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$1000 or $4000 off a Used Electric Vehicle
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$1000 or $4000 off a Used Electric Vehicle

Phone number
none
Category
Car
Auto tags
car
electric vehicle
rebate
PG&E
residential
used vehicle
income-qualified
Eligibility
PG&E residential electric customers; Rebate Plus requires income qualification or enrollment in CalFresh, Medi-Cal, SSI, WIC, LIHEAP, CalWORKs, or similar assistance program
Auto Summary
PG&E Pre-Owned EV Rebate gives PG&E residential electric customers $1,000 (standard) or $4,000 (Rebate Plus, income-qualified) for buying or leasing a used battery EV or plug-in hybrid. Apply within 180 days of purchase. Rebate Plus requires either enrollment in a qualifying assistance program (CalFresh, Medi-Cal, SSI, WIC, LIHEAP, CalWORKs, etc.) or household income under the county limit. Verified active 2026-05-17; re-confirmed 2026-05-30.
Value
$4000
Espanol
$1000 o $4000 de descuento en un vehículo eléctrico usado
URL
https://evrebates.pge.com/program-requirements
Last verified 2026-05-17

Get $1,000 or $4,000 back when you buy a used electric car

PG&E offers a rebate when you buy or lease a used electric vehicle (EV) and you're a PG&E electric customer at home. If your household income is low, you can get the bigger $4,000 rebate instead of $1,000. [Source: evrebates.pge.com/program-requirements (accessed 2026-05-17)]

How much you can get

  • $1,000 — standard rebate, for any PG&E residential electric customer who buys a qualifying used EV.
  • $4,000 — Rebate Plus, if you also meet income limits or are on a qualifying assistance program.
You can only get one or the other. If you take the $1,000 first, you can't come back later for the difference. [Source: evrebates.pge.com/program-requirements (accessed 2026-05-17)]

Who qualifies

Your home and account:
  • You must be an active PG&E residential electric customer. Gas-only customers don't qualify, even if they get electric service from a city utility.
  • The car has to be registered to your PG&E service address in California.
  • The PG&E account doesn't have to be in your name — it just has to be your home.
The car:
  • Used (pre-owned) only. Purchase or lease both work.
  • Hydrogen fuel cell cars don't qualify.
  • You must keep the car registered to you in California for at least 20 months.
Deadline: Apply within 180 days of your purchase or lease date. Miss this and you lose the rebate.
[Source: evrebates.pge.com/program-requirements (accessed 2026-05-17)]

How to get the $4,000 Rebate Plus

You qualify if either of these is true:

Path 1: You're on a qualifying assistance program

You (the applicant) must be enrolled in at least one of these on the date you bought or leased the car, and you need proof dated within the last 12 months:
  • CalFresh / SNAP (food stamps)
  • CalWORKs (TANF) or Tribal TANF
  • Medi-Cal (income-qualified Medi-Cal only)
  • Medi-Cal for Families (Healthy Families A & B)
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • WIC (Women, Infants, and Children)
  • LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
  • Head Start Income Eligible (tribal only)
  • Drive Clean in the San Joaquin Replace Program
The name on the assistance program has to match the name on the rebate application.

Path 2: Your household income is under the limit

Income limits are based on your county and household size, and update every year using California's State Income Limits. To see your exact limit, enter your ZIP code on the PG&E rebate site.
PG&E uses your IRS tax transcript to verify income — they look at gross income for everyone in the household age 18+. For applications submitted on or after April 16, 2026, they'll request your 2025 tax year transcript. [Source: evrebates.pge.com/faqs (accessed 2026-05-17)]

Two things that disqualify you from Rebate Plus

  • Someone else claims you as a dependent on their taxes for the year you bought the car.
  • The car is registered to a trust.
[Source: evrebates.pge.com/program-requirements (accessed 2026-05-17)]

How to apply

  1. Buy or lease the used EV from a dealer or private party.
  1. Gather your paperwork:
      • Bill of sale or lease agreement
      • California vehicle registration in your name at your PG&E address
      • Your PG&E account info
      • For Rebate Plus: either proof of assistance program enrollment (dated within 12 months) or your IRS tax transcript
  1. Apply online at apply.evrebates.pge.com within 180 days of buying the car.
  1. Wait for approval. Processing takes a few weeks. The Center for Sustainable Energy runs the program for PG&E.
Questions? Call 1-800-782-5930 (Mon–Fri, 8 AM – 4:30 PM) or email ev@pgerebate.com.

Common pitfalls

  • Missing the 180-day window. Mark your calendar the day you buy the car.
  • Wrong PG&E account type. You need to be an electric customer, not gas-only.
  • Standard first, Plus later. Once you accept the $1,000, you can't upgrade to $4,000. If you think you might qualify for Plus, apply for Plus.
  • Name mismatch. Your name on the assistance program enrollment must match the application exactly.
  • Selling the car too soon. You have to keep it registered in California for 20 months.

How many rebates you can get

  • Up to 3 different vehicles per person over the life of the program.
  • A single household (same address) can't submit more than 3 applications per calendar year.
[Source: evrebates.pge.com/program-requirements (accessed 2026-05-17)]

Where to get help

Sources