidelines list a fire department NOC when the charger is installed in a building's basement. Otherwise the building's state fire NOC line applies, and some states name charging stations themselves: Madhya Pradesh wants the explosives or fire department's approval for public stations, and J&K puts them in a use class covered by its fire NOC list.

Do I need a licence to set up an EV charging station in India?

No. Clause 5(1) of the Ministry of Power's guidelines of 17 September 2024 makes setting up and operating a charging station a de-licensed activity. You still need a DISCOM connection, the Electrical Inspectorate's safety clearance before energisation, and PESO approval if the chargers are at a petrol pump.

Can EV chargers be installed in a basement?

Only with care, and not everywhere. NBCS 2026 says charging points may not be permitted below ground and, where permitted, only in the first basement at its entrance, with CL-5 sprinklers, heat detection and a compartment of at most 1,000 m². Maharashtra's fire service bars charging points in basement parking.

What fire safety does the CEA require at a charging station?

Regulation 126 of the CEA Safety Regulations 2023 requires charger enclosures of fire-retardant, self-extinguishing, halogen-free material and a fire detection, alarm and control system to the relevant standards. Regulations 124 and 125 add the electrical protections: dedicated sub-circuits, earth continuity monitoring and no portable sockets or adaptors.

Can my housing society refuse an EV charger?

The 2024 guidelines let residents install private chargers in their designated parking, supplied through their meter or a sub-meter. Societies still refuse; a Noida owner's petition reached the Supreme Court in February 2026, and in Maharashtra a 2022 circular asked societies to decide within 7 days, as reported.

Are battery swapping stations treated like charging stations?

Largely. The Ministry of Power's guidelines of 10 January 2025 make them de-licensed too, apply several clauses of the 2024 guidelines and say existing safety provisions apply. IS 17896 (Part 2): 2022 sets swap-system safety, and NBCS 2026 classes battery charging stations as high hazard.

Can EVs be parked in stack or puzzle parking?

NBCS 2026 says electric or hybrid cars should not be parked on stack parking at any level. Maharashtra's 2024 circular allows no EV charging point in automated towers or puzzle parking.

How are EV battery fires fought?

Maharashtra's fire service records that lithium-ion fires come from thermal runaway, cannot be put out by usual means, can explode and give off hydrogen fluoride, and need very large amounts of water on the battery pack, potentially for several hours.

Fire NOC 29 min read

Fire NOC for an EV charging station: licence, basements and the fire rules

Updated October 2026By Flamekite Editorial DeskFacts checked against official sources on 25 October 2026

Quick answer

No licence is needed to set up an EV charging station: the Ministry of Power's guidelines of 17 September 2024 make it a de-licensed activity. The approvals that remain are the DISCOM connection, the Electrical Inspectorate's safety clearance before switch-on, PESO approval at a petrol pump, and a fire department NOC when the charger goes in a basement, which the Ministry lists among the papers a charge point operator files.

The fire rules themselves sit in 3 places. CEA's Safety Regulations 2023 require fire-retardant, halogen-free charger enclosures and a fire detection, alarm and control system. NBCS 2026 keeps charging out of anything below the first basement, caps a basement EV compartment at 1,000 m² and asks for CL-5 sprinklers where EVs park in a podium or basement. Maharashtra's fire service bars charging in basement, puzzle and automated parking.

Licence to set up a station: Not needed; De-licensed, MoP guidelines of 17 September 2024; The permissions
Fire NOC named by the Ministry: Charger in a basement; Annexure III(B) item 8 of the 2024 guidelines; The permissions
Lowest level for charging, NBCS 2026: First basement; Charging points preferably not below ground at all; By location
EV socket-outlet height: 800 mm; Above finished ground, CEA regulation 124(2); Checklist

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EV charging station fire rules at a glance: 10 facts

The licence position and the fire rules for EV charging, each with the instrument behind it. Last verified 25 October 2026.
What	The rule	Source
Licence	None: setting up and operating an EV charging station is a de-licensed activity (MoP guidelines 2024, clause 5(1))	MoP EVCI 2024
Fire NOC named nationally	"NOC from fire department (if EV charger is to be installed in the basement of a building)": Annexure III(B) item 8	MoP EVCI 2024
Before switch-on	Electrical Inspectorate safety clearance shared with the DISCOM before the connection is energised (Annexure III, step 6)	MoP EVCI 2024
CEA fire rule	Regulation 126: halogen-free, fire-retardant, self-extinguishing EVSE enclosures and a fire detection, alarm and control system	CEA Regulations 2023
Basement limit, NBCS 2026	EV parking never below the first basement; charging points restricted to the first basement where allowed at all	BIS, SP 7:2026
Basement compartment, NBCS 2026	At most 1,000 m² for EV parking and charging	BIS, SP 7:2026
Sprinklers, NBCS 2026	EV parks in a podium or basement: sprinklers to protection level CL-5, in every occupancy table from 7A to 7F	BIS, SP 7:2026
Maharashtra	No EV charging point in automated parking towers, puzzle parking or basement parking (MFS circular of 18 July 2024)	MFS circular 1140
Battery charging stations	Listed as G3 high hazard in NBCS 2026 Annex B, beside battery manufacturing	BIS, SP 7:2026
National code status	NBC 2016 was withdrawn on 30 April 2026; NBCS 2026 is voluntary, and only Assam had written it into its fire law by 24 October 2026	Assam Act XIII of 2026

