Charging station subsidy

1. Which charging station for whom?

Recommendation: A 11 kW wallbox with a Type 2 connection is the standard for home use. 22 kW are worthwhile only if the vehicle supports 3-phase charging.

2. What does a wallbox cost?

Apartment buildings often incur additional costs: sub-distribution boards, billing systems (smart meters) and load management.

3. Installation: what should you consider?

3.1 Technical requirements

For 11 kW or 22 kW, the building needs three-phase current (3-phase). Older buildings often need to be upgraded. From 11 kW, a cable cross-section of at least 6 mm² is required.

A Type B RCD is mandatory for wallboxes. It costs 50–150 € more than Type A. The earthing must comply with VDE standards.

For several charging points, we strongly recommend load management. It prevents the grid from being overloaded.

3.2 Legal requirements

Registration with the grid operator:

You must register wallboxes from 3,7 kW with the local grid operator (§ 19 NAV). Wallboxes from 11 kW additionally require approval. Under § 14a EnWG, the grid operator can require charging management. At peak-load times, it may then temporarily reduce the power to 4,2 kW.

For tenants and WEG members:

Tenants and apartment owners have a statutory right to the installation of a charging station (§ 20 WEG, § 554 BGB). Landlords or WEGs may not prohibit installation outright. However, they may impose conditions. The entitlement applies only if, after weighing the interests, the measure is not unreasonable for the landlord.

As a rule, the applicant, meaning the tenant or owner, bears the costs, not the landlord. Since the WEG reform (WEMoG, 2020), a simple majority of votes cast is sufficient for the resolution. Unanimity is no longer required.

3.3 What to consider when buying a wallbox?

Only authorised electrical contractors may install wallboxes.

4. Federal funding: "Laden im Mehrparteienhaus" since 15 April 2026

The Bundesministerium für Verkehr (BMV) launched the programme on 15 April 2026. The total volume is 500 million euros. We recommend applying early.

4.1 Who is eligible?

Eligible applicants are:

• Homeowners' associations (WEG) and individual WEG members
• Private landlords
• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with private residential property
• Housing associations and property companies with larger housing portfolios. A separate competitive award procedure with an earlier application deadline applies to this group (see 4.5).

Not funded: detached house owners (without federal funding since 2024) and commercial fleets.

4.2 What is funded?

The programme funds wallboxes (Type 2, maximum 22 kW per charging point) and all necessary construction measures: wiring, cable routes, grid connection, sub-distribution, smart meters, charging management and bidirectional charging technology (V2G/V2H).

Parking spaces in outdoor areas, multi-storey car parks and underground car parks are eligible. Requirement: they belong to the apartment building and are used exclusively by residents.

4.3 Grant amounts per parking space

4.4 V Requirements

1. At least 20 % of parking spaces are pre-wired, or at least 6 parking spaces are electrified.
2. The electricity comes from renewable energy. A green electricity supply contract, a green electricity certificate or your own PV system is sufficient. Evidence is provided with the proof of use.
3. An authorised electrical contractor carries out the installation.
4. You may not award a contract before the funding application has been approved.

4.5 A Application period and application office

WEGs, SMEs and private landlords can apply from 15 April 2026 to 10 November 2026. Applications are processed immediately after receipt, and funding is provided as a fixed amount.

Housing associations and property companies with large housing portfolios submit their application by 15 October 2026. Funds are allocated through a competitive procedure.

The Bundesministerium für Verkehr (BMV) is responsible for the programme. Applications are processed by the project agency PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), with technical support from the Nationale Leitstelle Ladeinfrastruktur (NOW GmbH).

The application portal is laden-im-mehrparteienhaus.de or directly portal.laden-im-mehrparteienhaus.de. Applications are not submitted through bafa.de. Submit the application before starting the measures.

5. A Application process: step by step

5.1 Prepare access to the application portal

Applications are submitted via the portal portal.laden-im-mehrparteienhaus.de. It is operated by project agency PwC on behalf of the BMV. Check the precise registration and authentication requirements in advance on the page laden-im-mehrparteienhaus.de/antragstellung. These differ from conventional federal portals such as BAFA or KfW.

5.2 W Apply for wallbox funding for an apartment building

6. Tax advantages around charging

Reimbursement for electricity charged at home was tightened in 2026. The previous flat rate of 30 € or 70 € per month without evidence ended on 31.12.2025. Since 1.1.2026, tax-free reimbursement is possible only if the kWh charged at home is measured precisely. This requires a separate meter in the wallbox, a mobile intermediate metering device or the vehicle's onboard electronics.

As an alternative to individual evidence, a uniform electricity-price flat rate of 34,36 cents per kWh has applied since 2026. However, exact measurement of the amount charged remains a requirement in all cases.

7. Avoid common mistakes

8. Checklist

Preparation

Application and installation (apartment building)

Ongoing

State funding, municipal funding

Details of funding in the individual federal states can be found under Wallbox Bundesländer.