Charging without a driveway: can you run a cable over the footpath?
In most of Australia, no. Councils treat a charging cable over the footpath as a trip hazard and an obstruction, and some have warned or fined owners. England has just made footpath cable channels easier (from 21 October 2026), but Australia has no national rule like it. A few councils in Sydney and Melbourne now offer permits or trials for safer setups, so ask yours before you run a lead.
What just changed in England
From 21 October 2026, households in England no longer need planning permission to put a cable channel (a shallow covered groove) in the footpath from a home charger to a car parked on the street. They still need sign-off from the council that manages the road, and the UK Government has a £25 million fund to help councils install the channels. Dozens of UK councils already allowed them.
It doesn't apply here. In Australia, footpaths are part of the road reserve managed by your council (or the state on main roads), and each council sets its own rules.
What Australian councils say
| Council | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Port Phillip Melbourne | Cords across a footpath, road or nature strip breach local laws; the council has quoted a $960 fine. It also runs a permit pilot for private chargers built into the kerb (up to 100 chargers or four years from June 2024, $500 application fee plus bonds). | Drive; City of Port Phillip |
| Boroondara Melbourne | Doesn't issue permits to run charging cables across footpaths. | Drive |
| Yarra Melbourne | Doesn't permit electrical cables on or above footpaths. | Maurice Blackburn via Yahoo News |
| Merri-bek Melbourne | Trialling an overhead boom that carries the cable 2.5 m above the footpath. Owners need a permit and pay for the gear (one resident estimated $4,000 installed). Started September 2025 for nine months; not in heritage areas. | Brunswick Voice |
| Inner West Sydney | Has given free permits to run a covered cable across the footpath, taken up after each charge, with the permit on display. Paused once in 2024, then resumed; NRMA said in April 2026 the trial runs to July 2026, so ask whether it's still open. | Zecar; NRMA |
| North Sydney Sydney | Warned a resident in 2024 that cables on or over the footpath are an offence and must stop, mentioning a $330 fine. | Yahoo News |
| Mosman Sydney | Adopted an EV charging policy in 2026 for chargers on council land; resident proposals for private kerbside charging are assessed case by case. | Mosman Council; SolarQuotes |
Rules change often and most councils haven't published a position, so check with yours. Sources are listed at the end of this guide.
What the law says
- Victoria: section 62 of the Road Management Act 2004 says you must not obstruct a road, which includes the footpath. The maximum court penalty is 10 penalty units, about $2,100, and councils can also fine under their own local laws.
- NSW: any work or structure on the road reserve, footpaths included, needs the road authority's consent under section 138 of the Roads Act. NSW planning rules allow a private kerbside charger with council consent if it's next to a legal parking spot, connected to your own meter, for your own use, with cabling kept underground.
- Everywhere: even where it's allowed, the cable must be covered, taken up after charging and plugged straight into a suitable outlet, never through a household extension lead. See charging cable safety.
- Insurance: Port Phillip strongly encourages permit holders to carry insurance, because someone could trip. Check your home insurance covers it before you start.
The options without a driveway
- Public kerbside chargers. NSW has funded more than 1,000 kerbside charging ports across 38 councils, many on power poles, and Victorian councils are adding them too. Slower AC posts are usually cheapest; check PlugShare for your street.
- Overhead booms and kerb chargers. Only with your council's permission (Merri-bek and Port Phillip have schemes). Expect to pay for the hardware and installation yourself; see the products below.
- Charge at work or while shopping. Many workplaces and shopping centres have AC chargers, some free. A Type 2 cable is often needed.
- Use cheap midday power. If you can charge near home in the middle of the day, free midday power offers in NSW, SE Queensland, SA and Victoria can cut costs.
- A plug-in hybrid or hybrid. If charging is truly hard, a hybrid may cost less overall than an EV charged only at fast chargers. Compare with our charging cost guide.