EV charging fire rules in 9 states and UTs, from their own instruments

What each state's own bye-laws, rules or fire circulars say about EV charging, beside the building fire NOC line the charger sits under. Where nothing EV-specific was found, the row says so. Checked 25 October 2026.
Option	What the instrument says about EV charging	Building fire NOC line beside it	Instrument	Source
Maharashtra	No charging point in automated parking towers, puzzle parking or basement parking; car charging only in a ventilated area	Schedule-I applies at every height; Form B every January and July	MFS circular MFS/51/2024/1140 of 18 July 2024	MFS circular 1140
Madhya Pradesh	A public charging station "shall be approved by the explosives/fire department"; plot at least 13.5 m x 5.5 m, not on a road under 30 m wide	Rule 53(C) sits in the town planning rules, not the fire Act	Bhumi Vikas Rules 2012, rule 53(C), inserted 6 March 2025	MP Town Planning
Jammu and Kashmir	"Charging stations for Electrical Vehicles" are use class C3; large EV battery charging stations are on the residential zone's negative list	Fire NOC for intensive commercial use buildings (C3 named in 2021; commercial land use since 1 December 2025)	Unified Building Byelaws 2021, Table 5 and 2.18(2); S.O. 304 of 2025	J&K H&UDD
Delhi	Charging infrastructure for 20% of all vehicle holding capacity, with extra power load for all chargers at a 1.25 safety factor	Rule 27 lines by use and height; no EV line found	UBBL 2016, clause 10.5 (compendium to 12 February 2020)	DDA, UBBL 2016
Manipur	At least 20% of parking with charging; 1 slow charger per 3 cars and 1 fast charger per 10	No EV-specific fire line found	Model Unified Building Bye-Laws 2024, bye-law 91	Manipur UBBL 2024
Assam	The Act now requires measures as per NBCS 2026, so on Flamekite's reading Annex G-6 on EV parking binds there	Any building of 15 m or more is high risk	Act LIII of 2025 as amended by the Jan Vishwas Act of 14 August 2026	Assam Act XIII of 2026
Uttar Pradesh	OSH Rules 2026 rule 12 make NBCS Part F binding on employers in buildings of 5 or more floors or 20 m, workplace car parks included on Flamekite's reading	More than 15 m (Act 16 of 2022, s.26(3))	UP OSH Rules 2026, notification 962 of 27 August 2026	UP Gazette
Telangana	No EV-specific fire rule found	The 24 m line of 7 October 2026 is for residential apartments only	Rc.No.3455/MSB/2026	TGFD circular 3455
Karnataka	No EV-specific fire rule found	21 m or more, any occupancy	Fire Force Act, s.13(3) as amended in 2023	Government of Karnataka

Setting up an EV charging station in 8 steps, fire papers included

Pick the site with the fire rules in mind
Open air or a ventilated ground level first. NBCS 2026 prefers ground level, never below the first basement, and Maharashtra bars basement, puzzle and automated parking outright.
Check land use and planning permission
In Madhya Pradesh a public station needs a 13.5 m x 5.5 m plot on a road of 30 m or more and the explosives or fire department's approval; in J&K large stations are barred from residential zones.
Buy BIS-tested chargers
Every EVSE must meet the IS 17017 series named in Annexure I, with a type-test certificate from an NABL-accredited lab.
Design to CEA Chapter XI
A dedicated protected sub-circuit per charger, earth continuity monitoring, sockets at least 800 mm high, no portable sockets or adaptors, and fire-retardant, halogen-free enclosures.
Add the fire protection the building needs
Extinguishers and detection as the relevant Indian Standards ask; in a basement or podium, sprinklers to CL-5 and rate-of-rise heat detectors, with a 1,000 m² compartment.
Get the fire NOC where one applies
Always for a basement charger under the Ministry's list; otherwise when the building crosses its state's fire NOC line or a state names charging stations, as J&K and Madhya Pradesh do.
Apply to the DISCOM and clear the Electrical Inspector
File on the DISCOM's single window with the land deed, PAN, GST, the type-test certificate, PESO approval at a petrol pump and the fire NOC for a basement; share the Electrical Inspectorate clearance before energisation.
Register, display and keep records
Register a public station on BEE's national database, display tariffs, 112 and 1091, and keep design, test and inspection records for at least 7 years.

Licence, approval or NOC: the 6 permissions an EV charging station needs

"Licence" is the word people search, but the Electricity Act needs none. These are the permissions that do apply, and when.

