EV Charger Installation According to AREI: The Complete Guide for Belgium

An EV charger in Belgium falls under Chapter 7.22 of AREI/RGIE Book 1 (the Belgian wiring regulations): every connection point gets a dedicated circuit with its own overcurrent protection and its own residual current device (RCD) of no more than 30 mA, protection must also work for fault currents with a DC component, and connection through a plug and socket is prohibited. On top of that come project-specific cable and protection design, an updated single-line diagram and clarification with the grid operator. This guide takes you through every point. Chapter 7.22 applies to charging stations whose installation or replacement started on or after 1 November 2022 (7.22.1).

AREI 7.22 at a glance

Emergency switching under 7.22.5.2 does not apply to chargers that are part of a dwelling's electrical installation; for other chargers inside buildings it is required.

The basic requirements in detail

Dedicated circuit

The charger gets a dedicated circuit per connection point (7.22.3). An existing circuit, such as the garage sockets, is not an option. The protective devices may sit in the board, in the charger or in a combination of both – what matters is that each connection point is protected separately.

Residual Current Device (RCD)

Where protection relies on automatic disconnection, a dedicated RCD of no more than 30 mA protects each dedicated AC circuit (7.22.4.1 b). Which type it has to be depends on the charger – more below.

Circuit Breaker (MCB)

A correctly sized circuit breaker protects each dedicated circuit individually against overload and short circuit (7.22.4.2).

Surge Protection Device (SPD)

AREI 4.5.1 generally requires protection against overvoltages according to good practice. Book 1 does not prescribe a specific SPD; whether one is needed follows from the risk assessment of the whole installation. Where one is fitted, it usually sits centrally in the distribution board and protects all circuits, including the charger circuit, against overvoltages from lightning or switching.

Single-Phase vs. Three-Phase: Which Charger?

Single-Phase – 3.7 kW or 7.4 kW

Advantages of single-phase:

• cheaper to install
• simpler wiring
• enough for many households charging overnight

Disadvantages of single-phase:

• limited charging power
• at 7.4 kW, phase imbalance possible – clarify it with the grid operator

Three-Phase – 11 kW or 22 kW

Advantages of three-phase:

• considerably faster charging, if the vehicle charges on three phases
• balanced load distribution
• headroom for future vehicles

Disadvantages of three-phase:

• more expensive installation
• three-phase connection at the board required
• higher material costs (larger cross-sections, more expensive protective devices)

Selection based on the project

The right charging power follows from the project, not from a general recommendation. Available phases, connection capacity, main protection, simultaneous household load, the vehicle's on-board charger, daily energy need and possible load management are assessed together. A nominally stronger charger does not charge faster when the vehicle or connection limits the current.

Cable and Protection: Proper Sizing

Cable Cross-Section Overview

For household installations, AREI Table 4.11 (Subsection 4.4.1.4) sets the maximum rated current of the circuit breaker per conductor cross-section: 20 A for 2.5 mm², 25 A for 4 mm², 40 A for 6 mm². Within that ceiling, actual current-carrying capacity depends on installation method, grouping and ambient temperature. The table shows typical examples for short runs in standard installation conditions:

Trip curve C is a common choice, not an AREI requirement; the manufacturer's instructions and selectivity decide. For long runs (roughly beyond 15 m), increase the cross-section where needed to limit voltage drop: 5.2.1.2 b requires voltage variation compatible with safe operation, and 5.2.5 limits it to the values of good practice. Plan the cable route in advance and calculate the voltage drop.

Cable Type

In Belgium, XVB cable is commonly used for fixed installations:

• XVB 3G2.5 for single-phase 16 A
• XVB 3G6 for single-phase 32 A
• XVB 5G2.5 for three-phase 16 A
• XVB 5G6 for three-phase 32 A

In conduit (Preflex), VOB single cores (H07V-U) can be used; the conduit must then be sized accordingly.

RCD Type: The Most Important Protection Device

Choosing the right RCD is decisive for an EV charger – and can make a real difference in cost. AREI 7.22.4.1 b requires protection to remain effective during insulation faults with a disturbing DC component: either through an RCD built for that purpose, or through an RCD combined and coordinated with a residual direct current detection device that takes the charger out of service.

Type A + DC fault detection in the charger (RDC-DD)

A Type A alone does not cover DC fault currents. If the manufacturer demonstrates suitable integrated DC fault detection for the exact charger (typically 6 mA DC, known as RDC-DD), it can form the second option of 7.22.4.1 b together with an upstream Type A RCD (30 mA). Without that documented evidence, you do not assume the combination.

The chosen Type A matches the network, poles, rating and the manufacturer's conditions. We deliberately give no price range without that data.

Type B (if the charger has no DC sensor)

If your charger has no integrated DC fault detection, you need a Type B RCD. It also detects smooth DC fault currents that can occur with chargers.

Check the manufacturer's declaration on DC fault detection. That declaration – not the product name – shows that the combination of charger and upstream RCD meets the requirements.

Type A-SI

A Type A-SI RCD may be more robust against certain disturbance pulses depending on the manufacturer, but does not on its own cover the requirement for DC fault currents. The documented overall combination decides.

Surge Protection (SPD) – Central for the Entire Installation

AREI 4.5.1 generally requires protection against overvoltages according to good practice. No general SPD obligation follows from this. Where an SPD is fitted, it sits in practice in the distribution board and protects all connected equipment, including the EV charger, against transient overvoltages. The AREI does not name a specific "Type 2" – that designation comes from the product standard IEC 61643-11.

