A property manager in Chadstone called us six weeks ago about their carpark upgrade. They'd purchased eight EV chargers and assumed they'd just install them in existing parking bays. Then their electrical contractor mentioned something about wider bays and clearance requirements. Suddenly a straightforward equipment installation became a complete carpark redesign.

That conversation happens roughly three times a week now. EV charging infrastructure is expanding fast across Australia. Shopping centres, office buildings, apartment complexes, and council carparks are all installing charging stations. But most people don't realize that AS/NZS 2890.1:2021 introduced specific requirements for EV charging bay design that differ significantly from standard parking bays.

Get it wrong and you're looking at non-compliant infrastructure that might need costly remediation. Get it right and you've got a properly designed, safely accessible charging facility that meets current standards and accommodates future demand.

This guide covers everything facility managers, developers, and strata committees need to know about EV charging bay design and marking requirements under current Australian standards.

What AS/NZS 2890.1:2021 Changed for EV Parking

The 2021 revision of AS/NZS 2890.1 (Parking facilities, off-street car parking) introduced specific provisions for EV charging bays. Before this, there was no standardized guidance. Contractors were winging it, developers were guessing dimensions, and results were inconsistent.

The standard now addresses bay widths, clearances around charging equipment, cable management, accessibility integration, and signage requirements. It's not optional guidance. It's the referenced standard in the National Construction Code and most council planning schemes.

We learned this the slightly expensive way back in late 2021. A shopping centre in Moorabbin had us mark six EV charging bays at standard 2.4m width before the new standard was widely adopted. Six months later, their council development assessment picked up the non-compliance during an unrelated carpark extension approval. We had to remark all six bays at 2.6m width and adjust the adjacent layout. Our mistake for not staying ahead of the standard change, and we wore the cost of roughly $2,800 in rework.

That lesson cemented our process: always verify current standards before any EV charging bay work, regardless of what the client's plans show.

Standard EV Charging Bay Dimensions

Here's the most important change. EV charging bays need to be minimum 2.6m wide, not the standard 2.4m parking bay width. That extra 200mm accommodates:

Charging cable management when the cable's deployed
User circulation space around the charging station
Door opening clearance on both driver and passenger sides
Reduced risk of cable damage from adjacent vehicle doors

Length remains 5.4m minimum (same as standard bays). But that width increase is non-negotiable under the current standard.

Why does 200mm matter? Because EV charging cables are thick and relatively inflexible. A Tesla Supercharger cable is roughly 60mm diameter. A Type 2 CCS cable used in most Australian public charging infrastructure is similar. When you're plugging in or unplugging, you need room to maneuver the cable without scraping it against adjacent vehicles or tripping over it.

A facility manager in Keysborough watched someone drive over a charging cable that had been left lying across the bay edge because there wasn't adequate clearance to coil it properly. $1,200 cable replacement. That's what happens when you try to squeeze EV charging into standard bay dimensions.

The 2.6m width applies to standard EV charging bays. Accessible EV charging bays have different requirements (we'll cover those separately).

Accessible EV Charging Bays

If you're providing EV charging infrastructure, you need to include accessible EV charging bays. AS/NZS 2890.6:2009 (Off-street parking for people with disabilities) combines with AS/NZS 2890.1:2021 requirements here.

Accessible EV charging bays need minimum 3.2m width. That's the same as any accessible parking bay. The charging station needs to be positioned so someone using a wheelchair or mobility aid can access the charging port and operate the equipment independently.

This isn't straightforward. The charging station can't block the access aisle. The cable needs to be long enough and manageable for someone with limited mobility. Controls need to be within reach ranges specified in AS 1428.1:2009 (Design for access and mobility).

We completed a shopping centre in Narre Warren last year with four standard EV charging bays and one accessible EV charging bay. The accessible bay required a wall-mounted charger positioned at the front of the bay (not the side) so the cable reached the vehicle charging port without crossing the access aisle. The client's original plan had the charger at the side, which would've created an access barrier. We picked that up during our compliance review before marking anything.

That's the value of working with contractors who understand both line marking and accessibility requirements. The physical layout determines whether your infrastructure is actually compliant.

Clearances for Charging Equipment

Charging stations themselves need clearances. AS/NZS 2890.1:2021 specifies minimum 1200mm clear circulation space in front of charging equipment. This ensures someone can approach the charger, operate controls, handle the cable, and plug in their vehicle without obstructing other carpark circulation.