Electricity Act licence
Not needed
Clause 5(1) of the 2024 guidelines: setting up and operating an EV charging station is a de-licensed activity, and any entity may set one up by following the guidelines. The Ministry first said so on 13 April 2018. MoP EVCI 2024
Every station
DISCOM connection
Within 3 days in a metropolitan area, 7 in other municipal areas, 15 in rural areas, 30 in hilly rural areas and 90 where new mains or a substation are needed. MoP EVCI 2024
Before switch-on
Electrical Inspectorate clearance
Step 6 of the DISCOM procedure: the applicant shares the Electrical Inspectorate's safety clearance before the connection is energised. MoP EVCI 2024
Charger in a basement
Fire department NOC
Item 8 of the CPO's document list: a fire department NOC if the charger is to be installed in the basement of a building. Above ground, the building's own fire NOC line decides. MoP EVCI 2024
At a petrol pump or gas station
PESO approval
Item 7 of the same list asks for Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation approval; CEA regulation 124(14) leaves the dispenser-to-charger clearance to an order of the Authority. MoP EVCI 2024
Land and building
Planning permission
State rules decide where a station may stand: Madhya Pradesh adds the explosives or fire department's approval for public stations, and J&K keeps large ones out of residential zones. MP Town Planning

CEA regulation 126: the fire rule written for every EV charging station

The Central Electricity Authority's Safety Regulations of 8 June 2023 give EV charging stations a chapter of their own, regulations 123 to 128, on top of the general electrical rules.

Word for word

126. Requirement to prevent fire for electric vehicle charging station. (1) The enclosure of electric vehicle supply equipment shall be made of fire retardant material with self-extinguishing property and free from halogen. (2) The fire detection, alarm and control system shall be provided as per relevant standards.

Regulation 126, Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2023, Gazette of India Extraordinary, notification No. CEA-PS-16/1/2021-CEI Division of 8 June 2023 CEA Regulations 2023

The regulations came into force on publication and replaced the 2010 regulations, whose 2019 amendment had first added an EV chapter. The Ministry of Power's guidelines tie every charger to them: clause 6(2) makes safety and connectivity follow the 2023 regulations, and Annexure II's safety checklist asks for "adequate fire protection equipment and facilities installed as per relevant Indian Standards". Regulation 126 does not name the standard; the detection, alarm and control system follows the relevant Indian Standard for the premises.

NBCS 2026 and Maharashtra: EV charging rules by parking location

Where an EV parks or charges decides most of its fire protection. NBCS 2026 Annex G-6 and the Table 7 notes, read off the page images, and Maharashtra's 2024 circular set these lines.

	Charging allowed?	Sprinklers	Detection and other measures
Outdoors or a separate parking building above ground BIS, SP 7:2026	Yes: the place NBCS 2026 calls best, with naturally cross-ventilated sides	As the building's table requires	Isolation switches preferably automatic, or manual at ground level too
Ground level inside a building BIS, SP 7:2026	Yes: the preferred indoor location	As the building's table requires	EV bays segregated from other vehicles by passive and active fire protection
First basement BIS, SP 7:2026	Only where permitted, and at the entrance or first opportunity of the basement	Sprinklers to CL-5 for any EV park in a basement or podium	Rate-of-rise heat detection in EV parks and charging areas; compartment at most 1,000 m²
Below the first basement BIS, SP 7:2026	No: EV parking in no case below the first basement	Not applicable	Not applicable
Podium BIS, SP 7:2026	Not barred by G-6	Sprinklers to CL-5	Rate-of-rise heat detection in EV parks and charging areas
Stack parking (one car above another) BIS, SP 7:2026	No: electric or hybrid cars are not to be parked on stack parking at any level	K 115 quick-response side-wall sprinklers for the lower car	Sprinkler guards on every head
Basement or automated parking in Maharashtra MFS circular 1140	No: no EV charging point in automated towers, puzzle parking or basement parking	As Schedule-I and the circular require	Charging for electric cars only in a ventilated area

G-6 lists the active measures as water mist sprinklers and smart detection that catches thermal runaway early, with vermiculite, clay or mica encapsulating agents allowed; the passive ones are fire-rated walls (preferred to fire or smoke curtains), fire doors and protection of the structure from rising heat. Basement EV compartments are capped at 1,000 m². A cluster of buildings whose basement is used for EV parking or charging also moves to CL-5. NBCS 2026 is voluntary until a state adopts it.

EV charging station fire safety checklist: 14 items

Each item comes from the CEA regulations, the Ministry of Power's safety checklist or NBCS 2026. An Electrical Inspector or fire officer checking a station looks for these.

Charger enclosures of fire-retardant, self-extinguishing, halogen-free material (CEA regulation 126(1)). CEA Regulations 2023
A fire detection, alarm and control system to the relevant standard (regulation 126(2)). CEA Regulations 2023
Socket-outlets at least 800 mm above the finished ground level (regulation 124(2)). CEA Regulations 2023
No portable socket outlets, no adaptors and no extension leads; the vehicle no more than 5 m from the charging point while charging. CEA Regulations 2023
A dedicated sub-circuit with its own overcurrent device for each charging point, all protective devices coordinated (regulation 125). CEA Regulations 2023
Earth continuity monitoring that cuts the supply if the earth connection to the vehicle fails. CEA Regulations 2023
Lightning protection and protection against uncontrolled reverse power flow from the vehicle. CEA Regulations 2023
Cables under charging bays or vehicle passages avoided, or at least 1 m deep, and never across an underground oil tank or pipeline. CEA Regulations 2023
Type-1 and Type-2 surge protection, and fire protection equipment to the relevant Indian Standards (Annexure II, Checklist A). MoP EVCI 2024
Every charger model type-tested to the IS 17017 series in an accredited lab. MoP EVCI 2024
In a basement or podium: sprinklers to CL-5 and rate-of-rise heat detectors over the EV bays. BIS, SP 7:2026
Isolation cut-off and fireman's switches automatic, or manual ones repeated at ground level. BIS, SP 7:2026
112, 1091 and the operator's customer care number displayed at a public station. MoP EVCI 2024
Design, test and inspection records kept for at least 7 years and shown on inspection (regulation 128). CEA Regulations 2023

