Round 1 Eligibility & Requirements

The first round of funding for installing public electric vehicle charging was available for public agencies, non-profits, tribal organizations and retail electric utilities. Additional information on program requirements can be viewed in the Application Manual.

Applicant Requirements

An applicant must be based in Washington state and be one of the following:

  • Community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
  • Public agencies
  • Tribal entities: Federally recognized tribe or their members; or an enterprise located off tribal land and owned by a federally recognized tribe
  • Retail electric utility

The applicant must also be the primary point of contact for the project. Applicants can list partner (supporting) organizations on their application to show other stakeholders in their installations.

Eligible Sites

WAEVCP helps install EV chargers at a variety of urban, rural and tribal locations across the entire state of Washington. Sites will be scored and compared with the same type of sites to compete for funding. Free technical assistance is available to help applicants understand equipment requirements and design a strong application.

Scoring will prioritize installations to align with state goals and incentivize installations in overburdened communities, those with gaps in existing charging infrastructure, and other factors.

Multifamily housing:      
A residential property with at least 5 or more housing units. Hotels and motels are not considered multifamily housing for this program.

  • Only Level 2 chargers are eligible for this site type.

Public Charging:      
To be considered publicly available, EV charging stations must not be located behind a fence or in a gated parking lot, such that the general public is unable to access or is deterred from accessing during normal operational hours for the site (generally excluding 10pm-5am). Businesses may clarify their operational hours and will be held responsible should actual access does not align with this provision and may be asked to provide documentation supporting their operational hours. Operational hours to be identified in application. accessing.

  • Both Level 2 and DCFC units are eligible for this site type.

 

Workplaces:       
A workplace is a non-residential site location, where business is conducted or where services or industrial operations are performed. Residential properties are not eligible as a workplace regardless of their use as a place of business. Chargers may be public or private and must be shared use (meaning that the chargers are not assigned to a single employee, or subset or employees at the site, and are available as a community resource for the site).

  • Only Level 2 chargers are eligible for this site type.

Fleet Depots:      
A parking facility intended primarily for a collection of motor vehicles owned or leased by an organization in pursuit of its business activities or services provided. Both public and private fleet depots are eligible. If the installation's purpose is for personal vehicles of employees, the site must qualify as a workplace use.

  • Only Level 2 chargers are eligible for this site type.

Scoring Guide

An application can include multiple sites. Sites will be scored and funded individually and not all sites within an application may be funded. Sites will be scored and compared with the same type of sites to compete for funding.

Free technical assistance is available to help applicants understand equipment requirements and design a strong application. Scoring will prioritize installations to align with state goals and incentivize installations in overburdened communities and those with gaps in existing charging infrastructure. Additional factors will also be considered.

Applicants can estimate their site score by using the Scoring Resource Guide and by requesting technical assistance from one of the technical assistance organizations. Applicants can view mapping tool user manuals for guidance on public, workplace and fleet depot sites, or residential sites

Eligible Costs

Washington EV Charging Program awards can be applied toward the purchase and installation of Level 2 and/or DC fast chargers and many other types of equipment and installation costs.

To be eligible, all costs must be incurred after the date of award contract with the Department of Commerce.

Cost Categories:

  • Design/Planning/Engineering
    • Capacity analyses for the charging station site.
    • Design and engineering for the charging station.
    • Electrical permitting.
    • Construction permitting.
    • Site development – trenching.
  • Installation
    • Installation labor, including labor for eligible stub-outs.
    • Installation materials, including those for eligible stub-outs.
    • Project-related signage and striping.
    • Required ADA upgrades to site due to project.
      • Does not include upgrades of existing ADA non-compliance.
    • Concrete, blacktop and curbing.
  • Ongoing Services (networking, load management, maintenance, etc.)
    • Network service agreements with network provider.
    • Service level agreements, including the following services for the installed equipment:
      • Remote monitoring.
      • Preventative maintenance.
      • Repair.
  • Electrical Equipment
    • Eligible electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) that meets equipment requirements
    • Utility-side and customer-side make-ready equipment, including:
      • Transformers.
      • Electrical panels/switchgear.
      • Conduit.
      • Cable/Wires.
      • Additional make-ready equipment needed for eligible stub-outs.
    • Energy storage equipment.
    • All-inclusive solar EV charging systems.
    • Load/demand management equipment.
  • Safety and Security
    • Lighting.
    • Cameras, signage related to cameras.
    • Future prevention of cord cutting.
  • Extended equipment warranties.
  • Load/demand management software and services.