You choose the SPD's back-up protection (fuse or circuit breaker) according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Grid operator and direction of energy flow

Notification, connection and capacity conditions are not derived generically from a rated power. Before ordering, check the current conditions of the grid operator responsible for the address. Have the EAN code, connection type, planned charging power, phases, load management and the exact technical product description ready.

Establish explicitly whether energy flows only from grid to vehicle or in both directions. Synergrid states that bidirectional or technically bidirectional chargers fall under C10/11 edition 2.4 and require C10/26 type approval. Strictly grid-to-vehicle chargers do not need C10/26 under that rule; other notifications or grid-operator conditions may still apply. If the charger can feed back, AREI 7.22.5.4 additionally requires the rules for distributed generation units and the warning "Caution: possible feedback of electrical energy into the installation" on the charger and the board.

Record the answer with the exact model and manufacturer declaration. Disabling feedback in software is not enough if the device remains technically bidirectional; Synergrid explicitly covers that technical capability. After a change of firmware, operating mode or connection power, you recheck the grid question. Keep the confirmation, product data and any approval reference in the installation dossier so that electrician, grid operator and inspection body assess the same variant.

Before commissioning, also document phase assignment, configured current limit, load management and behaviour on loss of communication. These operating parameters are not electrical protection, but they determine the connection capacity actually drawn and match the planned concept.

Record the handover settings together

Create a short commissioning sheet for the electrician, user and later inspector: exact charger model, installed firmware, single- or three-phase operation, maximum current, upstream protection, RCD concept, DC fault detection and cable type. With dynamic load management, add the measuring point, communication path, failure behaviour and the limit actually set. If any item differs from the manual, diagram or board labelling, you resolve it before use.

Also define who may change settings and how a change is recorded. A charging current raised later loads cable, protective device, connection capacity and selectivity differently from the inspected configuration. Keep the settings record with photos of the labels, the datasheet, conformity documents and inspection report. Replacing the device means more than a new enclosure: protection combination, communication interface, charging mode and possible feedback capability are reassessed for the new model. Link these records to the diagram version and grid-operator response used for commissioning, so that no relevant software or device configuration lives on outside the drawings.

Updating the Single-Line Diagram

After installing an EV charger, you update the single-line diagram of your electrical installation. The charger appears as its own branch:

What Must Be in the Diagram?

1. Dedicated circuit per connection point
2. RCD with type (A or B) and rated residual current
3. Circuit breaker with rated current and number of poles
4. SPD (surge protection), where present
5. EV charger symbol with power rating and number of connection points
6. Cable designation (e.g. XVB 5G2.5)
7. Phase assignment (three-phase: L1/L2/L3)

Your EV charger in PlanElec

In PlanElec, you document the charger directly in the project:

• You place the EV charger symbol on the floor plan and link it to its circuit.
• The AREI/RGIE self-check flags a charger without its own circuit, sharing its circuit with other loads, without a 30 mA RCD, or with neither a Type B RCD nor internal DC detection; for outdoor installation it reminds you of IP44.
• You enter the phase assignment directly.
• The single-line diagram and situation plan export as PDFs from the same project data.

The roles are clear: the self-check shows you findings within the supported rules, cable sizing and grid questions are settled by calculation and with the grid operator, and the official inspection is done by the approved inspection body.

Compare costs on a common technical scope

A useful quotation separates charger, protective devices, cable route, groundworks, board adaptation, load management, design, inspection and any grid procedure. Prices depend heavily on product, cable length and access, connection capacity and the existing board. Have suppliers price the same technical description; a fixed online price range is not a project budget.

Compare warranty conditions and the documented protection combination as well, not just the device price, and keep that comparison basis with the quotation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. No dedicated circuit, or connection through a socket: both contravene AREI 7.22.3 – the charger is permanently connected to its own circuit.
2. Wrong RCD: without DC fault detection in the charger, you need an RCD that handles DC fault currents – in practice Type B.
3. Surge protection not assessed: whether and how an SPD is used is assessed for the whole installation and coordinated per the manufacturer's instructions.
4. No updated single-line diagram: every change to the installation belongs in the diagram.
5. Grid conditions not checked: notification and connection rules depend on the operator and charging function; bidirectional or technically bidirectional equipment also enters the C10/11 and C10/26 scope.
6. Cable cross-section too small: especially for long runs, recalculate the voltage drop.
7. Outdoor charger without IP44: outdoors, 7.22.5.1 requires at least IP44 and protection against foreseeable mechanical stress.

Earthing: a safe EV charger relies on an intact earthing chain – earth electrode, main equipotential bonding and protective conductor. In older installations without proper earthing, the earthing is brought up to standard before the charger goes in.

Conclusion

An EV charger in Belgium gets, per connection point, a dedicated circuit with its own overcurrent protection, an RCD of at most 30 mA with effective protection against DC fault currents, project-specific cable and protection design, and updated drawings. Careful documentation makes the installation inspectable; the assessment is made by the approved inspection body.

Official sources

• AREI/RGIE Book 1, 2026 edition – chapter 7.22, reviewed at V06; Table 4.11 and Sections 4.5.1, 5.2.1.2, 5.2.5.
• Synergrid: C10/26 scope for bidirectional or technically bidirectional charging infrastructure

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Document Your EV Charger in the Single-Line Diagram

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