[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":162},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-ocpp-vs-ocpi-ev-charging-network-lock-in-en-US":3},{"guide":4,"related":143},{"title":5,"seoTitle":6,"description":7,"summary":8,"sections":9,"faq":105,"date":118,"service":119,"order":120,"sources":121,"slug":141,"locale":142},"OCPP, OCPI and ISO 15118 for property owners, and how to avoid charging network lock-in","OCPP vs. OCPI and EV Network Lock-In","OCPP links a charger to its software, OCPI links networks to each other and ISO 15118 links the car. How New York owners keep the freedom to switch networks.","OCPP is the protocol between a charger and the software that manages it; OCPI connects that management software to other networks and driver apps; ISO 15118 handles communication between the car and the charger. An owner who buys chargers certified for OCPP 2.0.1, and keeps the administrator credentials, can move to a different back-end without replacing hardware. New York's Make-Ready Program now requires OCPP 2.0.1 and ISO 15118 for DC fast charging and ties funding to data reporting, so the choice affects incentive eligibility as well as operations.",[10,19,46,56,65,73,78],{"heading":11,"list":12,"after":17},"Three layers of communication at a charging site",[13,14,15,16],"Car to charger: ISO 15118 and IEC 61851. ISO 15118 enables Plug and Charge, in which the car identifies itself and the session starts without a card or app.","Charger to back-end: OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol), published by the Open Charge Alliance. The back-end is the charging station management system, or CSMS, that starts sessions, sets prices, updates firmware and collects data.","Back-end to other networks and apps: OCPI (Open Charge Point Interface), which lets a driver's app or card from another network work at your charger.","Back-end to the utility and incentive programs: demand response signals, such as OpenADR, and the data reporting that programs require.",[18],"A common misunderstanding is that a charger supports OCPI. OCPI runs between servers, not in the charger. The charger controller implements OCPP, and the back-end implements OCPI. Charger controllers made for export commonly advertise OCPP 1.6J and, increasingly, OCPP 2.0.1; the claim should be checked against the Open Charge Alliance's certified product list for the specific model.",{"heading":20,"table":21,"after":44},"OCPP versions and what they mean for a purchase",{"caption":22,"head":23,"rows":28},"OCPP versions (Open Charge Alliance)",[24,25,26,27],"Version","Released","What it adds","Note for owners",[29,34,39],[30,31,32,33],"OCPP 1.6 (1.6J is the JSON variant)","2015","Core remote control, metering and basic smart charging","Most widely installed; does not meet Make-Ready or NEVI requirements",[35,36,37,38],"OCPP 2.0.1","2020","Device management, stronger security, ISO 15118 support","Not backward compatible with 1.6; approved as IEC 63584 in 2024; required by Make-Ready and NEVI",[40,41,42,43],"OCPP 2.1","2025","Bidirectional charging (V2X) and ISO 15118-20 features","Builds on 2.0.1 while keeping its application logic compatible",[45],"Some hardware sold as OCPP 1.6J cannot be upgraded to 2.0.1 in the field. Because Make-Ready and NEVI require 2.0.1, ask before buying whether the exact model ships with 2.0.1 or has a confirmed upgrade path.",{"heading":47,"paragraphs":48,"list":50},"What network lock-in looks like",[49],"Lock-in is rarely a single clause. It is usually a combination of technical and contract terms that together make changing providers expensive. The items below are terms to check in any offer; they are not specific to one company.",[51,52,53,54,55],"Firmware that works only with one cloud service, or a CSMS address that the owner cannot change.","Administrator credentials held only by the vendor.","A warranty that is void if the charger is connected to a different back-end.","No right to export session, revenue and uptime data in a standard format.","Multi-year prepaid software plans without termination assistance.",{"heading":57,"list":58},"How to verify a charger before buying",[59,60,61,62,63,64],"OCA certification for the specific model, not a brochure statement that the charger is OCPP compliant. Partial implementations can break smart charging and remote firmware updates.","The OCPP version and which certified functions are included, such as smart charging profiles, which allow a site power cap to control demand charges.","The security profile supported, and how firmware updates are delivered and signed.","Who holds the administrator login and who can change the CSMS address setting.","For DC chargers, ISO 15118 hardware and software conformance, which Make-Ready and NEVI require.","A wired Ethernet option for garages and basements where cellular coverage is weak.",{"heading":66,"list":67},"Contract terms to request",[68,69,70,71,72],"Owner-held administrator credentials and the right to change the CSMS address.","Data export in a standard format, on request and at termination.","Termination assistance, including a defined period of cooperation when moving to a new back-end.","A statement that switching back-ends does not void the hardware warranty.","Uptime and utilization reporting in the format the incentive programs require, since that reporting is now a condition of funding in New York.",{"heading":74,"paragraphs":75},"How the protocols connect to New York and federal rules",[76,77],"The Make-Ready Program requires DC fast charging stations to use OCPP 2.0.1 or later and to have ISO 15118 hardware and software conformance. Since the 2026 program changes, projects must use a network