Frequently Asked Questions

It is a program available to SDG&E residential electric customers who have purchased or leased eligible pre-owned (used) EVs.

The program is funded by the State of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program, which encourages utility customers to reduce transportation-related Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by adopting cleaner fuels, like electricity.

When completing a rebate application, applicants will need to include the Account Number from the SDG&E bill.

Your account number is the 12-digit number found at the top of your bill.

Applicants can also find this number by logging into their SDG&E account online at sdge.com and selecting View Bill under your Account. View a sample bill here.

If we cannot confirm that the Account Number entered is correct and active by the time an application is formally reviewed, a copy of a recent SDG&E bill will be requested.

The applicant may apply for the rebate even if the SDG&E electric service account is in another person’s name. If the applicant’s apartment building or mobile home does not have a separate electric meter for their unit, the landlord or property manager may be responsible for paying SDG&E for electricity. In this case, please request the SDG&E Account Number from the landlord or property manager to complete the application.

Additionally, once we review an application, we may require a copy of a recent SDG&E bill to further verify eligibility. If we do request a bill, we look for:

• The date (or a bill due date)
• The Account Number
• The service address

**Any other information on the bill can be redacted, if preferred by the account holder.

Note: There is a requirement that only one rebate may be issued per SDG&E service account, but exceptions can be made for multi-unit dwellings sharing one Account Number. If applicable, This SDG&E service account may still be eligible to apply for a rebate for other eligible vehicle(s), as one rebate may be issued per eligible vehicle.

If an email or a link to create or reset the account password is not received within 15 minutes of submitting the application form, please check the spam, junk, and bulk email folders. To ensure future emails about the application are received, add ev@sdgerebate.com to the applicant’s address book or “safe senders” list.

The SDG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate Program is only for used Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). For a list of eligible vehicles, please visit: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/eligible-carpool-sticker-list

Hydrogen Electric Vehicles and Zero Emission Motorcycles are not eligible to participate in the program.

Applicants may apply for the Rebate Plus option if they meet all requirements and specific income-based criteria outlined in the Program Requirements and in the SDG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate Program Terms and Conditions.

The date of purchase or lease, as applicable, is the contract date shown on the dealer’s purchase or lease contract, or the transfer date shown on the new owner’s Certificate of Title for private-party sales. For private-party sales, additional documentation may be required to confirm the purchase date.

To be eligible, the SDG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate application must be successfully submitted within 180 days after the date of vehicle purchase or lease and the vehicle must be purchased or leased on or after January 1, 2024. The application will be considered submitted once the form is complete, all supporting documents are uploaded, and an email is sent to confirm the application and documents were submitted.

Residential SDG&E electric customers are eligible for the program if they meet the below requirements:

• The applicant is an SDG&E customer with an active Account Number for residential electric service located within SDG&E’s service area. Community Choice Aggregation (“CCA”) and Direct Access (“DA”) customers are eligible for the rebate. The applicant owns or leases an eligible pre-owned (used) Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), or Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) listed on the HOV Eligibility List for the vehicle’s model year. Fuel cell vehicles, electric bikes, electric motorcycles, electric scooters, and neighborhood vehicles are not eligible for the rebate, even if they are included on the HOV Eligibility List.
• The application is successfully submitted within 180 days after the vehicle date of purchase or lease. The application will be considered submitted once the form is complete, all supporting documents are uploaded, and a confirmation email is sent confirming that the application and documents were submitted. Vehicles must be purchased on or after 1/1/2024.
• The vehicle, identified by its unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), is registered to the applicant’s individual name and address that receives residential SDG&E electric service. The vehicle must be registered to the address associated with the SDG&E Account Number entered on the application, but the service account does not have to be in the applicant’s name. Vehicles registered to businesses and business addresses are not eligible.
• The applicant agrees to maintain possession of the vehicle in California for a minimum of 20 consecutive months from the vehicle purchase or lease date. The vehicle’s lease term must be at least 20 months to be eligible for the rebate.
• The applicant has not already applied for and received an SDG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate. Once applications are submitted for an eligible vehicle, an applicant is not eligible to receive any additional rebates through the SDG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate Program.
• The household associated with the SDG&E Account Number has not already received an SDG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate.
• The applicant has paid the current vehicle registration fees in the State of California and is able to submit a digital copy of the permanent vehicle registration and purchase or lease contract. If purchased from a private-party sale, the applicant must submit their new Certificate of Title listing the new owner. Please refer to the Sample Supporting Documents for examples of accepted documents.

A current SDG&E residential electric service customer may receive only one (1) SDG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate through the life of the program.

Recipients of the California Clean Fuel Reward are not eligible to also receive the SDG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate for the same vehicle.

An otherwise-eligible EV is not eligible for the SDG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate if the applicant or the registered co-owner or co-lessee of the eligible vehicle received an SDG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate or the California Clean Fuel Reward for the same vehicle.

If the tax return for the year of purchase or lease has not yet been filed, the most recently filed tax return within two years of the year of vehicle purchase or lease will be requested for income verification.

If the applicant has not filed a tax return within two years of the year the vehicle was purchased or leased, SDG&E may, at its sole discretion, consider additional documentation to calculate income. Examples include pay stubs, W2s, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit documents, etc.

Filing an extension for the requested tax year is not considered filing for the purposes of the program’s income calculations. In these cases, additional documentation may be requested to evaluate the applicant’s income for the non-filing year. If the applicant is unable to provide additional requested documentation for income verification, the applicant is not eligible for the Rebate Plus option.

If the federal tax return for the year of purchase or lease has not yet been filed, the most recently filed federal tax return within two years of the year of vehicle purchase or lease will be requested for income verification. Please note the SDG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate Program considers gross annual income to include both taxable and non-taxable income sources prior to any adjustments.

For applications submitted using the 2022 or 2023 tax year, we will review the following sections of each federal tax return, as reflected on the IRS tax transcript, to help determine gross annual income:

• On IRS Form 1040: Sum of lines 1–7. Line 9 is not used to calculate total gross income for the Rebate Plus option; and (if applicable),
• On IRS Form 1040 Schedule 1: Sum of lines 1-8. If Line 8, “Other Income,” is negative, it will not be included as part of the income calculation, unless an exception applies. If Line 8 on Schedule 1 is negative, the corresponding “Statement” filed with the applicant's 1040 must be provided. Net operating losses carried over from previous years are not an exception.

View the Terms and Conditions for all SDG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate applications successfully submitted on and after April 30, 2024.

Refund checks are typically mailed within 27 calendar days of approval, but some delays may occur. The applicant will receive an email when the check is sent. In the meantime, applicants can check the status of their application at any time at apply.evrebates.sdge.com.

SDG&E offers a variety of pricing plans related to electric vehicles. To learn more about pricing plans, please visit SDG&E’s Electric Vehicle Pricing Plans page.

Stay up to date on SDG&E's current resources and incentives for electric vehicle owners here.

Additional incentives for California electric vehicle owners, by zip code, can be found at DriveClean , Electric for All and PlugStar. Each program has different eligibility requirements, so be sure to confirm eligibility before purchasing a vehicle.

For more information about the Clean Used Vehicle Tax Credit, visit the IRS website.