That 1200mm can't be just any space. It needs to be within the marked bay (not encroaching on vehicle circulation lanes) and on a surface with appropriate slip resistance rating. Carparks with wheel stops need particular attention here. If your wheel stop is too close to the charger, you've blocked the required circulation space.

We worked with a logistics facility in Tullamarine on their EV charging infrastructure. They'd already installed the chargers (before calling us, naturally). Four of the eight charging stations had wheel stops positioned roughly 800mm from the charger base. Non-compliant. We had to remove and reposition all four wheel stops to achieve the required clearance.

Could they have avoided that rework? Absolutely. Layout planning should happen before equipment purchase, before installation, definitely before line marking. Get the charging station placement right first, then design the bay markings around compliant clearances.

Cable Management Zones

Some facilities are going further than minimum requirements and marking cable management zones within the bay. These are typically yellow hash marked areas (similar to no-parking zones) that show users where to coil the cable when they're done charging.

It's not required by AS/NZS 2890.1:2021 but it's smart operational design. We've marked cable management zones in several shopping centres and office buildings. Reduces cable damage, improves bay appearance, helps users understand proper cable handling.

A facility in Scoresby went with this approach after they noticed users leaving charging cables draped across adjacent bays. The marked cable management zone (roughly 1.2m x 0.6m clearly marked in yellow hatching) made expectations obvious. Compliance improved significantly according to their security team.

Line Marking Specifications for EV Bays

Standard carpark line marking specifications apply: 100mm line width, durable material (thermoplastic for outdoor carparks, two-pack epoxy for basement carparks), proper surface preparation.

But EV charging bays typically get additional marking to distinguish them from regular parking:

Green Infill Paint

Many facilities mark the entire bay surface with green thermoplastic or paint. This creates immediate visual distinction and helps drivers identify EV charging bays from a distance. It's becoming standard practice in shopping centres and commercial carparks.

Green infill isn't required by AS/NZS 2890.1:2021 but it's referenced in various council development guidelines and strata management best practices. The green colour is internationally recognized for EV charging infrastructure.

We completed a shopping centre in Frankston with eight EV charging bays. Full green thermoplastic infill on each bay. The centre manager told us three months later that they'd seen a noticeable reduction in non-EV vehicles parking in the charging bays (which was an ongoing problem before the distinctive marking).

The infill paint needs to meet slip resistance requirements. Smooth painted surfaces can become slippery when wet. We use textured thermoplastic or add fine aggregate to paint to maintain AS 4586 slip resistance classification.

Pavement Marking

Beyond the bay lines themselves, most facilities include "EV Charging Only" pavement text within the bay. This is similar to "Accessible Parking" text in disability parking bays. Makes the bay purpose absolutely clear and supports enforcement of parking restrictions.

The text needs to be large enough to read from a moving vehicle, properly oriented, and positioned so it's visible even when a vehicle is parked in the bay. We typically mark the text toward the front third of the bay at roughly 1200mm height characters.

Line Color Considerations

Some jurisdictions are moving toward yellow lines for EV charging bays instead of white lines. The reasoning is that yellow indicates time-restricted or special purpose parking (similar to taxi zones or loading zones).

We've completed projects with both approaches. White lines with green infill. Yellow lines with green infill. Yellow lines without green infill. It varies by council requirements and facility management preferences.

As Niel often tells clients: check your council's development guidelines before making color decisions. Some councils have specific requirements. Most are flexible if you can demonstrate compliance with AS/NZS 2890.1:2021 dimensional standards.

Multiple Bay Installations

When you're installing multiple EV charging bays, layout becomes critical. The standard allows for some flexibility in bay arrangement that can reduce infrastructure costs and improve space efficiency.

Shared Chargers

Some charging equipment serves two adjacent bays from a single central unit. These dual-head chargers reduce equipment costs and simplify electrical infrastructure. But they require specific bay layouts.

The two bays need to be directly adjacent with the charging station positioned at the shared boundary line. Each bay still needs its full 2.6m width. The charging station needs proper clearances on both sides. Cable lengths need to reach the charging ports on vehicles in both bays.

We marked six EV charging bays at a facility in Altona North using three dual-head charging stations. The layout required precise positioning of the bay centerlines so the charging stations aligned exactly at the bay boundaries. We were working to 20mm tolerances to get equipment positioning correct. That precision is why we always use laser measurement equipment for EV charging bay layouts.

Angled vs Perpendicular Bays

Most EV charging installations use perpendicular (90-degree) bay angles. But angled bays (typically 60 degrees) can work in some situations.

Angled bays provide easier access, which matters when someone's handling a charging cable. The shallower angle gives more natural cable routing from charging station to vehicle. But angled bays consume more linear frontage, which reduces total parking capacity.