How a lithium-ion EV fire behaves, in the fire service's own words

Flamekite quotes only official texts on battery fire behaviour. Maharashtra's fire service set it out in its 2024 parking circular, and NBCS 2026 builds its EV rules on the same risk.

The Directorate of Maharashtra Fire Service's circular of 18 July 2024 describes an EV's battery as thousands of lithium-ion cells in the vehicle's floor pan, "a very high-density fuel source". The cells ignite through thermal runaway, and such fires "cannot simply be extinguished by 'usual' means": they burn until the compounds in the reaction are spent. The circular warns of explosions that occur unpredictably, burning cells ejected from the pack that start fires elsewhere, and toxic gases such as hydrogen fluoride, which is water soluble, so fire-water run-off is contaminated too. The recommended response it records is very large amounts of water applied to the outside of the pack, potentially for several hours.

That is why the Directorate doubts that installed fire systems can run for the length of an EV fire, discourages charging in mechanised parking, and bars charging points in automated towers, puzzle parking and basement parking. NBCS 2026 answers the same risk with smart detection that catches thermal runaway early, water mist, segregation of EV bays and compartments of 1,000 m² at most, and it lets the provisions change as better extinguishing media prove themselves.

On the vehicle side, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways set up an expert committee after fires in electric two-wheelers in 2022. Its recommendations became amendment 2 to AIS 156 (two and three-wheelers) and AIS 038 Rev 2 (cars, buses and trucks), issued on 29 August 2022, covering battery cells, the battery management system, the on-board charger, pack design and thermal propagation from an internal short circuit; they took effect in 2 phases, from 1 December 2022 and 31 March 2023.

What the official texts say about lithium-ion EV fires
What	The rule	Source
How it starts	Thermal runaway in the cells (MFS circular, 2024)	MFS circular 1140
Hazards beyond the flames	Unpredictable explosions, ejected burning cells, hydrogen fluoride in the smoke and run-off	MFS circular 1140
Firefighting response recorded	Very large amounts of water on the pack, potentially for several hours	MFS circular 1140
Detection asked for	Smart detection of thermal runaway; rate-of-rise heat detection in EV parks (NBCS 2026)	BIS, SP 7:2026
Vehicle battery standards	AIS 156 and AIS 038 Rev 2 amended after the 2022 two-wheeler fires	PIB, MoRTH

EV charging and battery swapping terms in the 2024 and 2025 guidelines

The Ministry of Power's definitions decide which rules a site follows. These 9 terms come from the 2024 guidelines, the battery swapping guidelines of 10 January 2025 and NBCS 2026.

Public Charging Station (PCS): A station where any electric vehicle can charge without access restriction. MoP EVCI 2024
Community Charging Station: A semi-public station in a group housing society or other residences, where only residents or authorised visitors charge. MoP EVCI 2024
Captive Charging Station: An exclusive facility owned or controlled by its owner, such as a government department, bus depot or fleet owner. MoP EVCI 2024
Charge Point Operator (CPO): Any individual or entity operating the EV charging station; the CPO files the papers with the DISCOM. MoP EVCI 2024
Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE): The element of the charging infrastructure that supplies energy to recharge the battery, as CEA's 2023 regulations define it. CEA Regulations 2023
Battery Charging Station (BCS): A facility where swappable EV batteries are recharged out of the vehicle; a captive BCS serves only a fleet, organisation or building. MoP swapping OM 2025
Battery Swapping Station (BSS): A facility where discharged swappable batteries are charged and quickly replaced with charged ones. "Extant provisions relating to safety" apply to it (paragraph 6 of the 2025 guidelines). MoP swapping OM 2025
Battery swap system standard: IS 17896 (Part 2): 2022 sets the safety requirements for EV battery swap systems; Part 1 gives the general guidance. PIB, MHI
Battery charging/battery service station (NBCS 2026): Listed as a G3 high hazard industrial occupancy in Annex B, sub-category A, beside battery manufacturing. BIS, SP 7:2026

Does your EV charging site need a fire NOC? 9 cases

Match the site to one line. Where no instrument names EV charging, the line given is Flamekite's reading of the building's own fire NOC rule.

