Where EV Chargers Can and Cannot Go in a Malaysian Car Park: the GPP EVCB Rules
The short answer
AC chargers up to 22kW can go on any indoor parking level in a Malaysian multi-storey building. DC chargers cannot: indoors they are limited to the ground floor and the first two upper parking levels, and in basement parking to the first level below ground only. Those limits come from the national planning guideline GPP EVCB and follow Bomba fire-safety guidance, so a basement DC plan will not get past your local authority.
What GPP EVCB actually is
GPP EVCB is the Planning Guidelines for Electric Vehicle Charging Bay published by PlanMalaysia (the federal Department of Town and Country Planning). It is written for state and local authorities, which is why it decides what your building submission can and cannot include. If you manage a condo, mall, office block or car park, this is the document your plan is read against.
It covers where bays may sit, how big they must be, how many a new development needs, and how long the local authority takes to approve them.
Where chargers can and cannot go
Location | AC up to 22kW | DC fast charging |
|---|---|---|
Open-air or rooftop parking | Allowed | Allowed |
Ground-floor indoor parking | Allowed | Allowed |
Upper indoor parking levels | Allowed on every level | First two upper levels only |
Basement, first level below ground | Allowed | Allowed |
Basement, second level and deeper | Allowed | Not allowed |
Beside stairs or emergency exits | Must not obstruct exit routes | Must not obstruct exit routes |
Two things follow from this for a property manager. First, if your car park is mostly deep basement, your realistic plan is AC, not DC. Second, bay selection is a fire-escape question before it is an electrical one: a bay that blocks an exit route will be rejected even if the power is right there.
How many bays a new development must provide
Requirement | What the guideline says |
|---|---|
New multi-storey residential or commercial | At least 2% of total parking spaces as EV charging bays |
New residential | At least one EV charging bay in visitor parking |
New commercial | At least one disabled-friendly (OKU) EV charging bay |
New residential and commercial | At least one electric motorcycle charging bay per building |
Existing developments | Number based on demand — a recommendation, not a requirement |
Standard bay size | 2.5m wide x 6m long |
OKU bay size | Add 1m to the width |
That last line matters most to existing buildings. Nothing forces an existing condo or office block to install anything. Which means the decision sits entirely with your committee or owner, and the usual trigger is residents or tenants asking.
Approval timelines
The guideline sets the local authority's processing window at 7 days for AC chargers and 14 days for DC chargers. Those are the authority's days, not your project's. Supply confirmation from TNB, an ST-registered contractor, wiring, and the committee's own approval cycle are what actually set your calendar.
Permitted locations under the guideline are broad: strata and non-strata housing, industrial and commercial areas, institutions, petrol stations, and rest and service areas, outdoors, indoors or on rooftops. For how the electrical side is decided, see AC or DC EV charging for your building.
What people actually ask
These are real questions from Malaysian forums and news coverage, not invented ones.
"Are EV chargers allowed in condos and multi-storey car parks?" — SoyaCincau, May 2023. Answer: yes, with DC limited by level.
"ban chargers in strata unit parking and basements?" — paultan.org, March 2023, on the earlier KPKT proposal. The guideline that landed restricts DC by level rather than banning chargers.
"Condo / Highrise EV Charging" — Lowyat forum thread.
"Install EV charger at condo" — Lowyat forum thread.
"Condo with EV Charging Provision" — Lowyat forum thread, on buildings that already have provision.
"Those who buy condo how to own EV?" — Lowyat forum thread.
The pattern across them is the same: residents assume the building has refused on fire-safety grounds, when in most cases nobody has checked which placement the guideline actually permits.
What this means for your building
Deep basement car park: plan AC. A DC proposal below the first basement level will not clear the guideline.
Mixed car park: put DC on the ground floor or the first two upper levels, AC everywhere else.
New development: budget the 2% bay requirement, the visitor bay and the OKU bay into the parking layout now, not after approval.
Existing building: nothing is compulsory, so the question is demand and who pays, not compliance.
Which of those applies is a site question. EvGuru surveys the car park, reads the incoming supply and comes back with a bay plan that matches the guideline. See our EV charging solutions for car parks and businesses, our condo and apartment charging page, and completed work in our project portfolio.
Request a free site assessment: message EvGuru on WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install a DC fast charger in my condo basement?
Only on the first level below ground. GPP EVCB limits indoor DC placement to the ground floor and the first two upper parking levels, and in basements to the first level below ground, following Bomba fire-safety guidance. Below that, AC up to 22kW is the workable option.
Is there a limit on AC chargers in a multi-storey car park?
No level limit. The guideline places no placement restriction on AC chargers up to 22kW in multi-storey buildings, so they can be built on every indoor parking level. Bays still must not obstruct exit routes.
Does my existing condo have to install EV charging bays?
No. The 2% bay requirement applies to new multi-storey residential and commercial developments. For existing developments the guideline says the number should be based on demand, and calls that a recommendation rather than a requirement.
How long does local authority approval take?
The guideline sets 7 days for AC chargers and 14 days for DC chargers at the local authority. That window does not include TNB supply confirmation, contractor scheduling or your own committee approval, which usually take far longer.
How big does an EV charging bay have to be?
A standard bay is 2.5m wide and 6m long. A disabled-friendly (OKU) bay adds 1m to the width. New commercial developments must provide at least one OKU bay.
Which buildings are allowed to have EV charging bays at all?
Strata and non-strata housing, industrial and commercial areas, institutions, petrol stations, and rest and service areas. Bays may be outdoors, indoors or on rooftops.
