By: Otaiba Ahsan

It’s a well-known fact that Tesla is rapidly expanding their Supercharging network. However, third-party chargers are also riding this wave of growth and are becoming increasingly available. While most Tesla owners will opt for Supercharging if available, having the option to use a third-party charger can be useful in certain situations. Continue reading for steps on how to know if your Tesla is compatible with third-party chargers.

Required Adapters

If the third-party charger has a North American Charging Standard (NACS) cable, then in most cases you can simply plug in like you normally would. However, in addition to NACS, many third-party stations use CCS chargers. See the visual from Tesla to see what one looks like. If that’s the case, you’ll need a CCS Combo 1 Adapter which can be purchased directly from Tesla.

Additionally, other third-party chargers will require an SAE J1772 Charging Adapter which can also be bought from Tesla. However, this adapter is included with every Tesla vehicle delivery.

NOTE: Would you like to charge at a Supercharger instead? Read our comprehensive guide on how to charge your Tesla at a Supercharger for more.

Checking for Compatibility

Now that you’re aware of the required adapters, it’s most important to know if your Tesla is compatible. To see if your vehicle can already communicate with CCS, navigate to Controls > Software > Additional Vehicle Information > CCS and 3rd-party NACS DC Fast Charging Support. You’ll then see one of the following:

Enabled: Indicates that your Tesla supports the CCS communication protocol and can charge at any CCS station (with an adapter) and third-party NACS station.
Not Enabled: Indicates that your Tesla doesn’t currently support CCS or NACS for third-party charging stations. You can schedule a service appointment to see if Tesla can do a hardware retrofit to solve this issue.
Not Compatible: Indicates that your Tesla can’t support CCS or NACS at third-party charging stations at all.

The Bottom Line

The steps on how to know if your Tesla is compatible with third-party chargers are easy. When in your Tesla, tap Controls > Software > Additional Vehicle Information > CCS and 3rd-party NACS DC Fast Charging Support. Next, you’ll see either Enabled, Not Enabled, or Not Compatible listed. Each message has a different meaning, which you can see above.