Is There Still an EV Tax Credit in NC? What's Left in Wake Forest (2026)

The short answer

No. There is no federal tax credit for buying an EV acquired after September 30, 2025, and the federal home charger credit (30C) ended for chargers installed after June 30, 2026. North Carolina has no state tax credit for EVs or home chargers. What's left for Wake Forest EV owners are programs from your power company, worth up to $1,117 toward a charger install.

The federal EV credit (new and used)

The clean vehicle credits (up to $7,500 for a new EV, up to $4,000 for a used one) ended for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025, under the July 2025 tax law. "Acquired" means you signed a binding written contract and made a payment, even a small down payment or a trade-in, by that date. If you did, you can still claim the credit for the year the car was delivered, on IRS Form 8936. Lease deals that passed along the commercial credit ended on the same date.

The home charger credit (30C): who can still claim it

The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit paid back 30% of a home charger and its installation, up to $1,000 per charging port. It covers chargers placed in service, meaning installed and working, at your main home from January 1, 2023 to June 30, 2026. Buying the charger before the deadline isn't enough.

• Installed by June 30, 2026: you can claim it on your 2026 return with IRS Form 8911, if your home is in an eligible census tract.
• Eligible tracts only: the home must be in a low-income or non-urban census tract on the IRS list. Many in-town addresses don't qualify, so look up your tract's 11-digit GEOID before you count on it.
• Installed after June 30, 2026: no federal credit.

Keep the itemized invoice and the dated permit or final inspection: they show when the charger was placed in service.

North Carolina: no state credit

We found no North Carolina tax credit or rebate for buying an EV or installing a home charger. The state goes the other way: EVs pay a $214.50 yearly registration fee ($107.25 for plug-in hybrids) on top of regular registration.

The state's Energy Saver NC rebates can pay for a panel upgrade, but only for income-qualified households switching to an eligible electric appliance such as a heat pump. A charger on its own doesn't qualify, though a panel upgraded under the program can also serve one later.

What you can still get: your power company

In Wake Forest, the money for home charging comes from your electric company, as an install credit, a cheaper overnight EV rate, or both.

• Wake Forest Power: No EV charger rebate found as of our last check. Ask the town about load management credits.
• Wake Electric: No charger rebate, but the co-op's EV rate drops overnight charging (10 pm – 6 am) to 8¢/kWh. Register your EV with Wake Electric to enroll, and re-register every year within the 30-day window or the discount stops.

See every Wake Forest charger rebate and how to claim it. Duke customers: how to claim the Charger Prep Credit. How Duke's overnight EV rate works. Not sure which utility you have? Here's how to tell.

Before you file

This page explains the rules in plain terms; it isn't tax advice. Talk to a tax professional about your own return, especially for an install close to the June 30, 2026 cutoff or a car bought around September 30, 2025.

Questions