The newest California EV fast charger incentive is open now, and it rewards owners who are already ready to build. On October 7, 2026, the California Energy Commission opened at least $28 million in DC fast charger incentives through the Fast Charge California Project, part of CALeVIP. Per the CEC, awards reach up to $100,000 per charging port, and the application window closes January 14, 2027.
For Southern California retail centers, grocery anchors, restaurants, fuel stations, and parking operators, this is a significant state offer for public fast charging. It matters more now because the federal charger credit is no longer available for chargers placed in service after June 30, 2026: the IRS says the Section 30C credit cannot be claimed for refueling property placed in service after June 30, 2026.
What changed and its status
Status: open and funded. The Energy Commission's October 7 release sets the window from October 7, 2026 through January 14, 2027, statewide. The program administrator, the Center for Sustainable Energy, publishes the rules on the Fast Charge California Project Window 2 page and in the FCCP-2 Implementation Manual, which lists a minimum of $27.6 million in incentives.
Per the program page, the incentive covers up to 100% of approved costs and is tiered by charger power:
- 150 kW to 274.99 kW per port: up to $55,000 per port
- 275 kW and above per port: up to $100,000 per port
The program page states that applications close January 14, 2027 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific and late applications are not accepted. Funds are reserved in queue order, and applications where every charger sits in a disadvantaged community, low-income community, or tribal land move to the front, according to the implementation manual. The CEC release also previews a later window, February 24 through May 27, 2027, at up to $55,000 per port.
For scale, the CEC says the spring 2026 round awarded $56.9 million and funded more than 1,266 ports in 58 counties.
Who qualifies for the California EV fast charger incentive
This program is for public fast charging, not private fleet depots. The implementation manual sets these core requirements:
- Ready to build. An issued permit and a final utility service design (or a utility letter saying no new service is needed) are required at application. Applications missing either are ineligible, per the program page.
- Size. 4 to 20 ports per site, each capable of at least 150 kW.
- Public access. 24 hours a day, every day, for most sites; parking lots and garages may qualify at 18 hours a day, seven days a week (excluding holidays).
- Equipment and network. At least half the connectors must be CCS, with a network agreement of at least six years.
- Labor. At least 25% of the electricians on the crew at any time must hold EVITP certification.
- Timing. Construction cannot start before October 7, 2026, and installations must be finished within 450 days of the funds reserved date.
Eligible site types in the manual include retail shopping centers, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations with convenience stores, public and private parking lots and garages, colleges, and medical facilities. Workplaces, park-and-ride lots, long-term parking, auto dealerships and other automotive sales or service sites, unpaved lots, and sites tied to new construction are excluded. The program page also lists charging hubs, hotels, and business districts as no longer eligible.
Eligible costs are broad. The manual covers chargers, transformers, switchgear, electrical upgrades, design and engineering, and battery storage on the same utility service, plus up to six years of network and service agreements.
What this means for your project
The deadline is the easy part. The hard part is that the permit and the final utility service design must exist before you apply. If your site is not already deep in design, plan backward from the January 14 close now.
Practical steps for owners and developers in Orange County and across Southern California:
- Confirm the site type and access. Check that your property is an eligible type and can stay open to the public around the clock (or 18 hours a day for a parking facility).
- Check priority status. Use CALeVIP's EV Charging Opportunity Finder to see whether the site may fall in a priority community, since those applications move up the queue. The map is a screening tool, not an eligibility ruling.
- Open the utility conversation today. Ask SCE, SDG&E, or your municipal utility where your service design request stands and whether existing capacity can carry at least 600 kW of simultaneous charging, the site minimum the manual sets for four ports.
- Read the stacking rules early. FCCP-2 generally cannot be combined with other charger rebates, including utility, air district, and NEVI funds. The program page allows exceptions such as utility tariff Rule 29 and Rule 45 make-ready funds, LCFS revenue, and most federal funding.
- Price storage and solar together. Battery storage on the same service is an eligible cost, and storage can help manage demand charges on a high-power site.
- Gather documents now. Permit set, utility design letter, site control, charger specs from the eligible equipment list, network agreement, and an EVITP-certified crew plan.
Permitting should also get easier for projects like these. On September 20, 2026, the Governor signed SB 1283, which clarifies that California's streamlined charger permitting also covers related work such as trenching, electrical upgrades, solar canopies, and battery storage. According to the Digital Democracy bill tracker (CalMatters), the bill was chaptered as Chapter 347, Statutes of 2026, and cities and counties have until December 31, 2027 to update their ordinances and checklists. That will not shorten a permit needed for this window, but it should help projects aimed at the next CEC window.
Incentive eligibility depends on project specifics. Confirm with your tax advisor and the program administrator before relying on any figure here.
How Burge Energy can help
Burge Energy designs and builds commercial EV charging, solar, and battery storage across Orange County and Southern California, for new builds and existing properties. We can point you to the FCCP-2 program page and rules, coordinate the permit set and utility service design, and build a charging, storage, and solar plan that fits your operations. You or your advisors apply directly with the program administrator. Family-owned and building since 1977, Burge is licensed for solar, storage, and EV charging work. Request an Energy Assessment, learn more about Burge Energy, or review current programs on our Incentives page.
Sources
- California Opens $28M in Electric Vehicle Fast Charger Incentives, California Energy Commission, October 7, 2026
- Fast Charge California Project Window 2 (FCCP-2), CALeVIP, Center for Sustainable Energy, accessed October 19, 2026
- FCCP-2 Implementation Manual, CALeVIP, Center for Sustainable Energy, 2026
- EV Charging Opportunity Finder, CALeVIP, accessed October 19, 2026
- Instructions for Form 8911 (12/2025), Internal Revenue Service, December 2025
- Governor Newsom signs legislation to accelerate California's EV future, Office of the Governor, September 20, 2026
- SB 1283 bill page, Digital Democracy (CalMatters), accessed October 19, 2026
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Facts are current as of October 19, 2026; rules and programs can change.