Apartment EV Charging Grant in Ireland
Apartment EV Charging Grant for Irish OMCs
Roughly one in four Irish households now lives in an apartment, duplex or multi-unit development, and getting a home charger fitted in a shared car park has, until recently, been almost impossible. The SEAI Apartment Charging Grant changes that. It helps Owner Management Companies (OMCs) cover the cost of installing shared EV charging in apartment blocks, funding up to 80% of eligible installation costs for OMCs, with a maximum grant of the lesser of €5,000 per dwelling unit or €100,000 per development.
This guide explains how the grant works, who can apply, the rates for 2026, and how Resolute Engineering Group manages the process from board approval through to commissioning, so your residents can finally charge at home.
The Apartment Charging Grant is part of Ireland’s EV rollout strategy under Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) and is administered by the SEAI. It offers OMCs, housing bodies, Local Authorities and landlords financial help to install charge points and the supporting electrical infrastructure in communal car parks.
The amount you receive depends on your organisation type, the eligible infrastructure works and the number of dwellings in the development. The grant is designed for bulk installation at a single location, covering cabling, infrastructure, labour and construction, not just the chargers themselves.
Example Grant Amounts 2026
| Development | Eligible Project Cost | Applicant Type & Rate | Indicative Grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small block, 12 units, 4 charge points | €20,000 | OMC · 80% | €16,000 |
| Mid-size block, 40 units, 10 charge points | €60,000 | OMC · 80% | €48,000 |
| Large scheme, 100 units, 20 charge points | €120,000 | OMC · 80% | €96,000 |
| Council scheme, 60 units | €80,000 | Local Authority · 90% | €72,000 |
| Very large estate, 200+ units | €150,000+ | OMC · 80% | €100,000 (scheme maximum) |
Figures are illustrative worked examples using the scheme’s published rules: the grant is your applicant rate (90% / 80% / 60%) applied to approved eligible costs, capped at the lesser of €5,000 per dwelling or €100,000 per development, with each charging unit’s hardware capped at €600 (€1,200 for dual-outlet units). Your exact grant depends on SEAI’s review of your eligible costs.
If your development also wants solar PV on the communal roof, that is funded separately under the SEAI Non-Domestic Microgen Grant. Resolute can apply for both in parallel on your behalf.
The grant is paid to the applicant once installation is complete, documented and approved by SEAI.
How Much is the Grant Worth?
The grant has three moving parts: your funding rate, the eligible costs it applies to, and the caps. Your rate depends on who is applying. The caps depend on the size of your development.
Rates for 2026
- 90% of approved eligible costs for Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies
- 80% of approved eligible costs for Owners’ Management Companies
- 60% of approved eligible costs for Build-to-Rent management companies
- Maximum grant: the lesser of €5,000 per dwelling unit or €100,000 per development
- Each charging unit’s hardware: capped at the lesser of its actual cost or €600 per unit (€1,200 for a dual-outlet unit)
Examples for 2026 Rates
- An OMC project with €25,000 of approved eligible costs would receive €20,000 (80%)
- An OMC project with €60,000 of approved eligible costs would receive €48,000 (80%)
- A Local Authority project with €80,000 of approved eligible costs would receive €72,000 (90%)
- A 16-unit development is capped at €80,000 (€5,000 × 16) even if costs are higher
- No development receives more than €100,000 in total grant aid
What Cost Can Be Covered Under the EV Grant?
The Apartment Charging Grant covers both the chargers and the supporting electrical infrastructure needed to power them. Per the scheme’s terms, eligible costs include electrical infrastructure, cabling, labour, construction, electrical connection, project management, design and installation. In short, the grant goes towards what it actually costs to get residents charging in their own car park.
Included in the grant
- AC charge points (capped at €600 per unit, €1,200 dual)✓
- Electrical infrastructure & sub-boards✓
- Ducting & communal cable runs✓
- Installation labour & construction✓
- ESB Networks connection works✓
- Project management & design✓
Not included
- DC rapid chargers above the scheme’s AC scopeExcluded
- Solar PV on the same projectApply separately
- Decorative car-park worksExcluded
- VAT on EV charging hardwareStandard rate
- Ongoing software / billing feesOut of scope
What About Smart Software, Billing & Tariffs?
