What EV charging incentives are available in Rhode Island?

As of June 2026, there are 6 programs that can offset EV charging costs in Rhode Island: 1 commercial, 2 residential, 1 vehicle/rate programs — mostly utility rebates and state grants — plus the federal 30C Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit, worth up to $100,000 per commercial charging port. Programs open and close; confirm current status before budgeting.

Does Rhode Island offer rebates for commercial EV charging stations?

Yes. 1 commercial programs are currently tracked in Rhode Island, including ChargeRI Program. Most are administered by utilities and pay per port or per project, and many require pre-approval before installation begins.

How does the federal 30C tax credit work for EV chargers?

The 30C Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit gives businesses up to $100,000 per charging port — 6% of qualified costs, or 30% if prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements are met — for chargers installed in eligible census tracts. Homeowners can claim 30% up to $1,000 per port. It's claimed on your federal tax return; eligibility mapping by census tract is the first step.

Who applies for the incentives — the owner or the contractor?

Formally the applicant is usually the site owner, but in practice the contractor determines whether you qualify: equipment must match program eligibility lists, applications often must precede construction, and payout requires commissioning documentation. Faith Energy handles incentive sequencing and paperwork as part of design-build delivery.

EV Charging Incentives · Rhode Island

Rhode Island EV charging incentives & rebates (2026).

As of June 2026, we track 6 incentive programs that can offset EV charging costs in Rhode Island: 1 commercial, 2 residential, 1 vehicle/rate programs, plus the federal 30C tax credit available nationwide.

Run my project’s incentive math Browse eligible equipment

Available Everywhere

Federal incentives that apply in Rhode Island.

Available in every state. The federal 30C credit is claimed on your tax return — eligibility depends on census tract, and for the full 30% commercial rate, on prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements.

30C Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit

The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Tax Credit, commonly referred to as the “30C tax credit,” gives qualifying businesses that install electric vehicle (EV) recharging property located within an eligible census tract a tax credit of up to $100,000 per EV charging port. The credit, subject to depreciation, equals 6% of the total qualified costs per port, or 30% for businesses and tax-exempt entities that meet prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements, with that same $100,000 limit.

Program details

Residential 30C Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit

The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Tax Credit, commonly referred to as the “30C tax credit,” gives qualifying individuals that install electric vehicle (EV) recharging property located within an eligible census tract a tax credit equal to 30% of the cost with a maximum amount of $1,000 per EV charging port.

Program details

Commercial

Commercial & workplace charging programs in Rhode Island.

Rebates and grants for businesses, fleets, multifamily, and public charging. Most require application before installation.

ChargeRI Program

ChargeRI has $2.5M in rebates available across four sector allocations – $1.125M in Multifamily funding for properties with 5 or more units; $625,000 in funding for Publicly Accessible Commercial Sites; $500,000 in funding for Municipalities & Educational Campuses; and $250,000 in funding for Workplaces. Rebates are calculated with up to 90% off the lesser of: (a) the applicable cost coverage percentage of total eligible project costs, or (b) the per-station or per-site dollar cap, whichever is lower. Sites installing Energy Star certified Level 2 or DC fast chargers with a minimum of 3 years of Cloud services are eligible to apply.

Program details

Residential

Residential charging programs in Rhode Island.

Rebates and rate programs for home charging — useful for employees, fleet-at-home programs, and residents of properties we serve.

PowerUpRI Residential Program

Residents can now save up to $800, or 100% (whichever is less) of the purchase price of a Level 2 Residential EV Charger, and $1,000, or 50% (whichever is less) of the installation costs of a Level 2 Residential EV Charger. Higher rebate amounts are also available for income-qualified applicants. Chargers purchased prior to January 5, 2026 remain eligible, but will be reimbursed under the previous rebate amounts.

Program details

Rhode Island Energy Residential ConnectedSolutions EVDR Program

Residential customers are eligible to receive a $50 prepaid Mastercard when enrolling a qualified Level 2 smart charger or EV and allowing Rhode Island Energy to make remote adjustments to their EV or charger’s energy use during periods of high electric demand. Customers will still receive enough time for a full charge each day and will be rewarded for using less energy when others are using more, helping maintain a healthy grid as EV adoption increases. Participating customers will also earn $20 for each additional year in the program.

Program details

Vehicles & Rates

Vehicle and rate programs in Rhode Island.

Adjacent programs — vehicle incentives and charging-rate structures that change the economics of a charging project.

Rhode Island EV Incentive

The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER) and the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank’s (RIIB) DRIVEEV program offers rebates for individuals of up to $3,000 for the purchase or lease of new battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles, and up to $2,000 for new plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The program also offers rebates for individuals of up to $2,500 for the purchase or lease of used battery electric vehicles and fuel-cell electric vehicles and up to $1,750 for the purchase or lease of used plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Vehicle must be purchased on or after January 5, 2026 from a licensed Rhode Island automobile dealership.

The Part Everyone Underestimates

Incentives are won or lost in the paperwork.

Most charging incentives have equipment eligibility lists, network requirements, deadlines, and post-installation reporting — and many pay out only if the application went in before construction. Faith Energy bakes incentive capture into design-build delivery: we match hardware to program eligibility lists, sequence applications correctly, and hand you the documentation each program demands.

Have us run the incentive math

Straight Answers

Questions we answer every week.

What EV charging incentives are available in Rhode Island?: As of June 2026, there are 6 programs that can offset EV charging costs in Rhode Island: 1 commercial, 2 residential, 1 vehicle/rate programs — mostly utility rebates and state grants — plus the federal 30C Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit, worth up to $100,000 per commercial charging port. Programs open and close; confirm current status before budgeting.
Does Rhode Island offer rebates for commercial EV charging stations?: Yes. 1 commercial programs are currently tracked in Rhode Island, including ChargeRI Program. Most are administered by utilities and pay per port or per project, and many require pre-approval before installation begins.
How does the federal 30C tax credit work for EV chargers?: The 30C Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit gives businesses up to $100,000 per charging port — 6% of qualified costs, or 30% if prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements are met — for chargers installed in eligible census tracts. Homeowners can claim 30% up to $1,000 per port. It's claimed on your federal tax return; eligibility mapping by census tract is the first step.
Who applies for the incentives — the owner or the contractor?: Formally the applicant is usually the site owner, but in practice the contractor determines whether you qualify: equipment must match program eligibility lists, applications often must precede construction, and payout requires commissioning documentation. Faith Energy handles incentive sequencing and paperwork as part of design-build delivery.

Every State

Browse incentives in other states.

Program details change and funding rounds open and close. Last reviewed June 2026 against program sources; always confirm current terms with the administering agency or utility before counting an incentive in a budget. Faith Energy confirms live program status as part of every project review.