service provider on the Eligible NSP List, and providers must meet a 90% data-reporting threshold to stay on it. Participants who switch network providers or replace equipment must notify their utility within 30 days. Make-Ready DC fast charging applications have been paused since April 22, 2026 and may reopen once data-reporting compliance plans are approved. NYSERDA's Charge Ready NY 2.0, for Level 2, also accepts only chargers and networks on its eligible lists.","For federally funded NEVI sites, 23 CFR 680.108 requires chargers to conform to OCPP 2.0.1 and ISO 15118, requires networks to communicate with other networks through OCPI 2.2.1, and requires chargers to be able to switch network providers securely without any hardware changes. The federal rule therefore treats the ability to change networks as a basic requirement, and it is a reasonable standard for private sites as well.",{"heading":79,"table":80,"after":103},"Summary",{"caption":81,"head":82,"rows":87},"The three protocols at a glance",[83,84,85,86],"Protocol","Connects","Where it runs","What to ask",[88,93,98],[89,90,91,92],"ISO 15118","Car and charger","Charger and vehicle","Is the model conformant in hardware and software, and does it support Plug and Charge?",[94,95,96,97],"OCPP","Charger and back-end (CSMS)","Charger controller","Is the exact model OCA certified for 2.0.1, and who controls the CSMS address?",[99,100,101,102],"OCPI","Back-end and other networks or apps","Back-end servers","Does the back-end support OCPI 2.2.1 roaming, and with which networks?",[104],"We can commission your chargers on the back-end you choose, record the configuration, and hand the administrator credentials to you, so the station belongs to you rather than to a subscription. Electrical installation is performed by our licensed partner electricians, and network cabling is handled through our low-voltage service.",[106,109,112,115],{"q":107,"a":108},"What is the difference between OCPP and OCPI?","OCPP connects a charger to the software that manages it. OCPI connects that management software to other networks and apps, so drivers from other networks can use the charger. A charger implements OCPP; OCPI runs on the back-end servers.",{"q":110,"a":111},"Can I switch charging networks without replacing my chargers?","Yes, if the chargers are certified for a current OCPP version, you hold the administrator credentials and the contract allows it without voiding the warranty. If a Make-Ready project is involved, notify the utility within 30 days of the change.",{"q":113,"a":114},"Is OCPP 1.6J still acceptable?","It works for many private uses, but New York's Make-Ready Program and federal NEVI rules require OCPP 2.0.1. Some 1.6J hardware cannot be upgraded in the field, so confirm the version before buying.",{"q":116,"a":117},"How can I tell whether a charger is really OCPP certified?","Look up the exact model on the Open Charge Alliance's certified product list. A brochure statement that a charger is OCPP compatible does not mean it has passed certification testing.","2026-10-25","ev-charging",63,[122,126,130,133,137],{"title":123,"url":124,"publisher":125},"Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP)","https:\u002F\u002Fopenchargealliance.org\u002Fprotocols\u002Fopen-charge-point-protocol\u002F","Open Charge Alliance",{"title":127,"url":128,"publisher":129},"23 CFR 680.108 - Interoperability of electric vehicle charging infrastructure","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.law.cornell.edu\u002Fcfr\u002Ftext\u002F23\u002F680.108","Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School",{"title":131,"url":132,"publisher":129},"23 CFR 680.114 - Charging network connectivity of electric vehicle charging infrastructure","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.law.cornell.edu\u002Fcfr\u002Ftext\u002F23\u002F680.114",{"title":134,"url":135,"publisher":136},"EV Make-Ready Program Amended Participant Guide (updated July 13, 2026)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.coned.com\u002F-\u002Fmedia\u002Ffiles\u002Fconed\u002Fdocuments\u002Four-energy-future\u002Ftechnology-and-innovation\u002Felectric-vehicles\u002Fmake-ready-program\u002Fprogram-guide.pdf","Joint Utilities of New York",{"title":138,"url":139,"publisher":140},"EVRoaming Foundation (OCPI)","https:\u002F\u002Fevroaming.org\u002F","EVRoaming Foundation","ocpp-vs-ocpi-ev-charging-network-lock-in","en-US",[144,150,154,158],{"slug":145,"title":146,"description":147,"service":148,"date":149},"nyc-renovation-permits","NYC permits for renovation, electrical and plumbing work","Which renovation, electrical and plumbing jobs need a NYC Department of Buildings permit, who files it, and what changes on Long Island.","electrical","2026-10-24",{"slug":151,"title":152,"description":153,"service":148,"date":149},"electrical-panel-upgrade","Electrical panel and service upgrades for NYC and Long Island homes","When an older NYC or Long Island home needs a new panel or a bigger electrical service, what the work involves, and how long it takes.",{"slug":155,"title":156,"description":157,"service":119,"date":118},"ev-charging-without-service-upgrade","EV charging without an expensive service upgrade","Load sharing, CT-clamp load management, dryer-outlet sharing and right-sized chargers: ways to add EV charging in NYC and Long Island without upgrading your electrical service.",{"slug":159,"title":160,"description":161,"service":119,"date":149},"ev-charger-installation","Installing a home EV charger in NYC or Long Island","Level 1 vs Level 2 charging, panel capacity, permits, Tesla Powershare, and what to know for houses and buildings in NYC and Long Island.",1792924279860]