Apartment management boards should know - What do Decrees 105 & 106 stipulate on fire-prevention responsibility when there is an electric motorbike charging station?

Many apartment buildings are paying special attention to installing electric motorbike charging stations to serve residents. However, what exactly is the fire-prevention responsibility when there is an electric motorbike charging station under the latest legal system? To avoid unnecessary legal risks, apartment management boards need to clearly understand the provisions of Decree 105/2025/ND-CP and Decree 106/2025/ND-CP, which have just taken effect, as follows.

1. Is an electric motorbike charging station subject to fire-prevention appraisal?

According to the latest provisions in Decree 105/2025/ND-CP, a "standalone electric motorbike charging station" or individual charging devices are not on the list of separate objects mandatorily subject to fire-prevention design appraisal.

However, when integrated into works under management such as apartment buildings or parking garages, the entire power supply system and infrastructure of the charging area must be included in the work's appraisal and renovation acceptance dossier. Therefore, installing a charging station will give rise to renovation-appraisal responsibility when:

• Installing in an existing work: It changes the functional use of part of the parking area and directly increases the load on the building's electrical system.
• Sensitive installation location: Placing the charging station in the basement, an indoor garage, or areas at risk of affecting escape routes and the building's fire-spread prevention solution.

Legal note: In these cases, the intervention in infrastructure requires the investor or apartment management board to prepare a renovation design dossier and submit it to the Fire Prevention, Fighting and Rescue Police agency for additional appraisal, in accordance with the regulations on work renovation in Decree 105/2025/ND-CP.

2. The fire-prevention responsibility of the apartment management board when there is an electric motorbike charging station

The apartment management board plays a key role in maintaining safety conditions at the building. When putting an electric motorbike charging station into operation, the management board must seriously carry out the following responsibilities to ensure compliance with technical standards:

• Assess the safety impact: Before installation, coordinate with specialized units to carefully check whether the charging station system overloads the electrical network, obstructs escape routes, or affects the existing automatic fire-fighting system.
• Ensure basic technical conditions:
• Separate the charging area: Arrange a separate, well-ventilated charging space, far from the area for gasoline motorbikes and flammable materials.
• Synchronize the interlock system: The power supply system for the charging station must be interlocked directly with the building's automatic fire alarm system. When a fire incident occurs, the power supplied to the charging station must automatically cut off immediately to eliminate the heat source.
• Equip suitable means: In addition to sprinkler heads, the charging area needs portable fire extinguishers specialized for lithium-ion battery fires (ordinary powder or CO2 extinguishers cannot fully put out this kind of fire).
• Inspect, maintain, and monitor: Install 24/7 surveillance cameras at the charging area. Regularly conduct periodic inspections of the wiring system and charging equipment to promptly detect and prevent the risk of short-circuits and overload.
• Communicate to residents: Issue clear rules for using the charging station, advise residents to use genuine charging equipment, not to modify batteries themselves, and not to charge overnight without supervision.

3. Legal risks if the management board fails to properly fulfill fire-prevention responsibility

Arbitrarily installing or loosely managing an electric motorbike charging station not in accordance with regulations will expose the parties to strict sanctions:

• Administrative fines of 30 – 50 million VND: According to Decree 106/2025/ND-CP, acts of arbitrarily renovating, changing the function of a work, or arranging an indoor EV charging area without fire-spread and smoke-prevention solutions meeting standards will be very heavily fined (the fine for organizations is 2 times that for individuals, up to a maximum of 50 million VND).
• Civil liability: If a fire or explosion incident originating from the charging station occurs due to a lack of safety measures or loose management, the management board and related parties must bear liability to fully compensate for all damage to property, health, and lives of residents.
• Criminal prosecution of individuals: In the event of serious consequences to people and property, the head of the Management Board or the individual directly at fault may be criminally prosecuted for the "Offense of violating regulations on fire prevention and fighting" under Article 313 of the Penal Code.

4. Recommended solutions for apartment management boards when installing an electric motorbike charging station

To achieve the best of both worlds – both bringing convenience to residents and ensuring absolute legal safety – the management board should proactively apply the following solutions:

1. Choose a reputable supplier: Choose units with smart charging station solutions that integrate features to auto-cut off when the battery is full, protect against current overload, and monitor battery temperature.
2. Plan the optimal location: Prioritize designing an outdoor charging area if the apartment grounds allow. If it must be placed in the basement, enclose it with specialized fire-resistant partitions to isolate the charging area from the rest of the parking basement.
3. Synchronize fire-prevention infrastructure: Install a sensitive smoke/heat sensor system dedicated to the charging area and fully equip it with the interlocked power-cutoff standards as mentioned in Section 2.
4. Partner with professional consulting units: Work alongside fire-prevention design consulting units to survey, prepare renovation drawings, and complete the appraisal procedures with the authorities quickly and in accordance with the provisions of Decree 105/2025/ND-CP.

EVsafe - Providing safe electric motorbike charging station solutions that meet fire-prevention standards

EVsafe specializes in providing smart electric motorbike charging station solutions, integrating auto-cutoff features when overloaded/overheated and an interlocked power-cutoff system in case of a fire incident. EVsafe's team accompanies apartment management boards from the stage of surveying the electrical load and advising on fire-spread prevention layout solutions, through to supporting the completion of the fire-prevention renovation acceptance dossier, ensuring strict compliance with Decree 105/2025/ND-CP and the latest technical standards.

Fire-prevention responsibility when there is an electric motorbike charging station is a key issue that apartment management boards cannot overlook. Clearly understanding the new decrees helps avoid legal risks for themselves, protect residents' property and lives, and at the same time promote the trend of using green - clean - safe electric vehicles.

Do you need to install or upgrade an electric motorbike charging station but are still concerned about the regulations? Contact EVsafe's team now for a survey and consultation on designing a safe charging station solution that is cost-optimized and legally compliant!

EVsafe — The EV charging ecosystem for Vietnamese people.