Can anyone clarify the dealership requirements for IRC 45W Clean Vehicle Credit for LLCs?

I run a small construction LLC and I'm looking to purchase some electric vehicles for my business. I know about the IRC 45W Clean Vehicle Credit that's available specifically for businesses, but I'm running into issues with dealerships. Here's my problem - I've visited three dealerships so far and none of them seem to know anything about what paperwork they need to provide me as a business owner for the 45W credit. One sales guy literally just shrugged and said "that's something you handle with your accountant." Is there specific documentation the dealership needs to submit to the IRS directly? Or forms they need to provide to me at purchase? I want to make sure I have everything needed to claim this credit properly when filing taxes. The dealerships seem completely UNAWARE/UNINFORMED about their responsibilities here, or maybe they just don't care because they think it's not their problem. Has anyone successfully navigated this? What paperwork should I be demanding from them?

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18 comments

Astrid Bergström

•8M

I'm a tax consultant who works with several auto dealerships, so I can help clear this up. The dealership doesn't actually need to file anything with the IRS for your 45W credit - that responsibility falls on you as the business owner. What you do need from them is comprehensive documentation of the purchase. Make sure you get: 1) A detailed invoice showing the vehicle is new, 2) The vehicle's VIN number, 3) Documentation confirming it's a qualified clean vehicle, and 4) The date of purchase. The dealership should be able to provide a statement confirming the vehicle qualifies for the credit. The confusion at dealerships is unfortunately common because the 45W credit for businesses is often confused with the 30D credit for individuals. Many salespeople are familiar with the consumer credit but not the commercial one.

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Astrid Bergström

•8M

The standard invoice isn't enough on its own. You should request a statement or certificate from the dealership confirming the vehicle meets the requirements for the 45W credit. This includes confirmation that it's a qualified clean vehicle under IRS definitions. If the dealership is reluctant, ask to speak with their finance manager or general manager who typically has more knowledge about these tax matters than sales staff. You can also check the IRS website for the list of qualified vehicles and print that information as backup documentation.

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Omar Farouk

•8M

After dealing with the same frustration you're facing, I found a tool that saved me hours of headaches. I was about to give up on claiming my 45W credit because the documentation from the dealership was so confusing. Then I found https://taxr.ai which analyzed all my purchase documents and confirmed exactly what I needed. You just upload your documentation and it tells you if you have everything required for the 45W credit or what's missing. It was super helpful because it specifically looks at business EV credits for LLCs and other entities. The best part was it showed me where on my documentation the critical information was located.

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Omar Farouk

•8M

For leased vehicles, the tool addresses this specifically. The 45W credit typically goes to the lessor (the leasing company) rather than the lessee for leased vehicles, but there are exceptions based on your lease structure. The tool will analyze your lease agreement to determine eligibility. The analysis is actually quite specific, not generic advice. It uses AI to review your exact documents and identifies the specific information needed for the 45W credit. It flags missing elements and tells you exactly what additional documentation you need from the dealership. It's not just checking boxes - it gives you a detailed report showing why you qualify or don't qualify based on your actual purchase documents.

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Diego Fernández

•8M

Just wanted to follow up - I was really skeptical about https://taxr.ai but decided to try it for my Ford F-150 Lightning purchase for my landscaping business. The dealership gave me minimal paperwork and insisted it was "all I needed" for tax purposes. The tool actually identified three missing elements I needed for the 45W credit! I went back to the dealer with the specific requests and finally got the right documentation. It saved me from potentially losing out on over $7,500 in tax credits. The analysis was detailed enough that I could show it to the dealership's finance manager, who finally understood what I was asking for. My accountant was impressed with how thorough the documentation was. Definitely worth checking out if you're struggling with this.

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Anastasia Kuznetsov

•8M

After three dealerships gave me the runaround on my 45W credit documentation, I was ready to give up. Couldn't get anyone on the phone at the IRS either - was on hold for literally 2+ hours before getting disconnected. Then I found https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under an hour! The IRS agent clarified exactly what documentation I needed from the dealership for my LLC's vehicle purchase. Turns out the dealers were confused because the rules changed last year. The agent even sent me official IRS guidance I could take to the dealership.

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Anastasia Kuznetsov

•8M

It works by using their system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When an actual IRS agent comes on the line, you get a call connecting you directly to that agent. No more waiting on hold for hours. I was skeptical too until I tried it. They don't have a "backdoor" to the IRS - they just have technology that waits on hold instead of you having to do it personally. The IRS agent I spoke with was super helpful about the 45W credit documentation requirements. She explained that dealers aren't required to file anything, but they should provide certification that the vehicle qualifies under the clean vehicle provisions.

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Zara Khan

•8M

Well I need to eat crow on this one. After dismissing the Claimyr service as BS, my frustration with trying to reach the IRS about my 45W credit questions got the better of me and I tried https://claimyr.com I'm genuinely shocked to report it actually worked. Got a call back within 45 minutes connecting me to an IRS agent who specializes in business credits. She clarified that for the 45W, I need to file Form 8936 with my business return and keep all vehicle documentation in my records. The agent confirmed dealers aren't required to submit anything to the IRS for the 45W credit, but recommended getting written confirmation from them that the vehicle meets the qualified clean vehicle requirements. This saved me weeks of uncertainty and potential issues at tax time.

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MoonlightSonata

•8M

I successfully claimed the 45W credit for my consulting LLC last year. Here's what worked for me: 1) I printed the IRS guidance on 45W and brought it to the dealership 2) Asked for the manager - sales guys usually aren't trained on this 3) Got a signed statement from them confirming the vehicle qualifies 4) Made sure I had detailed invoice with VIN, price breakdown, etc 5) Took photos of the vehicle sticker showing it's electric/qualified My accountant said the documentation was perfect. The dealer initially tried to brush me off but when I showed up prepared they took me seriously.

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MoonlightSonata

•8M

Yes, you need to file Form 8936 (Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit) with your business tax return. This is where you actually claim the credit. Make sure your accountant is familiar with business vehicle credits specifically. Some accountants primarily handle individual returns and aren't as familiar with the business-specific credits like 45W. I had to switch accountants last year because mine wasn't confident about handling specialized business credits.

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