CA AB970

Clarifies that electric vehicle charging station permitting requirements apply to all cities, including charter cities, as a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair.

Requires applications for 1-25 charging stations to be deemed complete if not reviewed within 5 business days, and applications for 26+ stations within 10 business days, unless a written correction notice is issued.

Establishes automatic approval timelines: 20 business days for applications with 1-25 stations and 40 business days for 26+ stations after an application is deemed complete, if no action is taken by the building official.

Requires cities, counties, and city-counties to reduce required parking spaces by the amount necessary to accommodate electric vehicle charging stations and associated equipment.

Becomes operative January 1, 2022 for jurisdictions with 200,000+ residents and January 1, 2023 for those with fewer than 200,000 residents.