Save $10,000 Per Year On Vancouver’s New Mandatory EV Charger Fees for Commercial Parking

Starting January 2026, gas stations and larger commercial parking lots in Vancouver will face an annual licence fee of $10,000 unless they install EV charging stations.

Fortunately, with the deadline for verifying the presence of new EV charging stations set at September 1, 2025, there is still plenty of time to act to avoid paying the new, higher fee.

Read on to learn more about how this new program works and the steps you should take to adopt EV charging and avoid the $10,000 fee.

What Is Vancouver’s Business Licence EV Program and How Does It Affect Your Business?

Vancouver’s new business licence program uses a tiered fee structure that rewards businesses that install EV charging with dramatically lower licence fees. It’s designed to accelerate the deployment of EV charging throughout the city by incentivizing gas stations and commercial parking lots to install EV chargers quickly.

This is a mandatory business licence restructuring that will affect all gas stations and qualifying commercial parking lots in Vancouver starting January 2026.

Read more about the program on the City of Vancouver website.

The basics of the new licence fee structure

Beginning January 2026, an annual business licence fee of $10,000 will apply to:

• Gas stations without minimum 50kW EV charging (1 fast charger)
  • Note: Gas stations may install charging off-site and still qualify for the lower business licence fee
• Commercial parking lots with 60+ stalls without 26.6kW charging (equivalent to four Level 2 chargers)
  • Note: For parking lots for mixed residential and commercial use, only the commercial stalls count in the tally.

For perspective, the current business licence fees for these types of businesses is set at $265 for the year, making the new $10,000 fee an enormous leap.

Why installing EV charging will save you money

The new fee is steep, but given the costs associated with installing EV charging, is it really less expensive to install charging?

The answer is yes. By selecting the right solution, you’ll recoup your investment through licence fee savings alone in just a few years.

• A typical DCFC fast charger (required for gas stations) costs in the ballpark of $50-70k, plus installation.
• Level 2 chargers (required for commercial parking businesses) usually cost in the range of $1,200-2,500 each, plus installation.

Even adding in the costs of installation, the payback period on the basis of licence fee savings alone will last just a few years.

Cutting costs with funding programs

There’s more good news: Thanks to available funding programs, you do not need to pay full price for installing EV charging.

The Clean BC Go Electric EV Charger Rebate covers as much as 75% of eligible purchase and installation costs for EV charging stations, dramatically reducing the costs of getting charging stations installed.

If you would like help securing this funding for your business, reach out to our team today!

Paying back the costs of installation through charging fees

Finally, EV charging stations generate revenue with each charging session, meaning you can earn back the costs associated with installing your chargers as people use them.

Be sure to partner with solutions providers, like SWTCH, that don’t seek revenue sharing agreements. This will ensure you keep as much of your revenue as possible, speeding up the time it takes to pay back your costs.

Securing your lower business licence fee, step by step

Determined to install EV charging and secure the lower business license fee? Follow these steps to ensure you qualify:

1: Pre-Approval (Optional but Recommended)

Email electric_vehicles@vancouver.ca with:

• Your business address
• Business licence number
• For gas stations seeking alternative compliance: the address and business licence of the off-site location
• Details about planned charger types and quantities

2: Technical Assessment

• Work with a qualified electrician or engineer to assess your site’s electrical capacity
• Work with an electrician and your EV charging solutions provider to select your chargers and design your EV charging installation

3: Utility Coordination

• If needed, request a design connection project from BC Hydro
• This step is crucial for installations requiring increased electrical service

4: Permitting

• Have your electrician apply for proper electrical permits
  Ensure all work will comply with local electrical codes

5: Installation

• Install charging equipment meeting minimum power requirements:
  • Gas stations: 50kW minimum
  • Parking lots: 26.6kW minimum

6: Verification Package Submission – CRITICAL DEADLINE

By September 1, 2025, email your complete verification package to electric_vehicles@vancouver.ca, including:

• Photos of each installed charging station
• Proof of charger internet connectivity (screenshot of back-end network operating system)Completed Business Licence Change of Information form

Important Timeline Considerations

This program operates on a strict timeline. Here are the key dates:

• Now through Summer 2025: Plan and install your EV charging infrastructure
• September 1, 2025: Hard deadline for verification package submission
• November 2025: Business licence renewal notices sent with updated categories
• January 2026: New business licence fee structure takes effect

Note that electrical upgrades can take weeks or months to plan anc complete. In order to ensure your work is finished in time for the September 1 verification deadline, it’s best to begin the work as soon as possible.

Why you should partner with SWTCH on installing EV charging

Success with EV charging isn’t just about beating fee deadlines—it’s about finding partners who can help you deliver a quality charging experience and manage surprises along the way.

Here are some of the advantages of partnering with SWTCH:

• Custom charging solutions uniquely tailored to your property
• Assistance navigating funding program applications
• Integration with parking operators & software providers for a seamless driver experience
• Advanced energy management to allow you to install more chargers at lower cost
• Comprehensive service packages to eliminate the effort associated with managing EV chargers
• Local presence and expertise in the Vancouver market

To learn more about our solution, visit us here.

This new business fee policy is a clear signal of Vancouver’s commitment to expanding EV charging infrastructure, and while the tools exist to minimize the impact to your business, you must act quickly if you want to benefit.

Reach out to our team today to see how we can help you deploy charging stations in time to beat the licence fee deadline!