Currently, the global use of electric vehicles is still low; however, a significant increase is expected in the coming years. Determining the optimal location of charging stations in distribution systems can influence the increased adoption of this technology in transportation, as it contributes to the proper functioning of distribution networks. There are several optimization methods, which can be classified into exact, heuristic, and metaheuristic methods, each with different characteristics and applications. This article presents a literature review of the main optimization methods currently used to determine the location of charging stations in distribution systems. It concludes that metaheuristic optimization methods are the most widely used. In addition, the review identifies current research gaps, particularly the limited use of real EV demand data and the lack of stochastic approaches to represent demand variability. The main contribution of this work lies in emphasizing the importance of incorporating stochastic methods to adequately address the uncertainty of EV demand in distribution networks.