Contactless Charging One Year On

The Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 introduced contactless-payment obligations for specified public charge points in the UK. For fleet teams, contactless records can improve the evidence available for a public charging transaction. They do not, by themselves, determine a reimbursement rate or provide HMRC approval.

1 | From legal requirement to daily reality

Since 24 November 2024, all new public chargers ≥ 8 kW and all existing rapid chargers ≥ 50 kW must offer tap-and-go payment (card, Apple Pay, Google Pay).

No proprietary apps, no closed memberships — just plug, pay and go.

The records can support operational controls:

Contactless payments now underpin auditable spend.
Transparent pricing and helpline obligations improve the information available to drivers.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) oversees enforcement, with penalties of up to £10 000 per non-compliant charger.

Official GOV.UK guidance →

2 | What a payment record proves

A contactless transaction can record the merchant, date and amount paid. Depending on the receipt or data feed, it may also include the charger location, energy delivered and price per kilowatt-hour.

That can support a public-charging evidence trail. It does not prove which business miles were driven, whether the vehicle is a company car, or how mixed residential and public charging should be apportioned.

3 | How this relates to HMRC advisory rates

From 1 September 2026, HMRC's Advisory Electricity Rates for fully electric company cars are:

7 p/mile for home charging
15 p/mile for public charging
The rates are advisory and apply only to employees using fully electric company cars. They do not cover employee-owned vehicles, vans or hybrids. An employer can use its own rate where it can demonstrate the underlying fuel cost per mile.
Contactless receipts can form one part of the evidence for actual public charging cost. The employer still needs a documented scope, rate decision, mileage record and exception process.

4 | Operational gains beyond payment

a | Better receipt capture

Itemised receipts can make review easier. VAT treatment depends on the facts and should be checked separately.

b | Cleaner cost-per-mile data

Payment data feeds directly into TCO dashboards, creating a measurable link between route, cost and driver behaviour.

c | Fewer account dependencies

Contactless access can reduce reliance on a network-specific app or membership for an individual charging session.

d | Open-data advantage

The same regulation compels charge-point operators to publish live status and pricing data.

Fleet software can now monitor charger uptime or congestion in near-real time, reducing wasted detours.

Explore how charging data shapes fleet strategy →

Pair those network insights with the monthly signals in EV Policy Pulse: October 2025 to track how regulation and infrastructure shifts collide.

5 | Where fleets still struggle

Rural lag: sub-22 kW chargers still missing card readers.
Data silos: card feeds, telematics and expense systems rarely align.
Cross-border operations: EU rules differ; receipts abroad don’t follow AER logic.
Policy drift: HMRC reviews rates quarterly, while payroll settings can remain unchanged.
A reimbursement process can name an owner and review point for each quarterly HMRC rate date.

6 | Strategic takeaway

The contactless mandate didn’t just modernise payment; it redefined data ownership in fleet electrification.

Fleets that view every charge session as a traceable financial event can:

reduce gaps in public-charging evidence
reconcile charging spend with mileage claims
compare energy cost per mile using their own data

📚 Related Reading

Fair or Unfair? How HMRC’s split AER hits fleets Detailed walkthrough of the September 2025 AER split, equity implications and policy controls for UK company cars.
UK Charging Growth & EV Registrations – Fleet Signals Latest network growth metrics, uptime insights and what they mean for route planning and utilisation.
Three Checks for a Clear Company EV Reimbursement Process A short review of scope, rate logic and payroll ownership.

🔗 Official References

GOV.UK — Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 Guidance <https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-public-charge-point-regulations-2023-guidance/public-charge-point-regulations-2023-guidance>
GOV.UK — Advisory Fuel Rates (company cars) <https://www.gov.uk/guidance/advisory-fuel-rates>
Bottom line: Contactless payment data can strengthen a public-charging evidence trail, but it is only one input to the employer's reimbursement decision.
The Company EV Reimbursement Pack documents the selected method and payroll controls for fully electric company cars. It costs £990 ex VAT and is delivered within three UK business days after complete inputs.