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Despite a few setbacks, the presence of electric vehicles has continued to grow on United States roads. And as more EVs are registered, more charging stations must be built. There are currently over 81,000 charging stations across the country, with more than 254,500 total chargers. However, the EV industry is rapidly growing: The U.S. Department of Energy predicts that we will need 28 million EV charging ports by 2030. The need for EV charging stations makes it all the more controversial when a gas-powered car parks in a designated EV charging spot. Controversial, yes. But is it illegal?
You have probably seen “EV only” signs in parking lots across the country — but not every sign holds the same legal weight. In 2026, there are only a handful of states that have anti-ICEing laws, with ICEing referring to the act of parking a gas vehicle (which has an internal combustion engine, or ICE) in an EV spot. In Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia, North Dakota (which has one of the fewest EV charging stations in the U.S.), Colorado, Massachusetts, Arizona, Illinois, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and Florida, you can be fined for parking in an EV spot. In California, you can even be towed.
But it gets a bit more complicated in some states. Connecticut has EV charging station restrictions in its official rulings, but it’s not technically illegal or punishable. Some states don’t have any laws against ICEing, but certain cities do. For example, you can get a ticket for parking in an EV charging spot in Seattle, Washington. You’ll want to check with local laws before parking in an EV-designated spot.
Are hybrids allowed to park in EV spots?
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If you want to get even more complicated, you can try to make sense of ICEing rules for hybrid vehicles. Similar to the rules for gas-powered vehicles, you’ll want to check local laws for your hybrid vehicle, as it varies from city to city. In Nevada, hybrid vehicles are mentioned throughout the legislation along with electric vehicles. New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Illinois also have hybrid vehicles under their descriptions of electric or zero-emission vehicles. Other states don’t outright mention hybrid vehicles, making it a bit confusing.
However, there’s one way to be safe: Make sure your hybrid is plugged in and charging. Most state and city laws explain that vehicles must be actively charging while in the electric vehicle charging spot. If you’re not, you could be blocking the charger from an EV that needs it. EVs need access to these charging stations if the battery is low, which could leave the vehicle stranded. Even if ICEing is not illegal where you live, blocking an EV from a charging station is just as inconsiderate as parking in front of a gas station pump — there’s some etiquette to follow.