If you charge drivers a fee at your EV chargers in Maryland, a registered service agency is now part of the process. Maryland treats paid public chargers like gas pumps. The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Weights and Measures program registers them, inspects them, and tests their meters.
Two things make a paid charger legal: 1) The charger model must be NTEP certified. 2) Each installed charger must be placed into service, reported to the state, and registered. A registered service agency handles that second part.
Blue Whale EV is a registered service agency with Maryland Weights and Measures. This guide explains what that means, how it works hand in hand with NTEP certification, and the five steps from buying a charger to its first paid session.
What a Registered Service Agency Is
A registered service agency is a company that Maryland Weights and Measures has approved to place into service and repair commercial measuring devices. For decades, that meant gas pumps and scales. Now it includes EV chargers that sell electricity to the public.
A company must meet state rules listed on the Maryland OneStop license page:
- Its technicians must pass a written exam for each type of device they service.
- It must own or have access to test equipment certified by a state lab that NIST approves.
- Its technicians must work for the registered agency.
- It must renew its registration every two years and keep its test equipment certified.
Once registered, the agency can do things a regular contractor cannot. It files placed-in-service reports with the state. And it is the only party, other than a state inspector, that can return a charger to service after a condemned tag.
How NTEP and a Registered Service Agency Work Together
People often mix up NTEP and a registered service agency. They are different, and you need both.
NTEP stands for the National Type Evaluation Program. The National Conference on Weights and Measures runs it. NTEP tests a charger model in a lab and, if it passes, issues an NTEP certificate of conformance (CC). The CC shows the model meets NIST Handbook 44, Section 3.40, the national code for EV charging meters.
So NTEP certified EV chargers prove the design is accurate. But a lab test does not prove that the charger at your site was installed right, set up right, and reported to the state. That is the job of the registered service agency.
Think of it this way:
- NTEP refers to the model. It happens once, in a lab, before the charger is sold.
- A registered service agency installs your charger. It happens at your site, at every new install and every major repair.
One more point: no company is “NTEP certified.” NTEP certifies charger models only. Blue Whale EV is not NTEP certified, and no installer is. We are a registered service agency, and we only install NTEP certified models for paid public use.
Does Your Charger Fall Under These Rules?
The rules apply to publicly available chargers that charge a fee. That includes public Level 2 and DC fast chargers, utility-owned public chargers, chargers shared by more than one fleet, and workplace chargers that are also open to the public.
Free chargers, home chargers, single private fleet chargers, and residents-only chargers that stay off public charging apps are exempt. Our guide on how to set a per-kWh price covers the exemptions and the signage rules in more detail.
Outside Maryland
Other states are adopting the same rules. Delaware’s DNREC rebate requires NTEP certified models for paid chargers, and placement into service by a registrant of Delaware’s Voluntary Serviceperson Program. See our Delaware EV charger rebate guide.
The 5 Steps to Put a Paid Charger Into Legal Service
Every new paid public charger in Maryland follows the same path: choose a certified model, install it, place it into service, file the report within five days, and register every port. A registered service agency can handle most of it for you.
Step 1: Choose a Model That Meets the Rules for Its Install Date
Maryland splits chargers into three groups by install date, as the MDA EVSE program information sheet explains.
Installed before January 1, 2023. These are legacy EV chargers. They do not need NTEP certification yet. They must be registered, show the price per kWh before the session, show the energy delivered, give a receipt, and stay within a 2% accuracy limit. All legacy chargers must be replaced with NTEP certified models by January 1, 2033.
Installed January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025. These chargers need a traceable NTEP certificate. A model still in NTEP testing, or one that holds a CTEP approval, can get conditional use for a limited time.
Installed on or after January 1, 2026. These chargers need an NTEP certificate, a placed-in-service report, and registration before the first paid session.
For any new charger, get the NTEP CC number from the manufacturer and search it in the NCWM certificate database. Make sure the certificate covers your exact model and power level.
Step 2: Install the Charger to Code
The charger must be installed to electrical code and to the manufacturer’s instructions. It also needs a nameplate that shows the make, model, serial number, voltage and current type, maximum current, temperature limits, minimum measured quantity, and NTEP CC number.
Before the first sale, the charger must be able to show the price per kWh, show the energy delivered, and give the driver a receipt. Every unattended charger also needs the name, address, and phone number of the responsible party posted on or next to it.
Step 3: Place the Charger Into Service
Placing a charger into service means confirming it was installed as Maryland law and Handbook 44 require. A registered service agency checks the setup, the display, the receipt, and the pricing, and then puts the charger into commercial use.
This is where the two systems meet. The NTEP certificate says the model can be accurate. The registered service agency confirms that this charger, at this site, is set up to sell electricity the legal way.
