Begin with the parking space and the building, not a wallbox advert

Apartment charging is a small building project. Establish who owns or has the legal right to use the parking space, whether a cable must cross a common part of the building, and where the nearest suitable electrical supply is. Photograph the proposed route and ask a qualified electrical professional to inspect the switchboards, earthing, protections, fire compartmentation and available capacity before a vendor promises a fixed price.

Portugal's current mobility-electricity regime is Decree-Law 93/2025, not the revoked Decree-Law 39/2010 that still appears in older articles and quotations. The consolidated Diário da República text was last amended on 31 July 2026. DGEG's current FAQ says a condominium owner, tenant or other lawful occupant may hold a private charging installation, subject to the applicable technical, safety, design, execution and inspection requirements.

This guide is practical orientation, not a substitute for legal or engineering advice on a particular building. Obtain a written proposal from an appropriately registered professional and recheck the linked official sources before work begins.

Notify the condominium correctly when common parts are involved

When the installation is made in or passes through a common part, article 23 of the current regime requires written prior notice to the condominium administration and, where applicable, the property owner at least 30 days before the intended installation date. A useful notice identifies the parking space, wallbox, rated power, supply point, metering method, cable route, protections, installer and proposed dates, with drawings or photographs attached.

The law lists limited grounds for opposition. They include a qualifying shared solution already existing or being installed within 90 days, a demonstrated safety risk supported by a technical opinion, obstruction of common access routes, or failure to preserve applicable accessibility rules. The condominium decision must be made within 30 days of the notice; the legislation also sets voting, minute-recording and notification requirements.

Do not interpret notification as permission to start informal work on common electrical services. Keep proof of delivery, the technical proposal and any written reply. A tenant should include the owner where applicable. If the response disputes title, common-part use or the statutory process, obtain case-specific advice before commissioning work.

  • Send the notice in a form that creates a dated record of delivery.
  • Describe the complete cable route and every intervention in common areas.
  • State who pays for installation, electricity, inspection, maintenance and reinstatement.
  • Ask for any opposition and its technical or legal basis in writing.

Choose the supply and metering architecture before choosing power

DGEG identifies several possible arrangements for an exclusive marked parking space: supply from the individual apartment installation, the building's column board or the common-services board, subject to the applicable technical rules and its EV-installation guide. A shared charger may instead be supplied from the column board or common-services board. The shortest cable route is not automatically the best ownership, billing or expansion model.

A feed from the apartment can make the electricity appear on the resident's ordinary bill, but distance, routing and available contracted power may make it impractical. A collective supply can be better for several spaces, yet the condominium then needs defensible sub-metering, user allocation, access control and responsibility for operation. Under DGEG's current FAQ, an exclusive point fed from the respective apartment is operated by its holder; a point fed from a collective board is operated by the collective installation holder—the condominium—or a contracted charging-point operator.

The new regime also provides for independent internal metering and supply points in non-exclusive consumption installations, subject to ERSE regulation. Because Portugal remains in a transition from the former centralised model through 31 December 2026, ask the installer and electricity supplier which metering and commercial arrangements are operational for this exact project now. Avoid specifying a billing workflow solely from a future-facing product brochure.

Use load management before buying a costly power upgrade

A car parked for ten hours does not necessarily need to charge at 11 or 22 kW. As an illustration, adding 30 kWh over ten hours requires an average of 3 kW before losses; the actual input and time depend on the vehicle, charger, temperature and charging losses. Start with the energy that residents need between arrival and departure, then size concurrent power across all spaces.

Static allocation reserves a fixed amount for charging. Dynamic load management can reduce charging when lifts, pumps or homes need more power, then raise it when building demand falls. It can also share a capacity ceiling among several cars. Confirm whether the chosen system works locally if its internet service fails, how priorities are set, whether readings can be exported and who supports it if the original installer disappears.

ERSE's FlexC pilot, announced on 25 February 2025, tested flexible use of spare collective-building capacity across seven condominiums and up to 62 charging points. That is evidence of a real Portuguese trial addressing the problem, not proof of a universal saving or a published final outcome. Its stated aim was to test whether flexible capacity could avoid or delay connection reinforcement; every building still needs its own assessment.

Require qualified design, installation and handover

DGEG says a charging installation must be executed by a registered electrical-installation entity or a suitably registered responsible technician, within the limits of their authorisation. Whether a formal electrical project is mandatory depends on the installation type and total power; DGEG identifies, among other cases, type C installations above 10.35 kVA total network-supplied power. Do not split or label work merely to avoid a professional requirement.

The handover should identify the supply origin, circuit and isolator; cable type and route; rated and configured power; protective devices; earthing; load-management settings; meter identifiers; inspection or conformity documents; warranties; and emergency contacts. DGEG's FAQ says the installer or responsible technician must provide the applicable declaration of conformity or responsibility after execution.

Do not use an unmetered common socket for private charging. DECO notes that common-building electricity is for common services, not an individual's benefit. A normal domestic socket may also be unsuitable for repeated high-load operation unless a qualified assessment, dedicated protections and the applicable installation rules support that use. The connector on the car is only the last link in the safety chain.

  • Obtain at least one site-specific technical survey, not only a remote quotation.
  • Confirm the installer's DGEG registration and the documents required for this installation class.
  • Test charging, access control, metering, load management and safe isolation at handover.
  • Give the condominium updated drawings and an emergency procedure for common areas.

Design the first installation for the next five cars

One private cable can be cheaper today; a shared backbone can avoid repeated drilling, incompatible controllers and arguments as more neighbours buy EVs. Compare both options over the expected number of spaces, including switchboard work, containment, communications, metering, software fees, maintenance and the cost of expanding later. Agree who owns reusable infrastructure and what a new participant pays to join it.

The EU's recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive is pushing new and substantially renovated buildings toward more pre-cabling, ducting and smart-capable charging. That European direction supports future-ready design, but it does not tell an owner what may be installed in a particular existing Portuguese garage today; national law, building conditions and the project's technical classification remain decisive.

DECO's consumer guidance describes recurring practical uncertainty in older buildings, especially where no basic charging infrastructure exists. That is useful experience-based guidance, not a measured success rate for installations. The best outcome is a modest first charger on a documented architecture that can scale: lawful notice, safe engineering, transparent metering, controlled capacity and a written rule for the next user.