Method for operating a charging station for electric vehicles in which a) a maximum rated value is determined for a charging current or a charging power, wherein the maximum rated value is predetermined from an installation specification, a selected fuse protection element or from the network capacity which is predetermined at the location of the charging station or is established by means of negotiation between the charging station and the vehicle, b) the determined maximum rated value is transmitted from the charging station to an electric vehicle which is electrically connected to the charging station, c) depending on at least the maximum rated value, a first time period is determined, d) during the first time period, the electric vehicle is charged with a maximum of the maximum rated value of the charging current, e) during the first time period or after it has elapsed, a reduced rated value for the charging current or the charging power which is reduced with respect to the previous charging current or the previous charging power and a second time period are determined, wherein the second time period determines a period of time during which the charging current must not exceed the reduced rated value, f) the reduced rated value is transmitted to the electric vehicle, and g) the electric vehicle, during the second time period, is charged with a maximum of the reduced rated value of the charging current or the charging power, characterised in that - the second time period and/or the reduced rated value is determined in accordance with at least one additional parameter from - an age of the charging station, - a number of previous charging operations at the charging station, - a number of previous charging operations with maximum charging current or maximum charging power at the charging station, - a charging frequency of previous charging operations at the charging station, or - a cumulative charging duration of previous charging operations at the charging station. a) a maximum rated value is determined for a charging current or a charging power, wherein the maximum rated value is predetermined from an installation specification, a selected fuse protection element or from the network capacity which is predetermined at the location of the charging station or is established by means of negotiation between the charging station and the vehicle, b) the determined maximum rated value is transmitted from the charging station to an electric vehicle which is electrically connected to the charging station, c) depending on at least the maximum rated value, a first time period is determined, d) during the first time period, the electric vehicle is charged with a maximum of the maximum rated value of the charging current, e) during the first time period or after it has elapsed, a reduced rated value for the charging current or the charging power which is reduced with respect to the previous charging current or the previous charging power and a second time period are determined, wherein the second time period determines a period of time during which the charging current must not exceed the reduced rated value, f) the reduced rated value is transmitted to the electric vehicle, and g) the electric vehicle, during the second time period, is charged with a maximum of the reduced rated value of the charging current or the charging power, characterised in that - the second time period and/or the reduced rated value is determined in accordance with at least one additional parameter from - an age of the charging station, - a number of previous charging operations at the charging station, - a number of previous charging operations with maximum charging current or maximum charging power at the charging station, - a charging frequency of previous charging operations at the charging station, or - a cumulative charging duration of previous charging operations at the charging station. - the second time period and/or the reduced rated value is determined in accordance with at least one additional parameter from - an age of the charging station, - a number of previous charging operations at the charging station, - a number of previous charging operations with maximum charging current or maximum charging power at the charging station, - a charging frequency of previous charging operations at the charging station, or - a cumulative charging duration of previous charging operations at the charging station.