OCPP is the open communication standard that lets a home EV charger talk to third-party software like ChargeHQ or Amber. If your charger supports OCPP and the manufacturer allows third-party access, those apps can control when and how fast it charges, shifting load to cheap solar or off-peak tariff windows.openchargealliance.orgView source openchargealliance.orgView source
Without it, you charge at full speed whenever the car is plugged in, on the manufacturer's own app or no app at all.
The catch is that "OCPP" on a spec sheet does not always mean open access. Some manufacturers use the protocol internally but lock the endpoint to their own platform. Checking this before you buy is the move most spec sheets will not prompt you to make.
OCPP lets third-party apps control your charger
OCPP stands for Open Charge Point Protocol. It is the open standard that sets how a home EV charger talks to a software platform.openchargealliance.orgView source The standard is run by the Open Charge Alliance (OCA), a non-profit set up in 2014 with more than 400 member groups, including charger makers, software platforms, and energy networks worldwide.
Without OCPP, a charger only does what its built-in timer says. It charges at full speed when the car is plugged in, or runs a simple on-device schedule. No outside software can reach in and change what it is doing.
With OCPP active and open, a third-party platform can send charging commands to the charger in real time: start, stop, speed up, slow down, schedule for tomorrow night. That is what makes solar diversion, off-peak tariff scheduling, and demand-response work. All of those need a software platform to be able to talk to the charger, and OCPP is the shared language.
Solar and tariff apps only work if your charger has open OCPP access
The real case for OCPP is the app ecosystem built around it. Two types of app make the biggest difference to your power bill: solar diversion and tariff scheduling.
Solar diversion apps read how much power your rooftop solar is sending back to the grid and tell the charger to use that excess instead. ChargeHQ is the main example in Australia. In January 2025, Amber Electric bought ChargeHQ, and the combined platform works with most OCPP EV chargers on the Australian market, supporting solar diversion, custom schedules, and grid-condition management.amber.com.auView source
Amber's wholesale tariff product watches the spot price of electricity and charges the car only when prices fall near zero or below. Apps like this need OCPP so they can send a start or stop signal to the charger in real time as the price moves. A charger without open OCPP cannot get those signals, so tariff automation is not possible no matter what plan you are on.
Retailer EV tariff plans work the same way. Off-peak overnight plans from major Australian retailers use OCPP scheduling to move the charge into the cheap window. If the charger cannot take an OCPP command from the retailer's platform, the cheap rate sits on your bill but you have to plug in at the right time yourself.
Portable EV chargers (such as a portable EVSE used with a standard power point) work differently. They use Mode 2 trickle charging and do not need OCPP. If you want to know more about that option, the portable EV charger guide covers how they compare.
"OCPP on the spec sheet" does not always mean open access
This is the catch that trips most buyers up. OCPP is an open, royalty-free standard. No single maker owns it. The Open Charge Alliance says its goal is an open EV charging world that grows choice and spurs new ideas.openchargealliance.orgView source In theory, any OCPP-capable charger can be pointed at any OCPP-compatible platform.
In practice, some makers use OCPP inside their own system but lock the outbound connection to their own platform. The Evnex E2 is a clear Australian case. Evnex uses OCPP with private add-ons inside their system, but their policy is that they do not let their chargers' OCPP connections be pointed at a different platform. The result: Evnex works with Amber via a private API, not open OCPP, and ChargeHQ is not on their roadmap. The charger uses OCPP; you, as the buyer, do not get access to it.
The Tesla Wall Connector Gen 3 takes a different approach. It has no OCPP at all and runs on Tesla's own protocol. It cannot be used with ChargeHQ or third-party tariff apps. Worth knowing if you drive a non-Tesla EV or want to switch platforms later.zecar.comView source
Chargers with confirmed open OCPP 1.6J access in Australia as at June 2026 include the Zappi v2.1, Ocular IQ Home Solar, Fronius Wattpilot Home 22J, Sungrow AC22E-01, GoodWe HCA Series, Autel MaxiCharger AC Lite, Sigenergy Sigen EVAC, and Anker Solix V1.zecar.comView source OCPP status can change with firmware updates, so confirm with the maker when you buy.
The key point: buying a charger labelled "OCPP-capable" is not the same as buying one that ChargeHQ or Amber can reach. The spec sheet rarely tells you which category the charger falls into. That is what the check below resolves.
OCPP access: three scenarios on a spec sheet
When you read "OCPP" on a product page, it can mean any of these three things. The middle column is what you actually need to check.
| What the spec sheet says | What that means in practice | ChargeHQ and Amber wall-charger mode |
|---|---|---|
| OCPP supported, open access | Manufacturer allows third-party platforms to connect to the OCPP endpoint | Yes (e.g. Zappi v2.1, Ocular IQ Home Solar) |
| OCPP supported, locked | Manufacturer uses OCPP internally but restricts the endpoint to their own platform | No (Evnex E2 example) |
| No OCPP | Charger runs on the manufacturer's proprietary protocol only | No (Tesla Wall Connector Gen 3 example) |
A charger in the locked or no-OCPP row may still connect to some apps via a proprietary API, but that connection is on the manufacturer's terms, not an open standard. OCPP status can change with firmware. Confirm with the manufacturer at purchase.
Which OCPP version matters for your home charger
The OCA has published three versions of OCPP.openchargealliance.orgView source For a home buyer in 2026, the version question is simpler than it looks.