The grant covers the hardware that does the charging, but residents also need a fair way to pay for the electricity they use. Resolute installs smart, OCPP-compatible chargers as standard so usage can be metered per resident through a back-office platform and billed back through the OMC. That is how shared charging works in practice, and it future-proofs the install.
Operational fees are not funded, by design
Ongoing software, billing and connectivity fees are typically passed on to charging residents at cost, not paid by the OMC. Resolute quotes both the capital install and a sample resident tariff so the board can vote with full visibility on what residents will pay per kWh.
Is Our Development Eligible For a Grant?
Most apartment, duplex and multi-unit developments in Ireland with a communal car park can qualify. Eligible applicants include Owners’ Management Companies, Approved Housing Bodies, Local Authorities, and commercial and private landlords. To check if your development meets the rules, look through the points below:
The applicant is the OMC, housing body, Local Authority or landlord responsible for the car park
The body that owns or manages the communal car park applies on behalf of residents. Individual apartment owners cannot apply for this scheme directly.
The development has a shared communal car park
Houses with their own driveways fall under the SEAI Home Charger Grant instead, worth €300 since January 2024.
AGM vote reframed from scheme rule to governance step): The OMC board has authorised the project
While the grant rules do not prescribe a specific vote, in practice OMC governance requires member approval for shared expenditure, usually at an AGM or EGM. Resolute provides a motion template and supporting pack for the meeting.
Works begin only after written approval is received
Ordering hardware or starting installation before your letter of offer can void the application.
Installation is carried out by a Safe Electric-registered contractor
All communal electrical works must be completed and certified by a registered electrical contractor. Resolute is Safe Electric registered with extensive apartment EV experience.
Chargers are smart and network-capable
Shared chargers need per-user metering and billing, which means OCPP-compatible smart hardware connected to a back-office platform. We specify this as standard on every apartment install.
SEAI Apartment Charging Grant Calculator
Estimate your grant value for apartment and multi-unit developments. Choose your grant type below:
ZEVI Apartment Charging Scheme
The main support for shared EV charging in apartment and multi-unit developments. Open to OMCs, housing bodies, Local Authorities and landlords. Funds chargers and the supporting infrastructure. Maximum grant: the lesser of €5,000 per dwelling or €100,000.
How Many Chargers Should We Install?
The right number of chargers depends on how many EVs your residents already drive, how that is likely to change over the next five years, and how much spare capacity sits in your communal main board. A good installer will survey the existing electrical setup, sample residents for current and intended EV ownership, and design a system that can grow without ripping the car park up again later. Most Irish apartment schemes start with chargers covering 10 to 20% of resident parking spaces and add capacity as demand grows.
The easiest way to be sure is to have an installer on site for a survey of the main switchroom, distribution boards and car-park layout. That is the only reliable way to know what your scheme can support.
Is there a limit on how many chargers we can install?
There is no fixed charger-count cap. The limits are monetary: the grant covers your rate of eligible costs up to the lesser of €5,000 per dwelling or €100,000 per development, with each charging unit’s hardware capped at €600. Beyond those caps, additional chargers are funded privately by the OMC. We design every install to be extensible so adding chargers later is a cable pull, not a full rebuild.
Do all chargers need to be the same size?
No. The most common Irish mix is 7.4 kW single-phase chargers on resident-facing bays, with one or two higher-powered units for visitors or shared bays. A smart load-management system shares the available current dynamically so you may not need to upgrade the ESB connection on day one.
Do We Need Planning Permission to Install Chargers?
For internal communal car parks within apartment blocks, planning permission is generally not required, and grant approval is not tied to planning. It is tied to having the right applicant, a registered contractor and SEAI’s written approval before works begin.
What approvals do we actually need?
For most apartment blocks you need three things: OMC board and member authorisation for the expenditure, a Safe Electric-registered contractor appointed, and an ESB Networks application if the existing connection needs to be uprated. Resolute manages all three. A handful of edge cases still need planning input: external carports, freestanding charging canopies, or works on protected structures and in Architectural Conservation Areas. We flag any of these before quoting.
