What does a Level 2 charger need from the house?
The Department of Energy defines Level 2 home charging as 240-volt, the same voltage a dryer or a range uses. NES gets more specific: its charging page names a 40-amp two-pole breaker for Level 2, and a 15- or 20-amp breaker for Level 1, the cord that plugs into an ordinary outlet. NES also says 240-volt equipment “should be wired permanently”.
In practice that means a dedicated circuit from the panel to the charger, sized to the breaker and to the charger’s own installation manual, and hardwired the way NES recommends. The charger goes where its cable reaches the car’s port without crossing a walkway.
Will your panel handle an EV charger?
That’s the first thing we look at, before anyone buys a mounting bracket. A charger is a long, steady load, often running for hours overnight while the water heater and the furnace run too. A panel with spare capacity and open spaces takes one easily. An older, smaller service, or a panel with every slot spoken for, may need load balancing, a sub-panel or an upgrade first.
You hear which one at the estimate, with what each option costs, instead of on install day. If a heat pump or a hot tub is on the list for next year, say so then, and the panel math can include it.
Who is responsible for the charger permit?
You are, on paper. NES’s charging guidance says permits and inspections are the homeowner’s responsibility even when a contractor does the work. Inside Metro Nashville, trade permits go online only to licensed contractors with an e-permit account, so the practical answer is to hire one who pulls it. The DOE makes the same point from the other side: use a certified electrical contractor, and check whether a permit is required.
Ask for the permit to be written into the estimate. Ours are itemized, so it shows up as its own line.
Is there still a tax credit for a home charger?
Not for new installs. The federal 30C credit is gone for chargers installed after June 30, 2026, according to the IRS guidance on the 2025 law that ended it. If yours went in before that date, your tax preparer can tell you how to claim it.
What changes the cost of an EV charger install?
Distance, first. A garage that shares a wall with the panel is a short run; a carport or a detached garage across the yard may mean a trench or a long path through the attic. After that come the panel’s capacity, the charger you choose, whether drywall has to be opened, and the permit. The estimate lists each one.