Chicago’s New 2025 Garage EV Charger Ventilation Requirements: What Every Homeowner Needs to Know
As Chicago continues to lead the nation in electric vehicle adoption and sustainable building practices, homeowners planning to install EV chargers in their garages face new considerations in 2025. While the City Council has approved expanded EV charging ordinances that integrate statewide requirements for electric vehicle readiness in new residential buildings, with expanded requirements applying to building permits applied for on or after November 1, 2023, understanding the ventilation and indoor air quality implications has become crucial for proper installation design.
Understanding Chicago’s EV Readiness Requirements
Chicago now requires 100 percent of off-street parking spaces serving dwelling units intended for household living to be EVSE-ready or EVSE-installed, marking a significant shift in residential electrical infrastructure planning. An EVSE-ready space must have electric vehicle supply equipment infrastructure installed to provide conduit and wiring for a 40-ampere, 208- or 240-volt dedicated branch circuit terminating at a receptacle or junction box within 3 feet of the parking space.
For homeowners, this means that when obtaining an electrical permit from the City of Chicago, which your electrical contractor can do on your behalf, proper planning for both electrical infrastructure and ventilation considerations is essential.
Garage Ventilation Code Requirements
Chicago’s building codes have specific ventilation requirements for garages that impact EV charger installations. Garage relief openings should be shown and dimensioned on drawings as 1 square foot of free area per car, and not just noted as such (mostly applies to residential). For garage ventilation requirements, if a building is used for active storage of cars only, relief openings may be located in walls, areaways or roofs.
However, when it comes to EV charging specifically, the ventilation requirements differ significantly from traditional automotive applications. Only EVSE listed as requiring indoor ventilation requires ventilation, and in current experience, no EVSE currently bears this listing. This is because the interlocking ventilation requirements are typical of lead acid battery installations, not Lithium-Ion battery charging, as lead acid batteries vent hydrogen and create a class 1 division 1 explosion hazard.
2025 Indoor Air Quality Considerations
The 2025 indoor air quality rules focus on comprehensive ventilation strategies that go beyond traditional garage ventilation. Ventilation air must come from outdoors and must not be transferred from adjacent conditioned spaces, garages, or unconditioned spaces, and walls and openings between the dwelling unit and adjacent spaces, such as parking garage or other spaces must be sealed or gasketed.
The outdoor air inlet should be located to avoid areas with contaminants such as vehicle emissions from parking lots or garages, which creates important considerations for garage-based EV charging installations. Adequate ventilation and site setup clearance shall be in place so as not to pose any hazards from overheating or obstruction.
Professional Installation Requirements
Given the complexity of both electrical and ventilation code compliance, professional EV Charger Installation is essential for Chicago homeowners. When ventilation is required, two holes must be drilled through the structure to provide both exhaust and fresh air make-up, and additionally, a dedicated fan and electrical circuit must be installed.
All EV charging stations rated 150-volts to ground or less, and 50 amperes or less are required to be GFCI (Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter) protected, with the intent to protect people from possible electric shock or electrocution in the event of a ground fault inside the EV charging station.
Working with Qualified Chicago Electricians
Jimco Electric, serving Chicago with licensed electricians for residential and commercial electrical services, understands the unique challenges of 2025’s evolving code landscape. The company provides licensed electricians who show up on time, transparent pricing before any work begins, and quality electrical installation and repair that actually lasts, serving Chicago with the same commitment to doing electrical work the right way.
Every electrical installation meets current electrical codes, ensuring safety and passing inspections without delays or rework, which is particularly important given the evolving nature of EV charging regulations and ventilation requirements.
Temperature Control and Battery Optimization
Beyond basic ventilation requirements, space conditioning, specifically providing heating and cooling to a garage aids in battery charging while preserving the life and capacity of EV batteries, with analysis showing that maintaining batteries within a controlled temperature range, specifically 70 degrees F ±10 degrees F is optimal for both maximizing battery charging speeds and preserving battery capacity.
Installation of a high-efficient ductless mini-split heating and cooling system may be a perfect marriage with a fast level 2 charger, as mini-split units are ultra-efficient compared to conventional air-conditioners and therefore cheap to operate, and if properly sized the unit can either temper the garage or completely condition the space.
Looking Ahead
As Chicago continues to strengthen its position as a leader in sustainable transportation infrastructure, homeowners planning EV charger installations must navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment. The integration of electrical code requirements, ventilation standards, and indoor air quality considerations requires careful planning and professional expertise.
By working with qualified electrical contractors who understand both the current code requirements and the evolving landscape of EV charging technology, Chicago homeowners can ensure their installations are not only compliant but also optimized for safety, efficiency, and long-term performance. The investment in proper installation design today will pay dividends in reliable, safe EV charging for years to come.