If A charger in the basement of any building
Yes: the Ministry of Power lists a fire department NOC among the CPO's papers for a basement charger. In Maharashtra the fire service bars basement charging altogether. MoP EVCI 2024
If A public charging station in Madhya Pradesh
Yes: rule 53(C) says the station shall be approved by the explosives or fire department. Fire NOC MP MP Town Planning
If A charging station in Jammu and Kashmir
Yes on Flamekite's reading: charging stations are use class C3, a commercial use inside the bye-laws' fire NOC list. Fire NOC Jammu and Kashmir J&K H&UDD
If Chargers in the parking of a building that already has a fire NOC
The building's NOC covers its use and layout; new chargers in a basement need the fire NOC the Ministry lists, and a changed parking layout should go to the fire officer before work starts. Fire NOC for Commercial Building MoP EVCI 2024
If A charger in automated, puzzle or basement parking in Maharashtra
No NOC can cure it: the Directorate's circular of 18 July 2024 does not allow EV charging points there. Fire NOC Maharashtra MFS circular 1140
If A standalone open-air station of chargers and a canopy
No state fire Act read by Flamekite names it as a class, so outside Madhya Pradesh and J&K it usually sits below the building lines; the CEA rules, Electrical Inspector clearance and fire extinguishers still apply. CEA Regulations 2023
If Chargers at a petrol pump or gas station
PESO approval is on the CPO's list, and the dispenser clearance follows an order of the Authority under CEA regulation 124(14). MoP EVCI 2024
If A battery swapping or charging station inside a factory
NBCS 2026 classes battery charging stations G3 high hazard and asks for extinguishers, hose reels, hydrants, sprinklers and water mist to IS 15519. Fire NOC for Factory BIS, SP 7:2026
If A private charger in your own parking bay at home
No fire NOC is named for it: the 2024 guidelines let residents charge on their existing meter or a sub-meter; your society's NOC is a separate matter. Fire NOC for Apartment MoP EVCI 2024

EV charging station charges set by government, and the fire NOC fee gap

No fire NOC fee schedule read by Flamekite names an EV charging station. These are the money lines the Ministry of Power's guidelines do fix, valid till 31 March 2028 unless stated.

As published

Electricity tariff for a charging stationSingle part, not above the Average Cost of SupplyTill 31 March 2028 MoP EVCI 2024
Tariff in solar hours (9 am to 4 pm)0.7 x Average Cost of Supply1.3 x in the remaining hours MoP EVCI 2024
Service charge ceiling, AC slow chargingRs 3.00 per unit (solar hours), Rs 4.00 (non-solar)Excludes GST and land cost; reviewed yearly MoP EVCI 2024
Service charge ceiling, DC fast chargingRs 11.00 per unit (solar hours), Rs 13.00 (non-solar)Public and community stations MoP EVCI 2024
Public land for a stationRs 1 per kWh to the land-owning agencyPaid quarterly, first agreement 10 years; private bidders from a Rs 1 floor MoP EVCI 2024
Charging at homeDomestic electricity ratesOn the existing connection MoP EVCI 2024
GST on chargers and charging stations5%Cut from 18% MoP Lok Sabha 2022
Fire NOC for an EV charging stationNot published as a separate feeThe building's fee by area or use applies in states that publish one MoP EVCI 2024

17 of 36 states and UTs publish a fire NOC fee rate; none read by Flamekite has an EV charging line. Every published schedule is on the fire NOC fees page.

What happens when an EV charging station breaks electrical or fire rules

The CEA regulations act through disconnection; the fire Acts punish the owner whose fire systems fail. These are the amounts and steps the instruments set.

Offence	Penalty	Law
Defects the Electrical Inspector points out are not fixed in time	Supply disconnected on the Inspector's direction after at least 48 hours' notice, unless an appeal stays it	CEA Regulations 2023, regulation 32(7) CEA Regulations 2023
A DISCOM misses the connection deadline for a station	A penalty fixed by the Electricity Regulatory Commission under the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020	MoP guidelines 2024, clause 5(2) MoP EVCI 2024
Fire systems in a building with chargers let fall out of repair, Maharashtra	Rigorous imprisonment of 6 months to 3 years and a fine of Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000	Section 36(1), Act of 2006 MFS Act 2006 copy
Breaking the Assam fire Act, now tied to NBCS 2026	Fines of Rs 10,000 to Rs 5 lakh	Assam Act LIII of 2025 Assam Act LIII of 2025
Contravening the J&K building bye-laws or obstructing inspection	Rs 10,000	UBBL 2021, clause 2.14.2(vii) J&K H&UDD

Records under regulation 128 must be kept 7 years and produced on inspection. Every state's fire NOC penalties are on the penalties page.

Where EV charging sites fail fire checks, and the fix

Most failures come from putting chargers where the codes do not want them, or from treating a charger like an ordinary socket. These 7 come from the instruments and reported cases.

If Chargers placed deep in a second or third basement
Move them to ground level or the entrance of the first basement; NBCS 2026 keeps EV parking out of anything lower. BIS, SP 7:2026
If A charging bay in puzzle or automated parking in Maharashtra
Take it out: the 2024 circular allows no EV charging point there. MFS circular 1140
If EVs charged from a portable socket, an adaptor or an extension cord
Fit a fixed charging point on its own protected sub-circuit; CEA bars portable sockets, adaptors and cord extension sets. CEA Regulations 2023
If A charger enclosure of ordinary plastic
Use an enclosure of fire-retardant, self-extinguishing, halogen-free material, as regulation 126 requires. CEA Regulations 2023
If A large open basement with EV bays mixed into general parking
Segregate EV bays with fire-rated walls and doors, and keep the EV compartment to 1,000 m² or less. BIS, SP 7:2026
If Only manual cut-off switches, inside the basement
Make isolation and fireman's switches automatic, or repeat the manual ones at ground level. BIS, SP 7:2026
If E-bikes charged and stored in a basement showroom under a lodge
In the Secunderabad fire of 12 September 2022, a basement e-bike showroom fire killed 8 in the lodge above, as reported; keep charging and battery stock out of escape routes and basements. The News Minutenews report

Charging an EV in a society or office car park: 5 dos and 4 don'ts

For residents, facility managers and RWAs installing chargers in an existing building.

