An EV charger inspection checklist records the state of the equipment that charges an electric vehicle at a home or a small business: what the charger is and how big, whether the breaker and wiring suit it, how it is protected, mounted and labeled, the condition of the cable and connector, where it sits, and whether it charged. This one is written for home inspectors and electricians looking at Level 2 equipment, takes one entry per charger, and you can fill it in here and download a finished PDF without creating an account.
Why a charger deserves its own look
A Level 2 charger is usually the biggest continuous load in a house. A dryer runs for an hour; a car can draw 32 or 48 amps for six or eight hours, night after night. Weak spots that a range or a dryer never found — a budget outlet, a loose terminal, a conductor one size too small — show up under that kind of duty as heat.
Many home chargers were put in by owners or handymen, some without a permit, and a few were bought online with no listing mark at all. None of that is visible from the driveway. It is visible on the label, at the breaker and at the outlet, which is where this form spends its time.
The breaker, the label and the 125 percent rule
Chargers count as continuous loads, so the circuit is normally sized at 125 percent of the charger's rated output: a 32-amp charger on a 40-amp breaker, 40 amps on 50, 48 amps on 60. The charger's label or manual usually states the breaker it expects.
Many hardwired chargers can be set to draw less so they suit a smaller circuit, by a dial inside the unit or in the app. If the setting is shown, record it — a 48-amp unit turned down to 32 amps on a 40-amp breaker is fine; the same unit left at 48 is not.
The form asks for both numbers so the reader can see the arithmetic, then asks the plain question: is the breaker within what the label allows? Conductor size can only be judged with the panel cover off. If you did not remove it, say so in the limitations.
Plug-in chargers and the 240-volt outlet
A charger that plugs into a NEMA 14-50 or 6-50 outlet is convenient, and it is where most photos of melted EV equipment come from. An outlet built for a range plug that is pushed in once and left alone does not always survive a plug that carries full current every night and gets pulled out on weekends.
Look at the face of the outlet for browning or soft plastic, feel whether the plug grips firmly, and notice whether a heavy charger is hanging off the outlet with no bracket. Outlets installed for EV charging generally need ground-fault protection under recent electrical codes, and some chargers trip those breakers; record what you find rather than deciding on the spot.
What this inspection does not cover
It is a visual inspection with the charger operated through its normal controls. It is not a load calculation, not a check of code compliance or permits, and not an instrument test of the charger's internal protection. DC fast chargers can be listed for the record but are outside its scope. Anything that needs the cover off the charger, a meter on the circuit or a calculation of the service belongs to a licensed electrician, and the recommendations say so.
Common questions
Can a home inspector inspect an EV charger?
Yes, in the same way as any other installed electrical equipment: what it is, how it is fed and protected, its visible condition, and whether it responds to normal use. Load calculations, permit history and code compliance are outside a home inspection, and defects are referred to a licensed electrician.
What size breaker does a Level 2 charger need?
Normally 125 percent of the charger's continuous output: 40 amps for a 32-amp charger, 50 for 40, 60 for 48. The label or installation manual gives the exact figure, and many units can be set to a lower output to suit a smaller circuit.
Does an EV charger need GFCI protection?
Listed chargers carry their own built-in personnel protection. Outlets installed for plug-in chargers generally need GFCI protection under recent editions of the electrical code, though the edition your area has adopted decides. Record what protection you found and refer any doubt to an electrician.
How often should an EV charger be checked?
At a home inspection, after any change to the panel or circuit, and whenever the owner notices heat, a burning smell or repeated faults. On shared or workplace sites a monthly visual check of cables and connectors is common, with an electrician's inspection on a longer cycle.
Is it acceptable to charge through an extension cord?
Charger makers say not to, and an ordinary extension cord is not built for hours of full current. If you find one in use, record it as a safety finding with a photo.
What if there is no vehicle to test with?
Record that the charger powered up and showed ready, and that a charging session was not observed. Do not describe it as working; describe what you saw.