Charging your EV? The parking mistake that could cost drivers £100

Electric vehicle drivers are being warned to check parking restrictions carefully when using public chargers after motorists reported receiving unexpected parking charge notices while charging their cars.

The issue has attracted attention throughout summer 2026, with EV owners reporting fines of up to £100 after using chargers in supermarket, hotel and other privately owned car parks.

For drivers, it highlights an important point: paying to charge your electric car does not necessarily mean you have also paid to park.

Why are EV drivers receiving parking fines?

The Guardian reported in July 2026 that several motorists had received parking charge notices after leaving their electric vehicles to charge in private car parks.

In one case, a driver used an EV charger at an Aldi supermarket after the store had closed. Although the charging app showed the charger as available to the public, the car park itself was subject to restrictions outside store opening hours.

The driver received a £70 parking charge notice, which was later cancelled after an appeal.

Another motorist reported receiving a £100 charge after using an InstaVolt charger in a Devon car park without paying a separate parking tariff.

The confusion appears to come from the fact that the EV charger and the car park can operate under separate terms and conditions.

Does charging an EV count as parking?

In a private car park, drivers still need to comply with the parking terms displayed by the landowner or parking operator, even when their vehicle is connected to a charger.

That can mean paying both the EV charging cost and a parking tariff.

Some sites may also have maximum stay periods, opening hours or requirements to register your vehicle registration number, for example at a hotel reception.

So simply seeing an available charger on an EV charging app does not necessarily mean you can use the surrounding car park without checking its restrictions first.

What should EV and hybrid drivers check?

Before plugging in, take a moment to check the signs around the car park as well as the information shown on the charger or charging app.

Look for any parking charges, time limits, permitted hours and instructions about registering your vehicle.

This is particularly important if you are charging overnight or outside the normal opening hours of the business where the charger is located.

Government regulations introduced for public EV chargers are designed to improve things such as pricing transparency, payment, reliability and access to charging information. Public charge points located in supermarket and hotel car parks can fall within those regulations.

However, the parking terms attached to the land can still be separate.

A growing issue as more of us switch to electric

The number of electric vehicles and public charge points in the UK continues to grow, making clear information increasingly important.

The Guardian reported in July 2026 that UK EV ownership had passed two million vehicles, while the public charging network had grown to more than 121,000 charging devices.

As more drivers make the switch to electric and hybrid vehicles, parking arrangements will need to keep pace with the way motorists use charging infrastructure.

Until then, the simplest advice is: check before you charge.

Paying for the electricity may only be one part of the cost of stopping there, and a quick look at the parking signs could prevent a much more expensive surprise arriving through the letterbox.

Sources

The Guardian, Drivers charging electric cars handed shock parking fines, 15 July 2026.

GOV.UK, The Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 guidance.

GOV.UK, Regulations: public charge points.

Guessing Headlights, UK Drivers Charging Their EV Have Been Given Shock Parking Fines, 27 August 2026.