Do

Ask the DISCOM for a separate metered EV connection, or a sub-meter on your own meter; residents may install chargers in their designated parking. MoP EVCI 2024
Put community chargers near entrances, exits or well-lit lift areas, as the 2024 guidelines suggest. MoP EVCI 2024
Keep chargers at ground level or the entrance of the first basement, with heat detection over the bays. BIS, SP 7:2026
Have the charger's test certificate and the Electrical Inspector's clearance on file before use. MoP EVCI 2024
Plan for 20% of parking with charging in new Delhi and Manipur buildings, with power for every charger at a 1.25 safety factor. DDA, UBBL 2016

Don’t

Don't park an electric or hybrid car on stack parking at any level. BIS, SP 7:2026
Don't charge from a portable socket or through an adaptor. CEA Regulations 2023
Don't run a charging cable more than 5 m from the charging point to the car. CEA Regulations 2023
Don't add charging in basement, puzzle or automated parking in Maharashtra. MFS circular 1140

The DISCOM single window for a public EV charging station: 6 stops

Annexure III of the 2024 guidelines sets the standard procedure every DISCOM's online single window follows. The fire NOC enters at stop 2.

1. The online portal
The DISCOM, State Nodal Agency and BEE run a portal for connection applications, linked for monitoring. MoP EVCI 2024
2. Application and papers
The CPO files the form with the land deed, power of attorney, company registration, PAN, GST, ID, PESO approval at a petrol pump, the fire NOC for a basement charger, the type-test certificate and an undertaking. MoP EVCI 2024
3. Scrutiny in 3 days
The DISCOM flags discrepancies within 3 days and names the official handling the case. MoP EVCI 2024
4. Re-submission in 3 days
The CPO answers the discrepancies within 3 days. MoP EVCI 2024
5. Feasibility and demand note
The DISCOM checks the site and issues the demand note within the Rights of Consumers Rules' timelines. MoP EVCI 2024
6. Safety clearance, then energisation
The CPO installs the chargers and shares the Electrical Inspectorate safety clearance before the connection is energised. MoP EVCI 2024

EV charging fire rules worked cases: 7 sites

Flamekite's reading of the rules for 7 example sites; the sites are illustrations, the rules are the instruments'.

Case 1
A 12-charger public station on a 45 m road in Indore
Open-air bays with a canopy.
What applies Rule 53(C) asks for a plot of at least 13.5 m x 5.5 m on a road of 30 m or more, and the explosives or fire department's approval. MP Town Planning
Case 2
Society chargers in the second basement in Pune
A 22-storey tower with 2 basements.
What applies Not allowed: the MFS circular bars charging points in basement parking. Move the chargers to the stilt or open parking, in a ventilated area. MFS circular 1140
Case 3
Office chargers at the first basement ramp in Gurugram
A 30 m business building planned to NBCS 2026.
What applies The Ministry's list asks for a fire department NOC; NBCS 2026 wants the bays at the basement entrance, CL-5 sprinklers, rate-of-rise heat detection and a compartment of 1,000 m² or less. BIS, SP 7:2026
Case 4
Chargers at a highway petrol pump
4 DC chargers beside the forecourt.
What applies PESO approval goes with the DISCOM application, and the dispenser-to-charger clearance follows the Authority's order under regulation 124(14). MoP EVCI 2024
Case 5
A battery swapping kiosk for e-rickshaws in Jammu
A shop-front station in a commercial zone.
What applies Use class C3 brings it into the fire NOC list on Flamekite's reading, and paragraph 6 of the 2025 guidelines applies the existing safety provisions. Large stations are barred from residential zones. J&K H&UDD
Case 6
New group housing in Delhi with 200 car spaces
Basement and stilt parking.
What applies Clause 10.5 plans charging for 20% of capacity, about 40 spaces, with power for all chargers at a 1.25 safety factor. DDA, UBBL 2016
Case 7
A battery room for an office fleet in Guwahati
A business building with 700 kWh of lithium-ion storage on one floor.
What applies Above 600 kWh a floor, NBCS 2026's business table moves the building to CL-6, and Assam's Act now points to NBCS 2026. BIS, SP 7:2026

EV charging fire and safety rules in numbers

800 mm
Minimum height of an EV socket-outlet above finished ground CEA Regulations 2023
5 m
Maximum distance from charging point to vehicle while charging CEA Regulations 2023
7 years
How long a station keeps its design, test and inspection records CEA Regulations 2023
1,000 m²
Largest basement compartment for EV parking and charging in NBCS 2026 BIS, SP 7:2026
230 m²
Minimum sprinkler area of operation in automated-parking basements, EVs included BIS, SP 7:2026
600 kWh
Lithium-ion storage per floor above which NBCS 2026 asks for CL-6 BIS, SP 7:2026
20 %
Share of parking planned with charging in Delhi's and Manipur's bye-laws Manipur UBBL 2024
29,151
Public EV charging stations installed in India, February 2026 PIB, MHI
6,645
FAME-II public charging stations operational on 1 March 2026, of 9,332 sanctioned PIB, MHI

EV charging rules, dated: 2018 to 2027

Fourteen dated steps that shaped what a charging station owes today.

