Federal · updated July 4, 2026
The EV charger tax credit expired. Here's what that actually means.
The federal 30C credit — 30% of charger and installation costs, up to $1,000 — ended for equipment placed in service after June 30, 2026. One group can still claim it; everyone else's money moved to states and utilities. Both halves below.
Still eligible?
Claiming 30C for a pre-deadline install
What ended and why: the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21) terminated the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit for property placed in service after June 30, 2026. (The federal vehicle credits — the $7,500 new / $4,000 used — had already ended for purchases after September 30, 2025.) "Placed in service" means installed and ready to use, not ordered or paid for.
The checklist for your 2026 return:
- Placed-in-service date on or before June 30, 2026 — installation invoice or inspection record proves it
- Address in an eligible census tract (low-income or non-urban per the 30C rules) — use the IRS/DOE tract lookup
- Itemized costs: charger hardware plus installation labor both count toward the 30%, capped at $1,000
- IRS Form 8911 filed with the 2026 return; keep invoices, permit, and inspection records
- Utility rebates received generally reduce your cost basis before the 30% — a tax professional confirms the interaction
This is general information, not tax advice. Credit rules, eligibility, and deadlines can change. Confirm details with the IRS or a qualified tax professional before filing.
The money now
What's still on the table, state by state
| State | Best remaining offers | Details |
|---|---|---|
| California | LADWP $1,000–$1,500 charger · SCE up to $4,200 panel · PG&E free charger + $2,000 panel (income-qualified) | Full CA guide → |
| Texas | Austin Energy 50% up to $1,200 + Power Partner credits | Full TX guide → |
| New York | Con Edison SmartCharge ~$400/year for off-peak charging | Full NY guide → |
| Florida | KUA $100 · FPL subscription · Duke $10/mo off-peak (JEA closed 11/2025) | Full FL guide → |
| Colorado | Xcel $500/$1,300 wiring + $50/yr · CARe $200 · VXC $9,000/$6,000 (vehicles) | Full CO guide → |
2027–2028
What's actually scheduled next
Nothing federal. No successor to 30C is on the books for 2027 or 2028 — planning around a revival is a bet, not a plan.
States are picking up pieces. Maryland's Energy Administration opens its FY27 residential charger rebate round in summer 2026 (applications through May 31, 2027, roughly $1.5M budgeted). New Jersey renewed Charge Up for FY2027 with $30 million — up to $4,000 off an EV plus $250 toward a home charger. Colorado's vehicle credit continues its statutory step-down through 2029 while VXC stays funded to 2032.
Utilities are the durable channel. California's LCFS-funded programs (SCE, PG&E, LADWP), Con Edison's SmartCharge, Xcel's wiring rebate, and Austin Energy's fiscal-year rebate all run on recurring funding mechanisms rather than one-time appropriations — expect amounts to shift, not vanish. The practical strategy for a 2027–2028 install: check your utility first, your state second, and treat federal as zero.
Installing anyway? Optimize what remains
Rebate-eligible charger + itemized quotes + right electric rate beats the old tax credit for many households.
Finding an installer yourself: ask for the contractor's state license number, proof of insurance, and at least two recent Level 2 installs. Get the permit number in writing.
Use the free permit checklist