Residential EV Program

Any community member who lives at a residence served by SBCE and has an account in good standing is eligible to apply for the Residential EV Program. Each SBCE account is eligible for one rebate offered under this program per fiscal year.

To qualify for the rebate, your vehicle must be:

• Registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to an address enrolled in SBCE service. 

• One of the following vehicle types: Battery Electric Vehicle (“BEV”), Plug In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (“PHEV”) (PHEV rebate is available to income qualified customers only).

• Less than $80,000 in price, using the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP).

• Used vehicles must meet the following requirements: 

  • Eligible used vehicles must be 8 model years old or newer (e.g., Year 2024 = 2016 or newer)

  • Less than 75,000 original miles

  • No modifications to chassis or emission control systems

  • Clean title (cannot be salvaged)

  • No open recalls (closed recalls must show proof of repairs) 

SBCE has allocated a limited amount of money for this rebate program. Once the funds run out the application will be suspended, and the program will be closed. Email SBCEPrograms@SantaBarbaraCA.gov with any questions.

Purchases, installations, and projects completed after July 1, 2024 are eligible for this program. 

The purchase date on the bill of sale will be the date used for your application. 

There are two levels of income qualified incentives available to residents, as defined below:

• Tier 1: Household gross annual income is between 201-400% of the Federal Poverty Line (FPL).

• Tier 2: Household gross annual income is at or below 200% of the FPL, equivalent to California Alternate Rates for Energy Program (CARE) or Family Electric Rate Assistance Program (FERA) eligibility.

​To qualify, the applicant must meet the minimum income eligibility requirements in the Pre-Application Terms and Conditions and verify income status through one of the following methods:

• Applicant reports active enrollment in the CARE or FERA programs on the application (verified by SBCE).

• Applicant submits a redacted copy of the applicant’s most recent federal income tax return (Form 1040). SBCE considers an applicant’s most recent federal tax income return to be the one most recently required to be filed by the Internal Revenue Service.

Documents required to apply for the rebate include:

• Car registration (temporary is acceptable).

• A full copy of the sales/lease agreement.

• Valid CA Driver’s License (current, not expired).

• Proof of income for qualified low-income applicants (if you are a CARE/FERA customer, you do not need to upload any documents for proof).

​*Any submitted documents with confidential information will be destroyed after SBCE staff review.

Your Level 2 Charger must be Wi-Fi enabled and capable of communicating with a charging network. This enables EV owners to remotely monitor, manage, and optimize their charging sessions based on various factors such as electricity rates, grid demand, and battery capacity. 

A Level 2 Charger can be permanently installed (hardwired) or plugged into a dedicated 240V power source.  

We encourage renters to pursue plug-in chargers to expedite purchasing and operation. If you have express permission from your landlord, please reach out to our team at (805) 991-7699 and we will work with you on next steps.  

Please submit complete, clear, and legible photos of your documents. 

Please expect up to 45 days to process your application. If you receive an email confirming your rebate, your check will be delivered to the mailing address provided in your application within 45 days. For urgent inquiries, please email SBCEPrograms@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.

EV rebates and incentives available to you may include:

• Santa Barbara Clean Energy Rebate $1,000 - $4,000
• Federal Tax Credit for New or Used Clean Vehicles $2,500 - $7,500
• Department of Energy Alternative Fuel Tax Credit $1,000
• SCE pre-owned EV Rebate $1,00 - $4,000

Visit DriveClean and/or Access Clean California and search your zip code to view available rebates. (Please note these sites may not include all available rebates.)

Yes, all eligible used vehicles in an open recall must show proof of repair (e.g. invoice or receipt from dealership).