13 April 2018
The Ministry of Power clarifies that charging EV batteries through a charging station needs no licence under the Electricity Act. PIB, MHI
14 December 2018
The first Ministry of Power charging guidelines and standards; revised on 1 October 2019 and 8 June 2020. MoP Lok Sabha 2022
4 January 2022
Consolidated charging guidelines issued. MoP Lok Sabha 2022
29 August 2022
MoRTH amends AIS 156 and AIS 038 Rev 2 after electric two-wheeler fires. PIB, MoRTH
12 September 2022
A fire in a basement e-bike showroom in Secunderabad kills 8 in the lodge above, as reported. The News Minutenews report
1 December 2022
Phase 1 of the battery-safety amendments takes effect; phase 2 follows on 31 March 2023. PIB, MoRTH
8 June 2023
CEA's Safety Regulations 2023 come into force, with Chapter XI on EV charging stations. CEA Regulations 2023
18 July 2024
Maharashtra's fire service bars EV charging in automated, puzzle and basement parking. MFS circular 1140
17 September 2024
The Ministry of Power issues the 2024 guidelines, superseding all earlier versions. MoP EVCI 2024
10 January 2025
Battery swapping and charging station guidelines, and an amendment letting stations run round the clock. MoP swapping OM 2025
6 March 2025
Madhya Pradesh inserts rule 53(C): public stations need explosives or fire department approval. MP Town Planning
30 April 2026
NBC 2016 is withdrawn; NBCS 2026 brings Annex G-6 on EV parking. Gazette of India
14 August 2026
Assam's Jan Vishwas Act ties its fire law to NBCS 2026. Assam Act XIII of 2026
1 April 2027
CEA's battery energy storage chapter takes effect: automatic fire suppression in every battery container. CEA

EV charging fires and charger disputes reported, 2022 to 2026

From news reports, not yet an official source.

No fire service publishes a count of EV charging fires. These reports, all secondary, show where charging meets fire rules in practice: fires in basements and refusals by housing societies.

24 February 2026
LiveLaw reports the Supreme Court issued notice to the Union, Uttar Pradesh and a Noida housing society on a flat owner's plea to enforce the 2024 charging guidelines after the society refused a charger; listed for 13 April. LiveLawnews report
4 July 2026
The Times of India reports Maharashtra's Director of Fire Services saying NBCS 2026 norms for EV parking are set to become mandatory in the state. The Times of Indianews report
20 February 2025
A Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas note reports the Bombay High Court, in January 2025, directing Maharashtra to finalise rules for chargers in cooperative societies, and a 2022 circular asking societies to issue the charger NOC within 7 days. CAM blognews report
13 September 2022
The News Minute reports 8 killed when a fire in the Ruby e-bike showroom in a Secunderabad basement spread to the lodge above; the police commissioner suspected an e-bike or a generator exploded. The News Minutenews report

EV charging station myths, checked against the rules

You may have read
You need a licence from the electricity regulator to open a charging station.
Myth
What the sources say
No: clause 5(1) of the 2024 guidelines makes it a de-licensed activity; you need a DISCOM connection and the safety clearances. MoP EVCI 2024
You may have read
Every EV charging station needs a fire NOC.
Myth
What the sources say
The Ministry's list names a fire NOC for basement chargers; elsewhere the building's state line decides, and Madhya Pradesh and J&K name stations themselves. MoP EVCI 2024
You may have read
Chargers can go anywhere a car can park.
Myth
What the sources say
NBCS 2026 keeps EV parking out of anything below the first basement and EVs off stack parking; Maharashtra bars basement charging. BIS, SP 7:2026
You may have read
A home charger is just a plug point.
Myth
What the sources say
CEA bars portable sockets, adaptors and extension leads for EV charging and asks for sockets 800 mm above the ground. CEA Regulations 2023
You may have read
Battery swapping stations have no safety rules yet.
Myth
What the sources say
The 2025 guidelines apply the existing safety provisions, and IS 17896 (Part 2): 2022 sets swap-system safety requirements. MoP swapping OM 2025
You may have read
NBC 2016 Part 4 still governs EV parking.
Myth
What the sources say
NBC 2016 was withdrawn on 30 April 2026; NBCS 2026 Annex G-6 is voluntary unless a state adopts it. Gazette of India

Where an EV charging site's owner files and checks, online

Charging connections go through each DISCOM's own single window. These 6 official sites carry the rules or take the building's fire application, and all answered on 24 or 25 October 2026.

