Used Teslas now qualify for $4k tax credit, but there’s a tough hoop to jump through

Used Teslas will now qualify for the $4,000 tax credit through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that is applicable for electric vehicles (EVs), Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs). However, there is one tough yet significant hoop to jump through for a used Tesla to qualify for the credit.

It appears that Tesla vehicles now qualify for the $4,000 credit based on what FuelEconomy.gov‘s website now states. Previously, the site’s list of pre-owned vehicles that qualify for the $4,000 credit was void of any Teslas.

Now, all four currently-available models and the Original Roadster appear on the list.

It was first spotted by InsideEVs.

There are a significant number of things that would qualify the vehicle and its buyer for the credit:

• To qualify, the buyer must:
  • Be an individual who bought the vehicle for use and not for resale
  • Not be the original owner
  • Not be able to be claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return
  • Not have claimed another used clean vehicle credit in the three years before the purchase date
• Income Requirements are:
  • $150,000 for married filing jointly or a surviving spouse
  • $112,500 for heads of households
  • $75,000 for all other filers
• For the vehicle to qualify for the credit:
  • It must be made by a qualified manufacturer. See IRS’s index of qualified manufacturers and vehicles.
    Note that fuel cell vehicles do not need to be made by a qualified manufacturer to be eligible. See Rev. Proc. 2022-42 for more detailed guidance.
  • It must have a sale price of $25,000 or less.
  • It must have a model year at least two years earlier than the calendar year when you buy it. For example, a vehicle purchased in 2023 must be a model year of 2021 or older.
  • It must not have already been transferred after August 16, 2022, to a qualified buyer.
  • It must be for use primarily in the United States.
  • It must have a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 14,000 pounds.
  • It must be an eligible fuel cell vehicle or plug-in electric vehicle with a battery capacity of at least 7-kilowatt hours.

Finding a Tesla for $25,000 is tough, especially at a dealership. Most recent data from iSeeCars lists the Tesla Model 3 as having the biggest year-over-year price change, gauging costs from June 2022 to June 2023.

The price change was 30.5 percent, equating to a $16,258 difference in price. However, this is well above the $25,000 threshold that is listed in order for it to qualify for the $4,000 tax credit.

Please email me with questions and comments at joey@teslarati.com. I’d love to chat! You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Used Teslas now qualify for $4k tax credit, but there’s a tough hoop to jump through