Ineligible Costs

  • Award costs not specified in the eligible costs list above unless otherwise approved by the Department of Commerce.
  • Costs covered by other awards.
  • Costs incurred prior to the contract award date with the Department of Commerce.

Other Award Programs

Combining (stacking) awards award from WAEVCP with other incentives or awards is allowed if total award received per site do not exceed 100% of costs for that site. Applicants will be asked to document participation in other programs during the application process.

Equipment Requirements

A Level 2 charger must comply with the following requirements to be eligible:

  • Use the SAE J1772 connector standard or the NACS connector specification.
    • Connector requirements may change to reflect any updates to federal guidelines regarding NACS connectors. Applicants will be notified if a change is proposed.
  • It is networked via Wi-Fi, Cellular (4G and above), and/or ethernet.
  • Capable of at least a 7.2-kW power output.
  • Must have a mobile payment device physically located on each charger dispenser or on a kiosk serving the charger dispenser.
  • Must support remote start capabilities for, at minimum, payment via a toll-free number.
  • Does not require a membership for payment.
  • Uses OCPP 1.6 or 2.0.1.
    • Commerce will verify through attestation that the equipment is OCPP 1.6 or 2.0.1 capable. However, project partners responsible for complying with WAC 16.662.220 should be aware that they must provide documentation of OCPP certification if requested and if such certification is available. WAC 16.220.220 applies to publicly available chargers, excluding those set to free-vend.
  • ENERGY STAR certification
    • EVSE supplying AC power (Level 2) must have Energy Star certification in compliance with WAC 194-24-200. The rule goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, and is enforced based on the manufacturing date and not the installation date.
    • WAC 194-24-200 currently requires Energy Star 1.0. Commerce plans to initiate a rulemaking process to consider adopting Energy Star 1.2 prior to the rule’s effective date now that the standard has been adopted at the federal level.
    • Commerce will inform program participants if the rule is amended.
    • Commerce will verify Energy Star certification for Level 2 EVSE through the Energy Star product database.
    • Due to possible rule changes during the project development phase, Commerce will not disqualify projects from scoring consideration on the basis of Energy Star certification. However, projects must comply with WAC 194-24-200 when contract agreements are finalized.
  • Certified by a NRTL to UL 2594.

A DCFC must comply with the following requirements to be eligible:

  • Use the CCS1 connector standard or the NACS connector specification.
    • CHAdeMO connectors are eligible costs but not eligible for rebate cap calculation.
    • *Connector requirements may change to reflect any updates to federal guidelines regarding NACS connectors. Applicants will be notified if a change is proposed.
  • It is networked via Wi-Fi, Cellular (4G and above), and/or ethernet.
  • Capable of at least a 100-kW power output.
  • Must have a mobile payment device physically located on each charger dispenser or on a kiosk serving the charger dispenser.
  • Must support remote start capabilities for, at minimum, payment via a toll-free number.
  • Does not require a membership for payment.
  • Certification for OCPP 1.6 or later.
    • Commerce will verify through attestation that the equipment is OCPP 1.6 or 2.0.1 capable. However, project partners responsible for complying with WAC 16.662.220 should be aware that they must provide documentation of OCPP certification if requested and if such certification is available. WAC 16.220.220 applies to publicly available chargers, excluding those set to free-vend.
  • ENERGY STAR certification
    • EVSE supplying DC power (DC fast) are not required to have Energy Star certification.
  • Certified by a NRTL to UL 2202 or UL 9741.