Maharashtra
Maharashtra Fire Service circular on parking
The 18 July 2024 circular with the EV charging bar MFS circular 1140
mahafireservice.gov.in/circular/Guidelines%20of%20Parking.pdf
Jammu and Kashmir
J&K Online Building Permission System
Building permission and the fire NOC through one Common Application Form J&K H&UDD
obps.jk.gov.in
Uttar Pradesh
UP Fire Service: Apply for NOC
Provisional, final and renewal certificates for buildings over 15 m UP Fire FAQ
upfireservice.gov.in/upfire/user/login
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Single Window Portal
TNFRS NOC and fire licence; no fees collected TN Single Window
tnswp.com/DIGIGOV/swp-tnswp.jsp
Gujarat
GujFireSafety CoP
Fire Safety Plan and Certificate approval through a Fire Safety Officer Gujarat FSCOP
fscop.gujfiresafetycop.in
Delhi
Delhi Fire Service
Fire Safety Certificate and its renewal DFS
dfs.delhi.gov.in

Offices behind the EV charging rules: 4 addresses

The offices that wrote the rules on this page, with the addresses their own documents print.

Ministry of Power, Government of India MoP EVCI 2024
Issues the EV charging and battery swapping guidelines
Address
Shram Shakti Bhawan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi (2024 guidelines); 2nd Floor, F Wing, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi (January 2025 letters)
Central Electricity Authority CEA
Makes the Safety and Electric Supply Regulations, Chapter XI on charging stations
Address
Sewa Bhawan, R.K. Puram, Sector-1, New Delhi 110066
Website
cea.nic.in
Directorate of Maharashtra Fire Service MFS circular 1140
Issued the parking circular of 18 July 2024
Address
Maharashtra Fire Service Academy, Vidyanagri, Hans Bhugra Marg, Santacruz (East), Mumbai 400098
Phone
022 2667 7555
Website
mahafireservice.gov.in
Housing and Urban Development Department, Jammu and Kashmir J&K H&UDD
Runs the building permission portal that carries the fire NOC
Website
obps.jk.gov.in

Questions about fire NOCs for EV charging stations

Is a fire NOC required for an EV charging station?: Not as a blanket rule. The Ministry of Power's 2024 guidelines list a fire department NOC when the charger is installed in a building's basement. Otherwise the building's state fire NOC line applies, and some states name charging stations themselves: Madhya Pradesh wants the explosives or fire department's approval for public stations, and J&K puts them in a use class covered by its fire NOC list.
Do I need a licence to set up an EV charging station in India?: No. Clause 5(1) of the Ministry of Power's guidelines of 17 September 2024 makes setting up and operating a charging station a de-licensed activity. You still need a DISCOM connection, the Electrical Inspectorate's safety clearance before energisation, and PESO approval if the chargers are at a petrol pump.
Can EV chargers be installed in a basement?: Only with care, and not everywhere. NBCS 2026 says charging points may not be permitted below ground and, where permitted, only in the first basement at its entrance, with CL-5 sprinklers, heat detection and a compartment of at most 1,000 m². Maharashtra's fire service bars charging points in basement parking.
What fire safety does the CEA require at a charging station?: Regulation 126 of the CEA Safety Regulations 2023 requires charger enclosures of fire-retardant, self-extinguishing, halogen-free material and a fire detection, alarm and control system to the relevant standards. Regulations 124 and 125 add the electrical protections: dedicated sub-circuits, earth continuity monitoring and no portable sockets or adaptors.
Can my housing society refuse an EV charger?: The 2024 guidelines let residents install private chargers in their designated parking, supplied through their meter or a sub-meter. Societies still refuse; a Noida owner's petition reached the Supreme Court in February 2026, and in Maharashtra a 2022 circular asked societies to decide within 7 days, as reported.
Are battery swapping stations treated like charging stations?: Largely. The Ministry of Power's guidelines of 10 January 2025 make them de-licensed too, apply several clauses of the 2024 guidelines and say existing safety provisions apply. IS 17896 (Part 2): 2022 sets swap-system safety, and NBCS 2026 classes battery charging stations as high hazard.
Can EVs be parked in stack or puzzle parking?: NBCS 2026 says electric or hybrid cars should not be parked on stack parking at any level. Maharashtra's 2024 circular allows no EV charging point in automated towers or puzzle parking.
How are EV battery fires fought?: Maharashtra's fire service records that lithium-ion fires come from thermal runaway, cannot be put out by usual means, can explode and give off hydrogen fluoride, and need very large amounts of water on the battery pack, potentially for several hours.

Keep reading

Fire NOCWhat a fire NOC is, who issues it and every state's regime.
Which buildings require a fire NOCHeight, area and use lines for all 36 states and UTs.
National Building Code 2026NBCS 2026 and what replaced NBC 2016.
Fire NOC for commercial buildingsOffices and shops with basement or podium parking.
Fire NOC for apartmentsSociety towers where residents want chargers.
Fire NOC feesEvery published state fee schedule compared.
Documents required for fire NOCState checklists and drawing rules.
Fire NOC penaltiesWhat each state's law sets for running without fire compliance.

Words on this page, explained

Keep exploring

Fire NOC for other fuel, power and special buildings

Fire NOC: the steps

Sources

Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Flamekite checks its sources

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