How Do We Apply for the Apartment Charging Grant?
Applying is straightforward once you know the steps. The OMC just needs to follow the process in order and make sure works are done by a registered contractor. Resolute prepares and manages every stage with the board.
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Pick Your EV Installation Company Choose a Safe Electric-registered installer with apartment EV experience before applying. Their details, design summary and projected costs all go on the application, so they need to be appointed first.
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Authorise the Project & Apply Secure board and member approval for the expenditure (we provide a motion template and cost pack for the AGM or EGM), then submit the grant application to SEAI. Wait for the letter of offer before any work begins. Starting early can void the application.
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ESB Networks Application (if required) If the communal connection needs uprating, the connection application to ESB Networks goes in before installation. We model whether smart load management can avoid this cost first.
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Get Your Chargers Installed With approval in place, your installer fits the charge points, sub-board, ducting and cabling agreed in the quote.
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Commissioning & Resident Onboarding After installation, we commission every charger, connect the back-office platform for per-resident metering and billing, and issue residents app or card access at handover.
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Receive Your Grant Payment When all documentation is approved by SEAI, the grant is paid to the applicant as a one-time payment. Payment timelines depend on SEAI's review of the completion documentation; we submit everything within days of commissioning to keep it moving.
What Information Do We Need to Apply?
Before starting your application, it helps to have a few details ready. Getting these together early makes the process quick and avoids back-and-forth at review stage.
- OMC company number (CRO) and constitution: Confirms the applicant is the registered management company, housing body, Local Authority or landlord, not an individual owner.
- Evidence of OMC authorisation: Board or member approval for the project expenditure. We provide a motion template for the AGM or EGM.
- MPRN of the communal supply: The 11-digit number on the communal-area electricity bill, used for all correspondence and the ESB application.
- A registered installer appointed: Resolute’s Safe Electric registration details go on the form.
- Basic project information: Proposed number of chargers, charger power, infrastructure works and a high-level cost breakdown. Your installer provides this.
- OMC contact email: Correspondence is sent to the named OMC director or secretary.
Applications must be made by the entity that owns or manages the communal car park, not by individual residents. We understand how the paperwork and AGM process can feel daunting, so our team supports the board through every step.
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Frequently Asked Questions
For an owners’ management company, the grant covers 80% of approved eligible installation costs, capped at the lesser of €5,000 per dwelling unit or €100,000 per development. Local authorities and housing bodies get 90%, Build-to-Rent gets 60%. Each charging unit’s hardware is capped at €600 (€1,200 for dual-outlet units).
Payment follows SEAI’s approval of the completion documentation, so the timeline depends on review and whether an inspection is needed. The biggest factor in fast payment is complete paperwork, which is why Resolute submits everything within days of commissioning.
No. The application needs an installer’s registration details, project design and cost breakdown. Pick a registered EV installer first, then the application goes in within a few days.
Most schemes split the capital cost across the resident bays that benefit, with the OMC covering the shared infrastructure, and the grant reduces both. Day-to-day electricity is metered per resident through the back-office platform and billed back at cost, so no resident pays for another’s charging.
Very common, since most Irish apartment blocks were never designed with EV charging in mind. There are two solutions: a smart load-management system that dynamically shares your existing capacity across all chargers, or an ESB Networks connection upgrade if higher capacity is genuinely required. We model both options before recommending one.
Yes, and we design every install to make later expansion easy. Spare ducts and sub-board capacity are sized beyond the day-one charger count, so adding bays is a cable pull rather than a full rebuild. Whether additional grant support is available for an expansion depends on the scheme rules and your development’s remaining headroom under the caps; we advise at design stage.
If a charging network already exists in your complex, individual residents apply to the management company to join it, then claim the SEAI Home Charger Grant of €300 towards their own connection. We help OMCs set up the joining process so this route is simple for residents.
Yes. We prepare the entire application with the board, from the AGM motion template and cost pack through to the post-installation commissioning documentation. If your OMC board has questions along the way, just ask and we will be glad to help.