# Where Should You Put an EV Charger?

By EV Charge Cables · Published 17 October 2026

**The short version**

Mount your EV charger near where you park, on the side your car's charging port is on, at a comfortable height, and somewhere the lead reaches the inlet without strain or crossing a path.

- Match the charger to the car's port side to keep the lead short
- Keep the supply run to the consumer unit short where practical to help with cost
- Let the lead-to-inlet distance set the charging cable length you buy

The best place to put an EV charger is on a wall or post close to where you park, ideally on the side your car's charging port is on, at a comfortable height, and somewhere the charging lead can reach the car without stretching or trailing across a path. Getting the position right before the installer arrives saves cable, avoids trip hazards, and often keeps the supply run shorter. The fitting itself is a job for a qualified, OZEV-approved EV installer, but the placement planning is something you can do yourself first. For more on the wider process, see our [EV charging guides](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides).

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### Why does charger placement matter so much?

Where the wallbox goes affects three things at once: how far the charging lead has to travel, how safe the setup is day to day, and how much the installation costs. A sensible position can shorten the cable run back to your consumer unit and keep the car's charging lead short and tidy.

A poorly placed unit tends to create the opposite: a lead stretched taut across a driveway, or trailing over a route people walk. Planning the spot in advance means you are not making compromises on the day the installer turns up.

### Which wall or post should you choose?

Aim to mount the charger as close as practical to your usual parking spot, on the side where the car's charging port sits. Most EVs have the inlet on a rear flank or at the front, so think about how you normally pull in or reverse onto the drive.

If you mount on the "wrong" side, the lead has to loop around the car, which means you need a longer cable and more of it ends up on the ground. Matching the unit to the port side keeps the lead short and off the floor. Our guide on [what length EV charging cable you need](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/what-length-ev-charging-cable-do-i-need) walks through how to measure this properly.

#### What about the mounting height?

Fit the charger at a comfortable height so you can plug and unplug without stooping or reaching. Your installer will advise on a sensible height for your wall and household, and many position the unit roughly at waist to chest level. Avoid mounting it so low that the socket sits near splashing water or so high that it is awkward to reach.

### Should the charger be sheltered from the weather?

Most home wallboxes are weather-rated for outdoor use, so they do not strictly need a cover. That said, a sheltered spot, under an overhang, beside a porch, or on a wall that gets some protection, keeps rain and sun off both the unit and you while you plug in.

If no natural shelter exists, that is usually fine given the weather rating, though a holster or cover can help keep the connector clean and dry between charges. Your installer will confirm the unit is suitable for its exact location.

### How does placement affect the supply run to the consumer unit?

A home charger is wired as a dedicated circuit from your consumer unit, with the right RCD and DC-fault protection, and the installer notifies your DNO. The further the charger sits from the fuse box, the longer that supply cable has to be.

There is no single legal maximum distance, but a longer run needs a larger supply cable to keep voltage drop within BS 7671 limits, and that typically costs more. Your electrician sizes the cable for the distance, so keeping the run as short as practical where you can helps. For the detail on this, see our sibling guide on [how far an EV charger can be from the fuse box](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/how-far-can-an-ev-charger-be-from-the-fuse-box) and our piece on [what size cable you need for an EV charger](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/what-size-cable-for-ev-charger).

### Where should the charging lead reach, and why does that set the length?

This is the part that most directly affects the lead you buy. The charger should sit so the charging lead reaches your car's inlet comfortably, with a little slack, and without crossing a walkway that people use. A lead pulled tight puts strain on both connectors; a lead dumped across a footpath is a trip hazard.

Untethered (socketed) chargers need you to own your own Type 2 charging lead, and you choose the length to suit this exact geometry. Measure from where the charger will be mounted to where the inlet sits when the car is parked normally, then allow some extra for routing and slack. You can browse options in our [EV charging cables](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/collections/ev-charging-cables) collection, and our [cable length guide](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/what-length-ev-charging-cable-do-i-need) explains how much slack to add. If you ever need to charge away from a fixed point, a [portable EV charger](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/collections/portable-ev-chargers) is a separate backup option.

