Free quick check
Will my panel handle an EV charger?
Six taps. No email. This runs the same NEC 220.83(A) screen an electrician should start with before anyone says “panel upgrade.” Built by an electrician who got tired of watching people pay for one they did not need.
Do I need a panel upgrade for an EV charger?
Not automatically. An NEC Article 220 load calculation decides, not the number on your main breaker.
For an existing home adding a charger with no new heating or A/C, NEC 220.83(A) is the governing section: add up the house, apply the demand factor the code allows, add the charger as a continuous load, and compare the total to the service rating. A 200 A home with gas heat usually fits a 48 A charger. A 100 A home can fit a 32 A or 40 A charger when the big loads are gas. Electric heat, an electric range and dryer, and a 48 A charger on 100 A usually do not fit.
The free check above runs that screen on six coarse answers. The $49.99 report runs every Article 220 method on your real numbers and your panel photo, and gives you the breaker and wire size to hand the electrician. See the worked math or a sample report.
NEC References:
- NEC 220.83(A)
- NEC 230.79
- NEC 625.42
Last updated: October 2026
Questions people ask
Do I need a panel upgrade for an EV charger?
Not automatically. Whether an existing home can add a Level 2 charger is decided by an NEC Article 220 load calculation, normally section 220.83(A), not by the number on the main breaker. Many 200 A homes fit a 48 A charger, and some 100 A homes with gas heat fit a 32 A or 40 A charger. The calculation is the answer; this page runs a free screen of it.
Is this free check the same as the $49.99 report?
No. The free check runs NEC 220.83(A) on six coarse answers and flat appliance estimates, and returns a verdict band only. The report runs every Article 220 method on your real inputs and your panel photo, shows the amps, names the section that governs, and gives the breaker and wire size for the charger, in a PDF you can hand to an electrician or inspector.
Can a 100 amp panel handle an EV charger?
Sometimes. A 100 A service with gas heat, gas water heating and a 32 A or 40 A charger often calculates as fitting under 220.83(A). A 100 A service with electric heat, an electric range and dryer and a 48 A charger usually does not. The calculation decides, which is why the free check asks about heat and appliances before anything else.
Why does the free check not show the amps?
Because the inputs are estimates. Showing a number from square-footage bands and flat appliance ratings would read as more precise than it is. The report shows the amps because it uses your real nameplates and panel photo.