Idle fees explained, and how to never pay one
They look like a penalty and they are, but the thing they penalise is genuinely antisocial. They are also completely avoidable.
An idle fee is a per-minute charge that starts once your car has finished charging and you have not moved it.
Why they exist
A rapid charging bay is scarce infrastructure. A finished car occupying one is not saving anyone money — it is stopping the next driver charging at all.
Idle fees are how operators price that. They are not a revenue scheme; they are a queue management tool, and the networks that use them generally have better bay availability as a result.
How they work
- Charging completes
- A grace period runs, typically 5 to 10 minutes
- After that, a per-minute charge begins
- It stops when you unplug and move
The rate is usually significant enough to notice quickly.
How to never pay one
Set a notification. Most network apps will tell you when the session ends. Car apps often will too.
Do not start a long errand on a rapid charger. A 30-minute charge and a 90-minute meal is a fee, not a plan.
Charge to 80%, not 100%. The last 20% is slow anyway, so this shortens the session and reduces the window in which you can forget. Why.
Use the right tier. If you want to leave the car for hours, that is what destination charging is for.
When they are unfair
Occasionally: a site with no alternative parking, or an app that fails to notify. If you are charged in circumstances you could not control, contact the operator — most will refund a genuine case.
The bigger picture
Idle fees are one of several costs that do not appear in a headline pence-per-kWh figure. Our network comparison normalises session fees, minimum spends and idle charges into one comparable cost per mile, because the advertised rate on the sign is rarely what you pay.
In pictures
Common questions
Do idle fees apply overnight?
On some networks yes, which makes a rapid charger a poor overnight choice regardless. Overnight is what AC and destination charging are for.
About the author
ElectraMile EditorialEditorial desk
The ElectraMile editorial team covers charging, running costs and EV ownership for readers in the UK and US.
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