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Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) - Electricity Pathway Credits
Revenue program: EV charging operators generate Low Carbon Fuel Standard credits per kWh dispensed. Ongoing income, not a rebate.
At a glance
| Status | Open: accepting applications |
|---|---|
| Eligible sites | affordable housing, fleet, mixed-use, multifamily, public access, workplace |
| Timing | Continuous program. Annual registration with CARB. |
| Administered by | California Air Resources Board |
| Last verified | 2026-09-29 |
Status and key dates
Open Checked against the agency page on 2026-09-29
Active and continuous. CARB's 2025 LCFS amendments took effect July 1, 2025.
- Application window
- None. Credits accrue while chargers run
- 2025 amendments effective
- July 1, 2025
Who qualifies
Charging site owners or operators (or the party they assign credits to, such as a network provider) register with CARB and report the electricity dispensed.
How EV charging fits this program
LCFS is revenue after the chargers are running, not upfront funding. Public DC fast charging and medium- and heavy-duty sites can also earn capacity-based credits (FCI) while CARB's caps have room; CARB's November 17, 2025 update showed both categories below the cap.
Amounts
There is no fixed amount. Credits sell at market prices, which move. We don't quote a per-port figure.
How to apply, step by step
- Decide who generates the credits: the site owner, the network provider or a credit aggregator. Check your network contract before you sign.
- Register the chargers with CARB's LCFS reporting system and report dispensed electricity on CARB's schedule.
- For DC fast charging or medium- and heavy-duty sites, check CARB's ZEV infrastructure crediting page for current capacity.
How it pays
Revenue (not rebate): EV charging operators generate LCFS credits per kWh dispensed. Credit price varies (~$50-$200/MT CO2e historically). 2026 program update favors EV charging over biofuels.
Who qualifies
Owner of L2 or DCFC charger registers as fuel reporting entity (FRE) and quarterly reports kWh dispensed. From 2026: third-party verification required for all LCFS electricity reports; only directly-metered electricity earns credits (no estimation).
Eligible properties
Geography
Statewide CA.
Timing
Continuous program. Annual registration with CARB.
How to apply
How this stacks with other programs
California State programs typically stack with utility, regional (air district), state, and city/county programs on the same project. The general California stacking rules:
- Federal §30C tax credit: ended for chargers placed in service after June 30, 2026. Projects placed in service on or before that date may still claim it; new projects should plan without it.
- Federal grants (CFI, REAP, NEVI): not stackable with other federal grants on the same port.
- State + utility + regional + local: generally full stack across tiers. Same-tier programs serving the same port don't double-fund.
For the full stacking matrix, see the homepage stacking section.
Programs that stack with this one
These are explicit stacking partners verified against agency rules. Combine with this program on the same project to layer funding.
- Section 30C Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit
Federal · Tax Credit · Internal Revenue Service (Treasury) - National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program
Federal · Competitive Grant · FHWA / Joint Office of Energy and Transportation; CA implementer is Caltrans + CEC - USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
Federal · Competitive Grant · USDA Rural Development - Communities in Charge (CALeVIP 2.0 L2 statewide)
California State · Cash Rebate · California Energy Commission (CEC) - administered by CALSTART - EnergIIZE Commercial Vehicles - Fast Track Funding Lane
California State · Voucher · California Energy Commission - administered by CALSTART - EnergIIZE Commercial Vehicles - Drayage Set-Aside Funding Lane
California State · Voucher · CEC - administered by CALSTART - EnergIIZE - EV Jump Start Funding Lane
California State · Voucher · CEC - administered by CALSTART - EnergIIZE - Transit Set-Aside Funding Lane
California State · Voucher · CEC - administered by CALSTART
More california state programs
- Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program - Infrastructure
California Air Resources Board (CARB), administered by 35 local air districts - Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE)
California Air Resources Board - GO-Biz Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Unit (advisory/permitting, not direct funding)
Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)
By utility
This program applies statewide. See what else is open in your utility's territory:
Sources checked on 2026-09-29
Sourcing chargers for a project that uses this program?
EVgpo quotes the chargers for projects that use this program: ChargePoint, Blink, Siemens, ABB, Wallbox and most other commercial brands. The program is filled in for you.
Get charger pricing →Verified against agency sources on 2026-09-29. Eligibility, deadlines, and dollar amounts can change between refresh cycles - always confirm directly with California Air Resources Board before applying. See how we verify.