Step 4: File the Placed in Service Report
A placed in service report tells Maryland Weights and Measures that a new or repaired charger is in use. A registered service agency must file it within five days of placing a charger into service or returning a repaired one.
Right now, Maryland also accepts these reports from charger owners. The state allows this because there are not yet enough service agencies and test equipment for EV chargers. If an owner files, the form must list the installer’s name and direct contact details. Many owners would rather have a registered service agency file it, so the details are right the first time.
Step 5: Register Every Port Each Year
Registration is done per location, and the fee is per port. The fee is $75 per port, per year. The Maryland Department of Agriculture cut it from $150 in June 2026, and state energy funds cover the difference.
A charger with two connectors counts as two ports, so it costs $150 a year. Send one form per location with the number of ports. If you have many sites, send one form with a spreadsheet of all locations.
The deadline for existing paid public chargers was July 1, 2026. An unregistered paid public charger found after that date can be removed from service until it is registered.
Staying Accurate After Install
A charger does not stay legal just because it passed on day one. The state inspects and tests chargers in the field, and Handbook 44 sets the limits:
- Acceptance tolerance: 1%. A new or newly repaired charger must read within 1%.
- Maintenance tolerance: 2%. A charger already in service must stay within 2%.
One exception applies to older DC fast chargers. A DC charger placed in service before January 1, 2025 and marked Class 5 can read within 5% until January 1, 2034.
If an inspector finds a problem, the charger gets a tag. The tag decides who can bring it back:
- Rejected: you can keep using the charger while you fix it.
- Condemned (yellow tag): stop use. Only a registered service agency can return it to service.
- Stop-use (red tag): stop use. Only a state inspector can return it to service.
- Approved: the charger passed and gets a certification sticker.
Never remove a state tag yourself. That can lead to civil penalties or loss of registration. A charger that is offline during an inspection is marked rejected, the lowest level of action, and gets a return visit.
This is why maintenance matters. A plan like our WhaleCare maintenance program keeps chargers online and ready for inspection, and our registered service agency status means a yellow tag does not leave you waiting.
What This Means for Public Sector Buyers
Counties, cities, and school systems often open chargers to the public and charge a fee to recover electricity costs. Those chargers follow the same rules.
For public buyers, write two items into the bid: NTEP certified models, with the CC number for each, and installation by a Maryland registered service agency. This avoids a swap or a delay after install.
Blue Whale EV supports government facilities across Maryland, Virginia, and DC. Agencies can also buy through our cooperative contract vehicles, which can remove the need for a new RFP.
How Blue Whale EV Works as Your Registered Service Agency
Blue Whale EV is a registered service agency with the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Weights and Measures program. Our certificate is Service Agency number 704. It covers AC and DC EV chargers (EVSE AC/DC) from September 1, 2026, through September 30, 2028.
You can confirm our registration on the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s list of registered service agencies for scales and meters. Blue Whale EV is on that list.
That registration lets us handle the steps most contractors have to pass back to the owner:
- We recommend only NTEP certified models for paid public sites, and check each certificate before we quote.
- We place new chargers into service and file the placed-in-service report with the state.
- We return repaired chargers to service after a yellow condemned tag.
- We help with the registration form for each location.
Our installers are also EVITP certified. After install, our charge point operator service can manage pricing, receipts, and uptime, which are the same items an inspector checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a registered service agency do for EV chargers?
A registered service agency places into service and repairs EV chargers used for paid charging in Maryland. It files placed-in-service reports with the state and can return a charger to service after a condemned tag.
Is a registered service agency the same as NTEP certification?
No. NTEP certifies a charger model after lab testing. A registered service agency is a company approved by Maryland Weights and Measures to put each installed charger into service. A paid public charger needs an NTEP certified model and proper placement into service.
Can a company be NTEP certified?
No. NTEP certifies charger models, not installers or companies. Companies that install and repair paid chargers register with Maryland as registered service agencies instead.
Who can remove a yellow tag from an EV charger in Maryland?
Only a registered service agency can return a charger to service after a condemned (yellow) tag, and it must file a placed-in-service report. A red stop-use tag can only be cleared by a state inspector.
Do old EV chargers installed before 2023 need to be replaced?
Not yet. Chargers installed before January 1, 2023 are legacy chargers. They must be registered and meet basic accuracy and receipt rules, and they must be replaced with NTEP certified models by January 1, 2033.
How much does it cost to register an EV charger in Maryland?
The fee is $75 per port, per year. A charger with two connectors costs $150 a year to register. Free, private, and residents-only chargers do not need to be registered.
Work With a Registered Service Agency From Day One
NTEP certified chargers and a registered service agency work hand in hand. Get both right at the start, and your paid chargers go live without delays, tags, or swaps. Blue Whale EV can review your sites, check your certificates, and put your chargers into legal service.
