EV charging idle fees: when to use them, and when to leave them off

What an idle fee is

An idle fee, also called an overstay fee, is a charge for leaving a car plugged in once it no longer needs the charger. It has nothing to do with the electricity. It's about the bay.

Charging networks set them up in a few ways (Paua):

• a fixed fee once a time limit has passed
• a fee per minute once a time limit has passed
• a fee per minute once the car is fully charged

They're common on public networks. Zapmap's guide to RAW Charging, a national destination network, notes that overstay fees may apply alongside connection fees and other charges (Zapmap).

Whether you need one depends on how your site is used. They make most sense in car parks and the least sense at hotels.

A real example

Believ publishes its overstay fees. As of October 2026 (Believ pricing):

• On fast chargers from 7kW to 22kW, it charges 5p per minute.
• The fee starts one hour after charging stops.
• On those chargers, it only applies between 10am and 6pm.
• Rapid chargers of 50kW and above carry a higher rate, around the clock.

That structure is worth copying in spirit. It gives drivers an hour, it only applies during the day when bays are in demand, and it leaves overnight charging alone.

Not every network uses them, so drivers won't expect one everywhere.

Why idle fees exist

A charger with a full car on it earns nothing and blocks the next driver. On a dual pedestal, one parked-up car takes half your capacity.

Here's an illustrative case. A shopper plugs in at 11am and the car finishes at 1pm. If it stays until 5pm, that's four hours when the socket could have served someone else. On a busy site, that's lost charging and an annoyed driver waiting.

An idle fee gives people a reason to move. Its job is to keep bays turning over. If a site rarely has a queue, the fee isn't doing much.

How to set one up fairly

Start it at the right moment

The fairest trigger is usually "after charging stops", because a slow-charging car isn't penalised for being slow. A fixed time limit is simpler to explain but can catch cars that are still charging.

Give a grace period

Drivers don't stand next to their car. They're finishing a meal, a meeting or the shopping. A grace period lets them come back without a charge. Believ's is an hour. Choose one that matches how long people normally stay at your site.

Limit the hours

Apply the fee when bays are in demand and turn it off when they aren't. For most destination sites, that means daytime only.

Cap it

Set a daily maximum so a forgotten car doesn't run up a bill that turns into a complaint. A cap still does the job of moving people on.

Where idle fees make sense

• Car parks and pay-and-display sites. High turnover and drivers who aren't otherwise customers.
• Retail parks, garden centres and farm shops. Visits are short and the next customer is often waiting.
• Pubs and restaurants at lunchtime. A fee after a sensible grace period keeps the bay free for the next table.
• Workplaces with visitor bays. Staff moving their car mid-morning lets a visitor plug in.

Where they don't: overnight hotel guests

At a hotel, the car is meant to sit there all night. A guest plugs in at 9pm. Many cars take 11kW on AC, so an empty car with an average-sized battery would be full in around 7 hours (derived from the 73.4kWh average usable battery on EV Database). Plenty finish well before that.

Nobody is going to move their car at 3am. An idle fee overnight would just add a charge to the bill for doing exactly what you wanted them to do.

Better options for hotels:

• Switch the fee off overnight, as Believ does on its fast chargers.
• Start it after check-out time, if you need the bays back for day visitors.
• Leave it off altogether if you rarely have two cars waiting for one socket.

Weddings and events

Wedding guests can be on site all day and into the night. A daytime idle fee would land on people who can't easily leave the reception to move a car. Turn it off on event days.

Show it clearly

The Public Charge Point Regulations require the maximum price to be shown in pence per kWh, including fixed fees such as connection fees. The government guidance doesn't mention overstay fees, so check the current position before you rely on that.

Either way, drivers should know about an idle fee before they plug in. Show:

1. the rate, for example per minute
2. when it starts, such as one hour after charging stops
3. the hours it applies
4. any daily cap

Put that on or beside the charger, in the app, on your website and in your Zapmap listing. Our driver help page explains how fees work at our sites.

Sample wording

Keep the sign short and plain. Something like this works:

"Please move your car when charging finishes. An idle fee applies from one hour after charging stops, between 10am and 6pm, up to a daily cap. Current rates are shown on the screen and in the app."

Swap in your own times and grace period.

Use the same wording in the app, on your website and in your Zapmap listing, so drivers see one consistent message.

Review it after a few months

Treat your first setting as a starting point. The back office records when each session starts, when charging stops and when the car is unplugged.

After a few months, look at how often cars sit idle while another driver is waiting. If it rarely happens, the fee isn't needed. If it happens most days, a shorter grace period or longer hours may help. Talk to your staff too, because they'll hear the complaints first.

Don't build your numbers on it

Idle fees are a tool for managing bays. If a plan relies on them, it's relying on drivers getting it wrong.

Base your expectations on the energy you sell. Our guide to how much a business can earn from EV charging shows the working, and the revenue estimator lets you try your own figures.

Next step

If you're not sure whether your site needs an idle fee, raise it at your free site survey. We'll look at how long people stay and how busy the bays are likely to be, then agree pricing that fits.