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Cost of living: How to apply for little-known €300 car grant available to all households

by · RSVP Live

There is a little-known grant available to all households in Ireland worth €300.

The grant is to install a charger electric vehicles (EVs), and you can avail even if you don't have an electric vehicle yourself.

Here's everything you need to know about it and how to apply.

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Who is eligible?

There is criteria for the scheme, which is laid out below:

  • The EV must be parked on an off-street parking location associated with the home and the charger must be connected back to the home of the applicant (please refer to your electrician for the best installation approach).
  • The Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN), which you can find on your electricity bill, will be used to confirm the location of your home.
  • The property cannot be associated with a previous EV home charge point grant payment. Additionally, it cannot have availed of the free ESB Ecars home charger pre 2018.
  • Do not commence any work before the start date on your Letter of Offer otherwise this expenditure will be deemed ineligible and you will not receive grant support for it.
  • You have 6 months from the date on this Letter of Offer, which will be emailed to you, to complete your installation and return your Payment Request Form to SEAI with all associated evidence whole and complete – Cert 3, Test Record, photo of installation, invoice from electrician.
  • The EV Home Charger grant is valid for 6 months from the date the grant offer is issued, if you do not have the works completed within that time you will not be eligible to claim the grant. In the situation where you do not wish to undertake the grant or don't think the works will be completed before the expiry, you must cancel the grant and re-apply at a time that suits you. You can cancel the application by completing the EV home charger grant cancellation request form . If the works have commenced, please continue with your original application and inform SEAI.

What does the grant cover?

The Electric Vehicle Home Charger Grant is a government funded support scheme assisting residents and homeowners to install an electric vehicle charge point on their property. The scheme provides a grant up to the value of €300 towards the purchase and installation of a home charger unit. To receive payment, you must ensure that you use a Safe Electric Registered Electrical Contractor.

The grant is now open to homeowners to apply for a grant, whether they own an electric vehicle or not. This charge point can also be used for visitor use or at rented accommodation.

The EV Home Charger Grant Scheme will only support smart chargers which are registered on SEAI's Smart Charger Register.

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How to apply

  1. Complete the online Electric Vehicle Home Charger grant application form. You will need your Meter Point Reference Number (the full 11 digit number on the top of your electricity bill) and your home address Eircode.
  2. Once your application has been approved, you will receive a Letter of Offer via email as well as the Terms and Condition and a Payment Request Form link. Separately, you will also receive an email containing the Installation Details form that needs to be completed by your electrician - please make sure to forward this email to your chosen installer. Both emails will be sent from noreply@scheme.seai.ie.
  3. From when you receive your Letter of Offer, you have six months to complete the installation of your charge point.
  4. The work can only be performed by a fully qualified electrician who is registered accordingly with Safe Electric Ireland.
  5. Once the installation is done your electrician should complete Installation Details form and you should complete the Payment Request Form.
  6. Your Electrician must provide you with a copy of the Certificate Number 3. Review this and ensure it is completed properly.
  7. Submit your Payment Request Form found in the Letter of Offer email with the following items:
  • Fully signed and completed Payment Request Form including bank account details
  • Copy of Certificate Number 3
  • Copy of Test Record sheet from Electrician
  • Copy of invoices
  • Photographs of the installed charge point