A shopping centre in Wendouree (Ballarat) went with 60-degree angled EV charging bays along one section of their carpark. The client felt the improved accessibility and cable management justified the small reduction in parking count (they lost two bays compared to perpendicular layout). Three months in, their data showed the angled bays had better utilization rates than their perpendicular EV charging bays in another section.

There's no right or wrong answer. It's about understanding your space constraints, user needs, and operational priorities.

Signage Requirements

Line marking alone doesn't complete an EV charging bay installation. AS/NZS 2890.1:2021 works in combination with AS 1742.14 (Traffic control devices for works on roads, parking signage) for proper signage.

Each EV charging bay needs vertical signage indicating:

EV Charging Only
Charging hours (if time-restricted)
Penalty for non-EV parking (if applicable)
Bay number or identifier

The signage needs to be visible from the vehicle circulation lane so drivers can identify EV charging bays before committing to a parking maneuver. Minimum 900mm height above ground level to prevent obstruction by parked vehicles.

We don't supply or install signage (that's typically handled by specialized signage contractors) but we coordinate our line marking work with signage installation. The painted bay identification number on the ground should match the signage identifier. Sounds obvious but we've seen facilities where the signage and ground markings don't align (usually when different contractors work independently without coordination).

Integration with Existing Carpark Layout

Adding EV charging infrastructure to an existing carpark creates challenges. You're trying to fit 2.6m bays into a space originally designed for 2.4m bays. Something has to give.

Bay Count Reduction

The most common outcome is reduced total parking capacity. If your existing layout has 100 standard parking bays and you want to convert six bays to EV charging, you'll probably end up with 94 total bays after accommodating the increased width requirements.

That's difficult for property managers to accept. Parking is valuable real estate. Every bay counts. But non-compliant EV charging infrastructure is worse than reduced capacity because it opens you to liability and potential enforcement action.

We completed a facility in Coburg North last year where this exact conversation happened. The strata committee wanted eight EV charging bays but weren't willing to lose any parking capacity. The geometry simply didn't work. We provided three layout options showing different compromises. They eventually agreed to six EV charging bays with one fewer total bay.

Honest communication early in planning prevents expensive surprises during construction.

Strategic Placement

Where you locate EV charging bays matters for both user convenience and carpark efficiency. End-of-row positions are typically easiest to accommodate because you can adjust the bay width in one direction without affecting multiple adjacent bays.

Locations near electrical infrastructure reduce installation costs. Positions visible from carpark entrances improve EV charging bay utilization. Areas with weather protection (if available) are preferred by users.

A corporate office building in Clayton positioned their EV charging bays near the main entrance under covered parking. Those six bays are consistently occupied while their standard parking in uncovered areas sits partially empty. User preference for covered parking plus EV charging created very high demand for those specific bays.

Future-Proofing Your EV Infrastructure

EV adoption is accelerating. What seems like adequate charging infrastructure today might be insufficient in three years. Smart planning considers future expansion.

Conduit and Power Capacity

Even if you're only installing a few charging stations initially, consider running conduit and uprated electrical supply to support future chargers. The marginal cost during initial construction is far less than retrofitting later.

Several shopping centres we've worked with are installing charging stations in only 30% to 40% of their prepared bays. The electrical infrastructure exists for the full installation. The line marking shows potential EV charging bay locations. They're adding actual charging equipment progressively as demand increases.

That approach reduces initial capital costs while maintaining flexibility for expansion.

Layout Flexibility

Design your line marking layout so additional EV charging bays can be added without remarking the entire carpark. If you're doing eight EV charging bays now but might want sixteen in two years, position those eight bays so the next eight can integrate seamlessly into the existing layout.

We worked with a facility in Somerton that had this exact foresight. They marked twelve EV charging bay spaces but only installed charging equipment in six initially. The line marking included all twelve bays, green infill on all twelve, and "Future EV Charging" text on the six without equipment. When they added the remaining six chargers eighteen months later, we only needed to update the pavement text (roughly 90 minutes of work vs. days of layout redesign and remarking if they'd marked just six bays initially).

What About Residential and Strata Carparks

Apartment buildings and strata developments have additional complications. Multiple residents wanting charging infrastructure. Strata committee approvals. Cost allocation between individual owners and the owners corporation. Basement carpark restrictions.

The AS/NZS 2890.1:2021 dimensional requirements still apply. 2.6m bay width. Proper clearances. Accessibility provisions if you're providing EV charging as a common facility.