OCPP 1.6 (published 2015) covers what you need for solar diversion, off-peak tariff scheduling, and demand-response. It is the most widely used version for home chargers in Australia right now. A charger with open OCPP 1.6J access is the minimum you need to use ChargeHQ or Amber's wall-charger smart charging mode.
OCPP 2.0.1 (published 2020) adds stronger security, better device management, and Plug and Charge support (ISO 15118, which lets the car and charger talk to each other without an app or card). The OCA's version of OCPP 2.0.1 edition 3 was adopted as IEC standard IEC 63584 in 2024.openchargealliance.orgView source For most home solar and tariff use cases today, OCPP 2.0.1 is not needed.
OCPP 2.1 (published 2025) adds ISO 15118-20, which supports vehicle-to-grid (V2G) two-way power flow.openchargealliance.orgView source If you want to send power from your car battery back to your home or the grid in the future, you will need a charger that supports OCPP 2.1. For current one-way home charging, it is not needed.
Here is the short version: for solar and tariff apps today, look for OCPP 1.6 with open access. For V2G later, watch for OCPP 2.1 chargers as they reach Australia. But the bigger call is still open access, not version number. A locked OCPP 2.0.1 charger is less useful than an open OCPP 1.6 one.
The one check to do before you buy
Ask the maker, or check their support page, one specific question: "Can I point this charger's OCPP connection at a third-party platform like ChargeHQ?"
A clear yes means open access. You can use ChargeHQ, Amber's wall-charger mode, and any other OCPP-compatible platform now. You can also switch between them later without replacing the charger. That is what an open standard is supposed to give you.
A clear no means the charger is locked. The maker may still work with some apps via their own API, but you rely on that company's decisions going forward. If they end the connection or shut down, your smart charging goes with it.
A non-answer, or a support page that does not mention third-party OCPP access at all, is a no in practice. Treat it as locked until you have written confirmation.
This check is the practical side of the open-standard versus lock-in choice. OCPP's purpose, as described by the OCA, is to give you the freedom to move between platforms.openchargealliance.orgView source A locked setup gives you the acronym on the spec sheet without the payoff. For a broader look at how this fits the charger decision, including whether you need a smart charger at all, see the smart vs dumb EV charger guide.
What does an EV charger installation cost?
A smart charger with open OCPP costs more than a basic unit. Here is a fair-price estimate for the install before you shop.
Common questions about OCPP
OCPP stands for Open Charge Point Protocol. It is the open communication standard published by the Open Charge Alliance (OCA) that sets the rules for how an EV charger talks to a software platform or energy management system. A charger with OCPP support can receive commands from third-party apps like ChargeHQ and Amber to schedule charging, divert solar power, or respond to tariff signals.
Not to charge your car. A charger without OCPP will still charge at full speed. But if you want to use an app like ChargeHQ or Amber to charge on solar or cheap off-peak tariffs, the charger needs OCPP and the manufacturer must allow third-party access. Without that, tariff automation and solar diversion are not possible.
Both versions let a charger talk to external platforms for scheduling and smart charging. OCPP 1.6 (2015) is the most widely used version for home chargers in Australia and covers solar diversion and off-peak scheduling. OCPP 2.0.1 (2020) adds stronger security and Plug and Charge (ISO 15118) support. The two versions are not designed to run on the same connection, so the charger and the platform need to use the same one. For most home solar and tariff use cases, OCPP 1.6 with open access is enough.
Yes. ChargeHQ (now part of Amber Electric since January 2025) works with the majority of OCPP EV chargers on the Australian market. The platform uses OCPP to send solar diversion and scheduling commands to the charger. If your charger does not have open OCPP access, ChargeHQ cannot connect to it, regardless of whether the charger has its own app.
For wall-charger smart charging, yes. Amber's platform (which now includes ChargeHQ) works with OCPP wall chargers to send charge and pause commands as the spot price moves.amber.com.auView source A charger without open OCPP cannot receive those signals. (Tesla has a native API connection with Amber that bypasses OCPP, but that is specific to Tesla hardware.)
There is no single national OCPP mandate for home EV charger installs. Some states (such as South Australia) have introduced demand-response requirements for hard-wired chargers, and rules can change. Check the current requirements for your home with your installer or the relevant state technical regulator before you buy.
Open Charge Point Protocol is the full name for OCPP. It is the open, royalty-free communication standard that lets a home EV charger talk to software platforms for scheduling, solar diversion, and demand management. It is published by the Open Charge Alliance, a non-profit group of more than 400 organisations. Because it is an open standard, any charger maker and any software platform can use it without paying a licence fee.
An OCPP charger uses the open standard that any compatible platform can talk to. A proprietary charger uses a protocol owned by one manufacturer and only works with their own app or approved connections. The practical difference: an OCPP charger with open access lets you choose your charging platform and switch later. A proprietary charger ties you to the manufacturer's ecosystem, which may or may not include the apps you want.
Ready to install a smart EV charger?
See a fair-price estimate for EV charger installation in your area, then get quotes from vetted local electricians. A licensed installer will confirm what your home needs and which charger works with your preferred app.
Sources
General information, not a substitute for advice from a licensed electrician. OCPP compatibility and product availability can change with firmware updates; confirm with the manufacturer at the time of purchase.
- openchargealliance.orgView source
- openchargealliance.orgView source
- amber.com.auView source
- zecar.comView source