The departments of transportation in Washington, Oregon and California adopted a standardized symbol to identify publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations along major roadways.
Roadway Signs: State Highways, County Roads, City Streets
Look for this highway sign to find public electric vehicle charging stations.
Download: Sign Specifications for D9-11b (alternate) Electric Vehicle Charging Station Symbol (pdf, 13kb)
Highway Signs: To direct motorists to publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations, west coast states are using the Alternate Electric Vehicle Charging Symbol sign (D9-11b Alternate) along the highways. The signs are posted at the interchange or intersection nearest to the DC fast charging facility with follow-through signs on the off ramps. The Federal Highway Administration granted interim approval to use this alternate EV symbol as specified in the manual on uniform traffic control devices (MUTCD). The blue and white sign is 30” x 30” on expressways and freeways and 24” x 24” on conventional highways.
Local Road Signs: Local governments in Washington and Oregon may opt to use this alternative symbol for directional signage along county roads and city streets. The blue and white signs must be 24” x 24” or larger on local roads and must comply with the MUTCD design and installation requirements. Agencies need to maintain an inventory of where the new alternate symbol signs are located, in case the signs need replacement statewide should the sign standard be revised in the future. For more information on this sign, visit FHWA's manual on uniform traffic control devices (MUTCD) web page.
Directional Arrows: Directional arrows may be used in combination with the identification sign for EV charging to help direct motorists to the charging locations. The arrows should be white on a blue background and should meet the MUTCD sign specifications. When a left or right turn is required from a highway off ramp or on a local road, the identification sign for EV charging should be supplemented with Directional Arrow 90 Degrees (D9-401) (pdf, 10kb).
Directional arrows help guide motorists to EV charging sites.
Download: Sign Specifications for D9-401 Directional Arrow (pdf, 10kb)
Examples of EV symbol signs and arrows
Electric Vehicle Charging Station Signs and Markings
Washington state law (RCW 46.08.185) requires that EV charging stations are clearly identified with the following:
1. an “EV Charging Station” sign
2. a “No Parking Except for Electric Vehicle Charging” sign
3. green pavement markings
This Washington state requirement may provide helpful guidance for electric vehicle charging station signage in other states.
This symbol identifies the electric vehicle charging station.
Download: Sign Specifications for D9-11b (alternate) Electric Vehicle Charging Station Symbol (pdf, 13kb)
On-Site Blue and White EV Charging Sign: Washington state law requires use of the alternative Electric Vehicle Charging Station Symbol sign at the charging station location. This general service sign shall be used in combination with the “no parking except electric vehicle charging” regulatory sign. The EV charging station symbol should be on a separate sign, mounted on a pole above the regulatory sign, and be 12” x 12” to match the width of the regulatory sign.
The regulatory sign identifies the space designated for EV charging only.
Download: Sign Specifications for R7-11 No Parking Except for Electric Vehicle Charging (pdf, 13kb)
On-Site Regulatory Signs: Washington state law requires that electric vehicle charging stations are properly identified with a sign that restricts the use of spaces designated for EV charging to only those vehicles that have established a connection for electric charging purposes. The “No Parking Except for Electric Vehicle Charging” (R7-11) sign should be posted in a visible spot adjacent to the space. The red, black and white signs should be 12” wide x 18” tall.”
On Site Green Pavement Markings: To meet the minimum Washington state requirements, electric vehicle charging stalls must be outlined with green pavement markings of 4” to 6” wide stripes. The exact green color is not specified, but bright green reflective paint is recommended. Station owners may elect to add additional green stripes or elaborate graphics to mark the pavement.
Other On-Site Signs: Supplementary signs may be posted to provide additional information including the monetary penalty for parking a vehicle in an electric vehicle charging station if the vehicle is not connected to the charging equipment.
Examples EV Charging Station Signs and Pavement Markings