But residential EV charging often uses allocated parking bays with individual charging stations. That's different from public shared charging infrastructure. The bay marking might be the same as any other allocated bay (just numbered for the lot), with the charging station being the only distinguishing feature.

We've completed several strata carpark line marking projects where individual bays got upgraded with charging infrastructure. The line marking work itself was straightforward (standard bay dimensions, standard marking materials). The complexity was coordinating with electrical contractors, strata managers, and body corporate approvals.

One development in Docklands had fourteen individual lot owners install charging stations over an 18-month period. We handled the line marking coordination for the body corporate, ensuring each new installation maintained proper bay dimensions and didn't impact adjacent parking. That ongoing relationship approach worked better than fourteen separate contractors coming in with inconsistent standards.

Common Mistakes We See (And How to Avoid Them)

After marking roughly 200+ EV charging bays across Victoria in the past three years, we've seen every variation of non-compliant installation.

Inadequate Width

The most common issue. Someone assumes standard parking bay dimensions work fine for EV charging. They don't. That extra 200mm matters for user safety and cable management.

Equipment Placement Blocking Circulation

Charging stations positioned without considering the 1200mm clear circulation space requirement. Usually happens when electrical contractors install equipment without coordinating with line marking contractors or understanding the spatial requirements in AS/NZS 2890.1:2021.

Wheel Stops Too Close to Chargers

Wheel stops installed at standard positions (roughly 2.4m from the bay marking line) end up blocking access to wall-mounted charging stations or creating trip hazards for charging cables.

Mixing Accessible and Standard Bays Incorrectly

Attempting to use a 2.6m EV charging bay as an accessible parking bay. Doesn't meet the 3.2m width requirement. If you need accessible EV charging, you need the full 3.2m width plus proper access aisle configuration.

Ignoring Council Requirements

Some councils have specific EV charging bay requirements beyond AS/NZS 2890.1:2021 minimums. Checking council guidelines before finalizing your design prevents costly rework.

The Marking Process for EV Charging Bays

Our process for EV charging bay marking follows strict sequencing to ensure compliance and proper integration with charging infrastructure.

Pre-Installation Assessment

Before any equipment gets installed, we assess the proposed layout. Verify bay dimensions meet AS/NZS 2890.1:2021 requirements. Check clearances around planned charging station locations. Identify any conflicts with existing carpark features (lighting, drainage, existing line marking).

This assessment often identifies issues before they become expensive problems. A facility in Bayswater planned their EV charging station locations without considering the underground stormwater pit covers in the proposed bay locations. Our site assessment caught that conflict before any equipment was purchased.

Coordination with Electrical Contractors

We coordinate our line marking schedule with charging station installation. Ideally, the stations are installed first so we can verify final positions and mark bays around actual equipment locations rather than theoretical plans.

Sometimes equipment installation happens after line marking (usually when there's electrical supply delays). That's fine as long as everyone's working from the same dimensioned layout plan.

Surface Preparation

Same as any professional line marking work. Pressure cleaning. Crack filling if required. Surface testing for moisture content. Proper preparation determines marking longevity.

Green thermoplastic infill requires particular attention to surface cleanliness. Any contamination (oil, hydraulic fluid, grease) prevents proper adhesion. We've seen contractors rush the prep work on EV charging bays and end up with failing infill paint within months.

Precision Layout

EV charging bays require tighter measurement tolerances than standard parking bays because they need to align precisely with fixed charging equipment locations. We use laser measurement and mark pilot lines before committing to permanent marking.

That precision takes extra time but it prevents misalignment issues that would require complete remarking.

Material Application

Thermoplastic for outdoor carparks. Two-pack epoxy for basement carparks. Green infill (if specified). Pavement text. All applied in proper sequence with appropriate cure times between layers.

The green infill typically gets applied after the bay outline marking has cured. This allows us to mask the bay lines properly and get clean edges on the infill color.

5. CONTACT SECTION

Get Your EV Charging Bay Compliance Assessment

Line Marking Australia has completed EV charging bay projects for shopping centres, office buildings, strata developments, and council carparks across Victoria and nationwide since 2009. We understand current AS/NZS 2890.1:2021 requirements and can ensure your infrastructure meets compliance standards.

Director: Niel Bennet Phone: 0417 460 236 Email: info@linemarkingaustralia.com.au Address: 240 Plenty Road, Bundoora VIC 3083

Upload your carpark plans and charging station specifications now for a detailed compliance assessment and quote.

We provide services across all Australian states: Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory, and Northern Territory.

EV Charging Bay Design & Marking Requirements