The Driving Clean Assistance Program
The Driving Clean Assistance Program (DCAP), offers two pathways to getting into your new clean air vehicle. Both pathways offer down-payment assistance in the form of upfront grants that are paid directly to the dealerships and do not need to be paid back. With DCAP you receive more than just the funding to get into a clean air vehicle, you also receive financial coaching, counseling, and access to fair financing options. For more information see Driving Clean Assistance Program (DCAP) Consumer Guide.
Program Eligibility
Who is Eligible?
To be program eligible, participants must:
- Be 18 years or older.
- Be a California resident (community members with AB60 and ITIN qualify).
- Apply before purchasing/leasing a vehicle (incentive is not retroactive).
- Have a household income ≤ 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (e.g., $93,600 for a 4-person household, updated annually).
- Not have participated in any CARB light-duty vehicle purchase incentive program (e.g., Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP), Clean Vehicle Assistance Program (CVAP), regional Driving Clean Assistance Program (DCAP), Clean Cars 4 All (CC4A).
Participants can only receive one (1) incentive per household for the lifetime of the program.
| Household Size | Combined Income Must Be Less Than |
|---|---|
| 1 | $45,180 |
| 2 | $61,320 |
| 3 | $77,460 |
| 4 | $93,600 |
| 5 | $109,740 |
| 6 | $125,880 |
| 7 | $142,020 |
| 8 | $158,160 |
DCAP Incentive Amounts
| Clean Cars 4 All (scrap and replace vehicle) | Financing Assistance (without scrap and replace) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Disadvantaged Community (DAC) Status | Non-DAC | DAC | N/A |
| Vehicle Purchase Grant + Charging Incentive* | Up to $10,000 + $2,000 Charging Incentive | Up to $12,000 + $2,000 Charging Incentive | Up to $7,500 + $2,000 Charging Incentive |
| Clean Mobility Option | $7,500 | $7,500 | N/A |
| Clean Cars 4 All (scrap and replace vehicle) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Disadvantaged Community (DAC) Status | Non-DAC | DAC |
| Vehicle Purchase Grant + Charging Incentive* | Up to $10,000 + $2,000 Charging Incentive | Up to $12,000 + $2,000 Charging Incentive |
| Clean Mobility Option | $7,500 | $7,500 |
If You Have a Vehicle to Scrap:
Clean Cars 4 All (CC4A – Scrap and Replace)
Program eligible and program qualified participants can receive up to $10,000 to purchase or lease a new or used battery electric vehicle (BEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). Income-qualified participants who reside in designated Disadvantaged Communities (DACs) are eligible for up to $12,000 for these vehicles.
*Participants residing in an air district with a CC4A program will not be eligible to scrap and replace with DCAP but can still go through the financing assistance pathway. If they want to scrap and replace, they will have to go through the air districts program.
Criteria for Eligible Vehicles
Retire (Scrap) Vehicles:
- Gasoline or diesel-powered light- or medium-duty vehicles under 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.
- Must pass a functionality test.
- Model year 2009 or older.
- Title issued to the registered owner.
- Two years proof of operation required.
Replacement Vehicles:
- Purchased or leased in California through an authorized dealership.
- New or used with a maximum purchase price cap of $45,000 (excluding taxes and fees).
- New vehicles must be on the California Air Resources Board (CARB) list of eligible vehicles.
- Used vehicles must be eight* (8) calendar years or newer with 75,000 or less original miles. *The model year of an 8-year vehicle is calculated by subtracting 7 from the current calendar year of the transaction (e.g., eligible replacement vehicles in calendar 2024 include model years 2017 and newer).
If You Do Not Have a Vehicle to Scrap:
Financing Assistance (FA)
Financing Assistance (FA)
DCAP can provide program eligible and program qualified community members with up to $7,500 to purchase or lease a new or used battery electric vehicle (BEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). Community members are not required to scrap a gas vehicle to take advantage of Financing Assistance.
Fair Financing
The Driving Clean Assistance Program (DCAP), can provide qualified participants with opportunities to access fair financing to complete the purchase of their clean air vehicle. Through a statewide network of trusted Credit Union partners, DCAP can offer program participants, including participants with challenged or no credit, financing of up to $45,000 at an interest rate of less than 8% APR. To qualify for fair financing, participants must:
- Qualify for DCAP’s Clean Cars 4 All or Financing Assistance incentives.
- Participate in financial education classes.
- Agree to undergo financial counseling and analysis with a DCAP Loan/Credit Counselor to determine if the participant’s financial situation can comfortably sustain a vehicle loan.
Charging Incentives
Participants who are approved for DCAP incentives can choose one (1) of two (2) charging incentives:
- $2,000 towards the purchase and installation of level 2 home charging equipment. We’ve partnered with GRID Alternatives to offer professional home charger installations.*
- A $2,000 prepaid charge card to pay for public charging.
*Depending on your location and the condition of your electrical panel, GRID Alternatives may have a partner electrician who can install your EV charger.
Please note: Depending on your electrical panel, upgrades may be required before the charger can be installed. Any additional costs for these panel upgrades will be the responsibility of the participant.
DCAP’s Credit Union Lending Partners
We partner with the following credit unions to offer fair financing:
- Clean Energy Credit Union
- Travis Credit Union
- Tucoemas Federal Credit Union
- USC Credit Union
- Valley First Credit Union
