What is RC59?
RC59, Recommendations for fire safety when charging electric vehicles, is a risk-control publication developed through RISCAuthority and published by the Fire Protection Association. Version 2 was published in 2023.
Its scope includes charging lithium-ion battery vehicles used on public roads, including cars, motorcycles, lorries, buses and coaches. Forklift-truck charging is addressed separately.
The guidance considers protection of people and property, together with the potential interruption to business operations. It covers charging locations, equipment protection, fire precautions, maintenance and emergency arrangements.
Is RC59 a legal requirement?
RC59 is guidance rather than legislation. It does not replace statutory duties, the premises' fire-risk assessment or applicable electrical installation requirements.
Its recommendations may also be incorporated into project specifications or insurance requirements. Clients should establish their insurer's expectations early, because RC59 does not represent a single set of requirements agreed by every insurer.
BS 7671 and the IET EV charging Code of Practice address the electrical installation. Fire-safety assessment also considers the surroundings, building use and operating arrangements. Both inputs are needed when developing the design.
What decisions does RC59 inform?
RC59 addresses matters including:
- Charging locations relative to buildings, combustible storage and hazardous areas.
- Escape routes, emergency access and vehicle movements.
- Charging in enclosed or underground car parks.
- Fire detection, warning and protection measures.
- Emergency isolation, maintenance and staff procedures.
The assessment should consider the vehicle being charged as well as the charger. Nearby building openings, adjacent vehicles and important infrastructure may influence the consequences of a fire.
Operating hours also matter. Charging overnight or during unoccupied periods requires consideration of how an incident would be discovered and how the emergency arrangements would operate.
Does RC59 specify separation distances?
RC59 includes separation recommendations for particular hazards, but these should not be treated as a universal clearance between charging bays and every building.
The accompanying webinar Q&A (Fire Safety When Charging Electric Vehicles, 22 March 2023) explains that RC59 does not prescribe a general minimum distance from combustible building features. The suitability of the charging location and proportionate protection should form part of the specific fire-risk assessment.
The building construction, openings, nearby materials and site layout therefore need assessment. Where space is limited, any alternative precautions should be established through appropriate fire-engineering advice and agreed with the relevant parties.
What about covered and underground car parks?
RC59 discusses compartmentation, detection and sprinkler protection for enclosed charging areas. Its webinar Q&A explains that the term “enclosed car parks”, as used in that guidance, includes roofed car parks with both open and closed sides.
The actual configuration still needs assessment. Natural openness, smoke movement, escape arrangements and access for firefighting can differ substantially between sites.
The government's interim guidance provides additional considerations for covered car parks in England. Its scope is cars and vans; its recommendations should not automatically be extended to HGV or bus-charging facilities. European publications provide further supporting material without replacing UK requirements.
Who should undertake the assessment?
We recommend appointing a suitably competent fire engineer to assess the proposed charging arrangement and establish any necessary fire-engineering measures. This is particularly important for enclosed locations, constrained layouts and charging close to buildings or other significant hazards.
Their advice should be coordinated with the premises' fire-risk assessment, existing fire strategy and insurer requirements. The assessment must be undertaken by people competent for the particular premises and risks; appointing an adviser does not remove the dutyholder's responsibilities.
The electrical designer should incorporate the agreed requirements into equipment positioning, distribution, isolation and control interfaces. Electrical design does not replace the fire assessment.
What do emergency arrangements and ongoing management involve?
Emergency isolation should have a clearly defined location, scope and operating sequence. Disconnecting the charging supply does not remove energy stored within a vehicle battery and should not be assumed to extinguish a battery fire.
The agreed precautions also need maintaining. Damaged equipment, blocked access or combustible storage introduced beside charging bays can undermine the original assessment. Changes to the charging layout or building use should prompt review.
EV Design provides specialist electrical design support, working with the appointed fire engineer and wider project team to incorporate agreed fire-safety requirements into the charging installation.
References and further guidance
- RISCAuthority / Fire Protection Association. RC59: Recommendations for fire safety when charging electric vehicles. Version 2, 2023. Hosted by Kent Fire and Rescue Service.
- Fire Protection Association / RISCAuthority. Fire Safety When Charging Electric Vehicles: Webinar Q&A, 22 March 2023. Supporting clarification; read alongside RC59.
- BSI / Institution of Engineering and Technology. BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, Requirements for Electrical Installations.
- Institution of Engineering and Technology. Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation, fifth edition, 2023. Read alongside the applicable edition and amendments of BS 7671.
- Office for Zero Emission Vehicles. Covered car parks: fire safety guidance for electric vehicles. Published July 2023; updated February 2024. Interim guidance applying to England.
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport. Guidance of fire safety for electric vehicles parked and charging infrastructure in covered parking spaces. February 2025.
- CFPA Europe. Fire safety recommendations for electric vehicles. Guideline No. 44:2025 F.
- Zurich Resilience Solutions. Risk Insight: Electric Vehicle Charging. Supporting insurer guidance; confirm current project-specific requirements with the insurer.
- Home Office. A guide for persons with duties under fire safety legislation. Guidance on responsibilities and competent assistance under the Fire Safety Order.
Reviewed 1 November 2026.