Last reviewed October 2026
MyFirstEV takes $3,500 off your first new EV at the dealer, no income cap, but Tesla's pot is gone. Used-EV rebates up to $4,000. Budget a $121/yr EV fee.
The $7,500 federal new-EV credit and $4,000 used-EV credit ended September 30, 2025, and the federal home-charger credit (30C) followed on June 30, 2026. If anyone tells you otherwise, they're reading an old script. (Charger installed on or before June 30, 2026? That one's still claimable on that year's return. IRS Form 8911.)
Income-qualified (household income under 300% of the federal poverty level), statewide. The scrap-and-replace path (Clean Cars 4 All) is still open: up to $12,000 in disadvantaged communities, $10,000 elsewhere, plus a $2,000 charge card. The financing-assistance path (no scrap) is CLOSED to new applications (notice posted 8/21/2026) due to demand.
Scrap an older car, income-qualified. Run by 5 regional air districts, and statewide through DCAP's scrap-and-replace path if you live outside them. Bay Area open; SoCal "Replace Your Ride" has paused new applications due to high volume.
Your first-ever ZEV (buy or lease), CA resident, NO income cap. Caps: $50k base MSRP new / $25k used, certified pre-owned only (Lucid and Rivian are exempt from the caps). Instant at the dealer: you sign a self-attestation form, no separate application. THE CATCH: each automaker has its own pot (about $9.9M in state money each), and Tesla's is GONE. CARB status (updated Aug 31, 2026): 14 brands available now, Mitsubishi launching Nov 2026, Tesla closed. Used-car rebates only at Ford, Lucid, Rivian and Volvo. Check your brand before you shop.
$1,000 standard / $4,000 income-qualified on a used EV. Heads up: the standard tier was extended, and a complete application must be in by Nov 11, 2026; from Nov 12 it's income-qualified only. 90-day application window.
$1,000 standard / $4,000 income-qualified ("Rebate Plus") on a used EV, apply within 180 days of purchase.
$1,500 for all customers / $4,000 low-income (EZ-SAVE/Lifeline) on a used EV.
$1,000 standard / $4,000 income-qualified on a used EV (battery or plug-in hybrid), apply within 180 days of purchase or lease.
The catch: California charges EV owners an extra $121/yr at registration. See every state's EV fee, ranked.
Shopping used? California has money for used EVs too. See used EV prices by model and what to check.
The old CVRP rebate is dead (closed Nov 2023). MyFirstEV is its simpler successor: instant instead of apply-and-wait, and no income cap. Fun fine print: the $50k cap is waived for California-headquartered EV-only automakers, i.e. Rivian and Lucid. Tesla's MyFirstEV pot already ran dry, so there's no MyFirstEV money on a Tesla right now. Meanwhile the quiet story stands: between PG&E/SCE/SDG&E/LADWP used-EV rebates, California is one of the best USED-EV states in the country. The $121/yr Road Improvement Fee applies to model-year 2020+ EVs at renewal (waived on the initial dealer registration).
Go deeper: MyFirstEV explained: who qualifies, when it opens, and the Tesla asterisk.
See what it costs to charge instead of fill up: California EV vs gas costs.
Programs change monthly and run out of money mid-year. Everything above was last reviewed October 2026; confirm at the official links before signing. Got a dealer quote? Run it through the free Deal-Checker.