### What is the placement do and avoid list?

| Do | Avoid |
| --- | --- |
| Mount near the side the car's charging port is on | Mounting where the lead has to loop around the car |
| Fit at a comfortable, easy-to-reach height | Positioning it awkwardly low near splashing water or too high to reach |
| Keep the supply run to the consumer unit short where practical | Choosing a far corner that needs a long, heavy supply cable |
| Pick a sheltered spot if one is available | Assuming it must be indoors (most wallboxes are weather-rated) |
| Route the lead so it reaches the inlet with a little slack | Stretching the lead taut or trailing it across a walkway |
| Think about where a second car might park in future | Boxing yourself in with no room to add a second point later |

### Should you plan for a second car?

If there is any chance you will run two EVs in future, it is worth thinking about placement now. A spot that works for one car might sit awkwardly if a second vehicle parks alongside, and adding a second chargepoint later is easier if the first was positioned with that in mind.

You do not need to commit to anything, but mentioning it to your installer during the site visit means they can suggest a position, and a supply arrangement, that leaves room to expand. If your supply is already tight, they may fit load management or a CT clamp rather than upgrade the supply.

### Who should actually fit the charger?

Planning the position is something you can do; the installation itself is not a DIY job. Fitting or altering an EV charge-point circuit in England and Wales is notifiable work under Part P, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own building standards. It must be carried out by a qualified electrician or registered competent person, and grant-funded work needs an OZEV-approved installer. The safest route is a qualified, OZEV-approved EV installer.

Bring your placement plan to the site visit. Knowing roughly where you want the unit, which side your port is on, and where the lead needs to reach helps the installer quote accurately. It is sensible to get two to three quotes. For a fuller picture, read our guides on [what you need to install an EV charger](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/what-do-you-need-to-install-an-ev-charger), [how long an EV charger takes to install](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/how-long-does-it-take-to-install-an-ev-charger), and [what to expect from a home charger installation](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/ev-home-charger-installation-what-to-expect).

**Quick tool:** once you have picked a spot, our [cable length calculator](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/tools/ev-charging-cable-length-calculator) works out how long a charging lead that position needs.

### Frequently asked questions

#### Where is the best place to put a home EV charger?

As close as practical to where you park, on the side your car's charging port is on, at a comfortable height, and somewhere the charging lead can reach the inlet without strain or trailing across a walkway. A sheltered spot is a bonus, though most wallboxes are weather-rated for outdoors. Your installer confirms the exact position on site.

#### Does the charger need to be on the same side as the car's charging port?

Not strictly, but it helps a lot. Mounting on the same side as the port keeps the charging lead short and off the ground. If the charger is on the opposite side, the lead has to loop around the car, so you need a longer cable and more of it ends up trailing.

#### Can an EV charger be installed outside without cover?

Generally yes, as most home wallboxes are weather-rated for outdoor use, so a dedicated cover is not usually required. A sheltered spot under an overhang still keeps rain off you and the connector. Your installer will confirm the unit is suitable for its specific location.

#### How far can the charger be from the parking space?

It should be close enough that your charging lead reaches the car's inlet with a little slack and without crossing a path people walk on. The distance you choose sets the lead length you need, so measure from the mounting point to the inlet and add some slack. Our cable length guide explains how.

#### Does charger placement affect the installation cost?

It can. A position far from the consumer unit needs a longer, larger supply cable to keep voltage drop within limits, which typically adds cost, and groundworks or working at height add more. Keeping the run short where practical can help. Get two to three quotes and let your installer price your specific layout.

#### Can I install the charger myself once I have chosen the spot?

Choosing the spot is fine to do yourself, but fitting the charger is not a DIY job. It is notifiable work under Part P in England and Wales, with separate standards in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and must be done by a qualified electrician or registered competent person. For grant-funded work you need an OZEV-approved installer.

#### Should I plan the position around a possible second car?

If there is any chance of running two EVs in future, it is worth thinking about now. A spot that suits one car can sit awkwardly when a second vehicle parks alongside, and adding a second chargepoint later is easier if the first was positioned with that in mind. Mention it to your installer during the site visit so they can leave room to expand.

[[QUOTE_CTA:Thinking about installation?|Start my quote]]

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Canonical version: https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/where-should-you-put-an-ev-charger

EV Charge Cables, EV charging cables matched to your car: https://www.evchargecable.co.uk. Some links in this article are Amazon affiliate links; as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.