Overhead and kerb chargers you can buy
| Product | How it works | Cost | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| VCS Two Vehicle Charging Solutions Australia | A fibreglass boom on your side of the fence swings out over the footpath, high enough to clear people, and folds away when not in use. 15 m cable that plugs into a normal power point (about 200 km overnight, depending on the car); faster options available. No footpath work. | About $2,000–$3,000 installed, plus any electrical work (company's indicative price) | Melbourne now; Sydney planned. Made in Melbourne |
| VCS One Same company | The earlier counterweighted post and boom, about 2.5 m above the footpath, used in Merri-bek's trial. | One trial resident estimated about $4,000 including connection | Merri-bek trial |
| Private kerb charger | A charger set into the nature strip or kerb next to your parking spot, wired underground from your home. | Port Phillip: about $500 application fee, about $100 a year permit, $20 million public liability cover, plus charger and installation, often several thousand dollars | Port Phillip permit scheme; NSW with council consent |
| ChargeArm Netherlands | A wall- or post-mounted arm that carries the cable about 2.3 m out, folding in if pulled. | Not published | Europe; we couldn't find an Australian seller |
Before you buy: none of these gives you a right to the parking spot outside your home, and every one needs your council's permission first. Renters need the landlord's written OK. Ask the supplier for a quote that includes the electrical work, and ask your council about fees and insurance.
Sources: VCSA pricing, VCS Two, CarExpert: the hidden costs of private kerbside charging (Aug 2026), Electrek: ChargeArm. We have no commercial relationship with these companies.
How to ask your council
- Search your council's website for "EV charging" or "kerbside charging" to see if there's a policy or trial.
- If not, email the roads or traffic team and ask whether residents without off-street parking can get a permit for a covered cable, kerb charger or overhead boom.
- Ask about fees, bonds, insurance and heritage rules, and get any approval in writing.
- Ask where public kerbside chargers are planned. Resident requests help councils choose sites.
Sources
- electrive: rule changes for cross-pavement chargers in England (21 Oct 2026)
- Drive: councils issue warning to electric car owners
- City of Port Phillip: kerbside charging programs to continue
- Maurice Blackburn via Yahoo News: footpath act and fines (Aug 2026)
- Brunswick Voice: Merri-bek overhead boom trial (Apr 2026)
- Zecar: Inner West footpath charging permits
- NRMA: charging if you live in an apartment or terrace (Apr 2026)
- Yahoo News: North Sydney Council warning (2024)
- SolarQuotes: kerbside charging options across Australia (Jun 2026)
- Transport for NSW: kerbside EV charging design guide (2026)
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Common questions
Can I run an EV charging cable across the footpath in Australia?
Usually not without permission. Most councils treat it as an obstruction and trip hazard, and some have fined or warned owners. A few, including Inner West in Sydney and Merri-bek and Port Phillip in Melbourne, have permit schemes or trials for covered cables, kerb chargers or overhead booms.
What is the fine for a charging cable across a footpath?
It depends on the council. Port Phillip has quoted $960 and North Sydney mentioned $330. In Victoria the maximum court penalty for obstructing a road is 10 penalty units, about $2,100.
Are footpath cable channels allowed in Australia?
Not as a standard option. England dropped the need for planning permission from 21 October 2026, but in Australia each council decides, and none has a general channel scheme like the UK's yet.
How much does an overhead EV charging boom cost?
Vehicle Charging Solutions Australia gives an indicative $2,000 to $3,000 installed for its VCS Two boom in Melbourne, plus any electrical work at your home. You need council permission first.
How do I charge an EV without a driveway?
Use public kerbside or destination chargers, charge at work, ask your council about a permit scheme, or consider a hybrid if charging is hard where you live.
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How we work it out, and our sources
Weekly cost = the car's energy use × 250 km × your electricity or fuel price, with 90% of charging at home. Prices are list prices at October 2026; check with the dealer.
- Electricity: 2026–27 default rates (AER, Victorian Default Offer, state retailers). Public charging: Sydney network prices, July 2026.
- Petrol and diesel: ACCC capital-city averages, 21 October 2026.
- Cars: maker figures via CarExpert, Drive, CarsGuide and EV Central. Plug-in electric range is taken as 80% of the claim.
- Servicing: published capped prices; marked as an estimate where not yet published (CarExpert comparison).
- Tyres: an EV set lasts about 35,000 km, a petrol or hybrid set 50,000 km (RACV); prices from Gridly.
- Home charger: about $2,000 installed ($1,000–$3,000). Novated leases: PwC summary.
Printed from EV Pick · evpick.com.au. Prices and costs are estimates; check with the dealer. © 2026 EV Pick (T. Crouch). For personal use only; not to be copied, republished or sold without permission.