How to stop cars from blocking shared EV chargers

Short answer

Shared chargers only work if they turn over. When a car stays in the space after it has finished charging, the next driver can’t charge, and the complaint lands on the manager or the board. An idle fee solves this: once a vehicle stops charging, a fee applies for the time it keeps occupying the space. EZ EV Energy builds idle fees into your charging program, so drivers are billed automatically in the app and no one has to police the parking lot.

The problem: chargers that are occupied but not charging

In communities with shared chargers on the common elements, the most consistent complaint is not price or reliability. It is access. A driver plugs in after work, the car finishes charging in a few hours, and it stays in the space overnight or all weekend. Meanwhile:

Other residents can’t charge, even though the charger is sitting idle.
Neighbors start policing each other, with notes on windshields and messages to the manager.
The board gets pulled in to a parking dispute it has no simple way to resolve.
The program looks undersized, pushing the board toward more chargers when the real issue is turnover.

Why rules alone usually don’t work

Most communities start with a posted time limit or an etiquette notice. These depend on someone noticing, reporting and enforcing, which usually means the manager or a board member. Formal enforcement through fines follows the notice-and-hearing process in your documents and Florida law, which is slow and adversarial for what is really an everyday parking habit.

Florida law already makes it a traffic infraction to park a vehicle that can’t use the charger in a space designated for EV charging (section 366.94, Florida Statutes). That covers gas cars blocking the space. It does not address the more common problem in condos: an EV that has finished charging and simply stays.

How idle fees solve it

An idle fee is a charge for occupying a charging space after the vehicle has stopped charging. It works because it is automatic and tied to the session the driver already started:

The driver starts a session in the app and pays for the energy they use.
Charging finishes. The car is full, or reaches the limit the driver set.
If the vehicle stays connected and occupying the space after charging stops, an idle fee applies for that time.
The fee is billed in the same app as part of the session, so there is nothing for the manager to chase.

The result is a simple incentive: move your car when charging is done, and the next neighbor can plug in. Most drivers never pay an idle fee at all; its job is to change the habit, not to raise revenue.

Setting an idle fee policy

Decide when the fee starts. Many programs allow a short grace period after charging ends so drivers have time to move their car.
Set a fee that changes behavior. It should be high enough that leaving the car is not worth it, without being punitive.
Consider overnight hours. Some communities pause idle fees overnight when demand is low; others keep them on because overnight is when blocking happens.
Put it in writing. Include the idle fee in your written EV charging policy and adopt it the way your governing documents require, so every resident knows the rule before they plug in.
Tell residents in advance. A short notice and signage at the chargers prevent surprises and complaints.

Pricing and idle fee terms for each community are set in its agreement with EZ EV Energy. Your association attorney can confirm how to adopt the policy under your documents.

How EZ EV Energy handles it

Idle fees built into the program. We set up idle fees with your board as part of your charging terms.
Automatic billing. Idle time is measured and billed in the app with the session, so no one on site has to enforce it.
Usage reports for the board. See how chargers are being used and whether turnover is improving before deciding to add capacity.
24/7 driver support. Drivers with questions about a session or a fee call our help desk, not the property manager.

Get a free site assessment

We review your parking, electrical capacity and goals, then send a written proposal: equipment options plus EZ EV software and billing terms to share with your board.

Request a free assessment or call (561) 299-1166

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Updated November 2026. This guide is general information about Florida rules, not legal advice. Laws change and every community's governing documents are different, so confirm details with your association's attorney.