Electric Vehicle Charging in the Public Right-of-Way Framework
The goal of this policy is to provide convenient, reliable and affordable EV charging to all Portlanders, especially those who cannot charge at home. While some Portlanders can make the switch to an EV and easily charge at home, many Portlanders lack access to home charging because they live in a home without a garage, driveway, or dedicated parking space or are renters and must rely on landlords to make the necessary infrastructure upgrade.
To expand access to public charging, the City has decided to open up the public right-of-way for curbside EV charging by utilities or private EV charging companies. The City will not own, operate or maintain any EV chargers, instead they will permit our two local investor-owned utilities and private EV charging companies to install EV chargers in the right-of-way. Private individuals, groups, or businesses are not permitted to install EV chargers in the right-of-way at this time.
In an effort to create a streamlined permitting process, EV charging companies must first obtain a Right-of-Way License for operating in the right-of-way and sign a Master Lease Agreement. Once those processes have been completed, companies will one permit and one Site License Agreement (SLA) per site, based on our location and siting guidelines.
Please visit our website to learn more about our EV Charging in the Public Right-of-Way policy and our location and siting guidelines.
Master Lease Agreement
The Master Lease Agreement (MLA) is the overarching legal document that allows companies to lease space in the public right-of-way and must be signed prior to submitting permits for EV charger installations. The MLA includes standard city language around insurance, indemnification, and more as well as requirements for equipment specifications, maintenance standards, data sharing, and more.
The City will be negotiating the MLA for all private EV charging companies to sign beginning in March 2025. This is the only negotiation process that will occur and it will result in one version that all companies will sign, including EV charging companies interested in right-of-way charging in the future. This is in an effort to ensure equitable access to the right-of-way by all EV charging companies.
Master Lease Agreement Negotiation Process
The tentative timeline for the MLA negotiation process in spring/summer 2025 is below. This timeline is subject to change.
First Meeting
The first meeting on the MLA negotiation process was held on March 18, 2025. The City shared the policy overview for EV charging in the right-of-way, as well as more detailed information on the ROW License required and on the MLA itself.
Future Meetings
The tentative timeline for future meetings is below. These meetings are open to any EV charging company interested in installing EV chargers in the public right-of-way and will center on reviewing feedback received on the MLA by the companies.
Interested in EV Charging in the Right-of-Way?
Any EV charging company interested in EV charging in the right-of-way can reach out to our point of contact on the right side of the screen. Companies may join in the negotiation process in spring/summer 2025 or may request a copy of the final version of the MLA if the negotiation process has concluded.