Tampa Bay · Hillsborough & Pinellas
Commercial EV Charger Installation in Tampa Bay
Florida Chargers installs networked Tesla Universal Wall Connectors at Tampa Bay apartment communities, hotels, and office buildings, starting with the utility that actually serves the meter.
The most common incentive mistake on a Tampa Bay proposal is assuming FPL. Tampa Bay is not FPL territory, so the FPL EVolution Make-Ready Credit that shows up in South Florida and Panhandle budgets does not apply here. A Tampa Bay number has to start with the utility on the meter.
Florida Chargers is a veteran-owned, Tesla Certified commercial EV charging reseller and installer based in Winter Garden, about 90 miles east of downtown Tampa along I-4. Florida Chargers designs, installs, manages, and maintains Level 2 charging for Tampa Bay apartment owners, hotels, office landlords, and condominium associations, and holds FL Certified Electrical Contractor license EC13009718.
Florida has 450,400 registered EVs, second only to California, according to the U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center 2025 data. Tampa Bay combines a large rental market, a convention and cruise-port hotel base, and a growing Westshore and downtown office core, which makes it one of the broadest commercial charging markets in the state.
What Florida Chargers installs in Tampa
The hardware is the Tesla Universal Wall Connector: a Level 2 unit rated at 48 amps and 11.5 kW, with a NACS connector and a built-in J1772 adapter. It plugs straight into a Tesla and charges every other major EV brand through the adapter that is already attached, so a property is not choosing a charger that serves one brand of car. Load sharing spreads available circuit capacity across multiple ports, which is what keeps a project from turning into a service upgrade.
Florida Chargers designs, installs, manages, and maintains the system, and the chargers are eligible for listing in the Tesla app once commissioned by a Tesla Certified Installer with reliable connectivity (Tesla makes the final listing decision), so nearby drivers can be routed to the property.
Many Tampa Bay garden-style communities in Carrollwood, Brandon, and north Tampa were built before 2000, so load sharing across existing circuits is usually the difference between a first phase that fits the panel and a service upgrade nobody budgeted for.
A common starting point for multifamily is roughly one Level 2 port per 20 to 30 units, then adding ports as usage data comes in.
Who this is for in Tampa Bay
Multifamily. Tampa Bay rental communities from Westchase and New Tampa to Brandon, Riverview, and St. Petersburg compete for residents who increasingly own EVs. A common starting ratio is roughly one Level 2 port per 20 to 30 units, so a 250-unit community lands near 8 to 12 ports, with the first phase sized to available panel capacity. Florida's condominium statute, Fla. Stat. 718.113, does not govern rental apartments, so an apartment owner decides without a board vote. See apartment EV charging in Florida.
Hotels. Hotels near Tampa International Airport, Westshore, the Channel District cruise terminals, and the Clearwater and St. Pete beaches serve drive-market guests arriving from Orlando, Sarasota, and Jacksonville. Hilton's Jean Garris Hand told Skift in 2025 that EV charging is the highest-converting amenity on Hilton.com, and chargers eligible for listing in the Tesla app once commissioned by a Tesla Certified Installer with reliable connectivity (Tesla makes the final listing decision) can put the property in front of drivers already searching. See hotel EV charging.
Offices. Westshore, downtown Tampa, and the I-75 office parks have weekday daytime dwell times of eight hours or more, which Level 2 serves fully. Office buyers are usually the building owner or CAM, and the decision often turns on how employees and visitors pay. See office and workplace EV charging.
Condominium associations. For Tampa Bay condo boards, Fla. Stat. 718.113(9) says an association installation on the common elements is not a material alteration. Owner installations under 718.113(8) are different, as a local Tampa Bay case shows: in August 2026 the Second District affirmed a temporary injunction for Station Square, a Pinellas County (Clearwater) condominium, against owners who installed a Tesla charger after their application was denied. That early-stage ruling, informational and not legal advice, treats an owner install that materially alters the common elements as needing approval under 718.113(2)(a). See the Florida condominium EV charger law guide.
Your utility: Duke Energy Florida or Tampa Electric, not FPL
Duke Energy Florida serves Pinellas County, including St. Petersburg and Clearwater, and much of Pasco County. Tampa Electric serves most of the City of Tampa and much of Hillsborough County. FPL does not serve the Tampa Bay core, so FPL EVolution credits should not appear in a Tampa Bay proposal.
On Duke Energy Florida meters, the Commercial Charger Prep Credit covers wiring, panel, and conduit work. It excludes hardware and permits. On Tampa Electric meters, Florida Chargers confirms what, if anything, applies at the time of the proposal rather than assuming a credit. Confirm the serving utility at the meter before budgeting any make-ready credit; Florida Chargers checks this during the site assessment.
Florida SB 1084 (2024) preempted the regulation of EV charging stations to the state; since July 1, 2024, local governments may not enact or enforce their own EV-charging ordinances. The electrical permit itself is still issued locally. That is a good thing for a board or an owner: a property installs charging because the amenity economics work, not because a local ordinance forced the decision.
Permitting and timeline
Electrical permits inside city limits are issued by the City of Tampa, the City of St. Petersburg, or the City of Clearwater. Properties in unincorporated areas permit through Hillsborough or Pinellas County. Florida SB 1084 (2024) preempted the regulation of EV charging stations to the state; since July 1, 2024, local governments may not enact or enforce their own EV-charging ordinances. The electrical permit itself is still issued locally.
A typical project runs 6 to 12 weeks from signed agreement to energized chargers. That window covers design, permitting, utility coordination, installation, and commissioning. Florida Chargers pulls the electrical permit under FL Certified Electrical Contractor license EC13009718.
What it costs
Installed cost runs $5,000 to $8,000 per port before incentives. The spread comes from trenching distance to the panel, available panel capacity, wall-mounted versus pedestal placement, port count, and whether the path is concrete or landscaping.
Typical installed cost runs $5,000 to $8,000 per port before incentives. Coastal Pinellas properties can sit higher in that range when trenching crosses hardscape or when salt-air exposure calls for upgraded enclosures. Structured garages downtown and in Westshore usually run lower per port because the panel is close to the parking.
Under Share the Revenue, the property invests in the professional installation and Florida Chargers owns and operates the chargers — then the property earns 50% of net charging profit for the full term. Tesla Wall Connector hardware is included. Financing is available for qualified properties to cover the electrical infrastructure and installation with no money down, so a project can start without a capital outlay from reserves or a special assessment. Exact economics are confirmed during the free site assessment.
To model the numbers for a specific property, use the EV charging ROI calculator.
Tampa EV charging questions
This is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed Florida attorney for guidance specific to your association.
Keep reading
- Tampa Bay condo EV charging after Station Square
The two paths for condo boards under 718.113.
- EV charging ROI calculator
Model ports, usage, and the property's 50% share of net charging profit.
- Office and workplace EV charging
Daytime dwell, employee vs. visitor billing, and load studies.
- Switching from ChargePoint
What it takes to replace subscription-based chargers.
- Orlando EV charger installation
OUC and Duke territory along the I-4 corridor.
- Miami-Dade and FPL EVolution
FPL make-ready credits for South Florida multifamily.
Get a straight number for your Tampa property
Florida Chargers walks the parking, checks the panel, confirms the serving utility, and returns a board-ready proposal. Veteran-owned, FL Certified Electrical Contractor EC13009718. Call 321-475-2689 or email info@flchargers.com.
Request a free site assessment