REGULATORY UPDATE · VIETNAM · EV CHARGING
QCVN 32:2026/BCT · Effective July 1, 2027
Verified October 30, 2026 · SINELINK News
What changed: Vietnam has notified its first national technical regulation for EV charging equipment and charging stations. Exporters and operators should map product evidence, site compatibility and conformity documentation before the July 2027 effective date.
Vietnam has notified its first national technical regulation for EV charging equipment and charging stations - QCVN 32:2026/BCT, issued through Circular 61 by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and notified to the WTO on October 20, 2026. It takes effect on July 1, 2027. If you export chargers to Vietnam - or operate charging stations there - this is the document that will decide whether your equipment can be certified, imported, and commissioned after that date. Here is what it covers, who it applies to, and what exporters should start preparing now.
What QCVN 32:2026/BCT covers
The regulation is the first synchronous national technical framework for charging piles and charging stations in Vietnam. According to the WTO notification, it sets technical and management requirements covering:
| Requirement area | What it means for equipment |
| Electrical safety | Shock, fire and fault protection for the charger itself |
| EMC | Electromagnetic compatibility of power electronics |
| Communication | Protocol and data interfaces - where OCPP-aligned platforms matter |
| Marking and instructions | Labels, ratings and user documentation |
| Installation and layout | Site placement conditions for different environments |
| Power supply and connection | Grid connection and input specifications |
| Metering | Energy measurement at the charging point |
| Monitoring and control | Remote monitoring, load control interfaces |
| Operation and maintenance | Ongoing station operation duties |
Two exporter checks deserve priority.
Two points deserve special attention from exporters. First, the regulation defines conformity procedures: certification, declaration of conformity and conformity marking. Second - and unusually helpful for foreign manufacturers - it provides for recognition and use of foreign conformity assessment results under Vietnamese law. In other words, existing CE or international test reports may carry weight, but the mapping will be defined by Vietnamese authorities, not assumed.
Who must comply - and one deadline worth circling
The regulation covers charging equipment for battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and similar road vehicles. Station-level requirements apply to installations in public areas, centralized parking facilities and rest areas, with scope exclusions defined in the regulation itself.
From July 1, 2027, public charging stations must also satisfy the compatibility requirements that let different vehicle brands share the same public infrastructure - a "type-C moment" for Vietnamese charging, as MOIT officials described it, comparing it to the EU's common phone charger rule. Charging stations inside buildings, basements and garages remain under construction and fire-safety law instead, so the compliance path differs by site type.
The market context: why Vietnam is standardizing now
Vietnam's charging network has grown to roughly 150,000 charging ports with capacities up to 360 kW nationwide (media-reported figures), deployed across gas stations, shopping centers, industrial parks, dealerships and rest stops - plus one of Asia's largest centralized charging hubs opened in Hanoi in October 2026. MOIT frames the standard around five goals: safety first, compatibility, transparency for users, protection of the electrical system, and smart charging. A national rule was the missing piece that lets investors commit capital to public charging networks at scale.
What exporters should do in the next 90 days
Map your product line to the nine requirement areas above and identify where existing test reports (IEC-based or CE) can be reused - the regulation allows foreign conformity results to be recognized under Vietnamese law, but the mapping must be confirmed with Vietnamese authorities.
Ask every Vietnam-bound supplier one question: which clauses of QCVN 32:2026/BCT can your equipment already evidence, and which need new testing? Answers before July 2027 are cheap; answers after a rejected shipment are not.
If you operate stations, plan the compatibility deadline: public stations must support brand-agnostic shared use from July 1, 2027 - this is an OCPP and connector question as much as a legal one.
FAQ
Is QCVN 32:2026/BCT mandatory?
Yes. A QCVN is a mandatory national technical regulation; compliance is demonstrated through certification, declaration of conformity and conformity marking as defined in the document.
Does it apply to chargers already installed?
The regulation covers equipment and stations within its scope from July 1, 2027; how it treats the existing installed base is defined in the regulation's transitional provisions - verify with MOIT or a local certification body before planning replacements.
I export chargers with CE marks. Are they enough?
Not automatically. The regulation provides for recognition of foreign conformity assessment results under Vietnamese law, but recognition does not mean CE equals QCVN. Treat existing reports as a head start, not a substitute.
Does it mandate a specific connector or protocol?
The published summaries emphasize technical compatibility for shared public use; they do not announce a single mandated connector. Verify connector and communication requirements against the regulation text and your target customers' vehicles.
Sources and evidence boundary
Sources: WTO TBT notification via Anhui Commerce Department (2026-10-20); MOIT Circular 61 / QCVN 32:2026/BCT as reported by Lao Dong Newspaper (2026-10); MOIT quarterly press briefing via vietnam.vn (2026-10-07). Charging-port figures are media-reported. Verified 2026-10-30.
Important: Existing CE or international test reports may help the review, but they do not automatically establish QCVN conformity. Confirm the applicable clauses, accepted assessment route, and exact product scope with Vietnamese authorities or an authorized local body.
Prepare the right evidence before the effective date
Review SINELINK EV charging equipment and available certification documents, then confirm the exact model, market configuration and required conformity route for Vietnam.
View EV charging systems. Review certificates