Is My Home Electric Car Charging Point Tax Exempt?
Many of our clients are switching to electric cars due to the wide range of benefits that they offer (you can find out what they are in this blog). One of the main questions we’re asked is whether an electric car charging point installed at your home is a taxable benefit in kind. Read on to find out more.
Charging points at commercial premises
When an electric car charging point has been provided by the company, the location is a key factor. If the charging point is located at or close to the normal workplace (such as your commercial premises) and is available for use by directors and employees, there’s no benefit in kind. This applies whether the electricity is used for business trips or private mileage.
Charging points at private residences
If the company has paid for an electric car charging point to be fitted at your home, a taxable benefit applies. The amount that can be claimed depends on whether the employer owns the charging point or has transferred ownership to the individual whose private property it’s located on. As a result, it’s best to ask us for more details and we’ll assess the situation.
Employee-owned electric cars
If the electric vehicle is your own (rather than provided by the company) and you as an individual pay for its electricity, it is taxable on a benefit in kind basis equal to the cost of electricity used for private journeys. However, this doesn’t apply if you reimburse the company for the cost of electricity, which is usually charged at the rate of 4p per mile (HMRC’s recommended amount).
Company-owned electric cars
If the electric vehicle you’re driving is owned by the company, an exemption applies to all charging points regardless of where they’re located.
Company-owned cars used for private journeys
When the electric car is owned by the company, the exemption extends to all electricity used regardless of the purpose of travel. In other words, the employee/director and also their family members using the car for business or personal journeys can do so without a taxable benefit occurring.
Transfer of ownership
When a charging point is installed at the employee’s home and paid for by the company, the ownership can be transferred to them. This means that there is no taxable benefit, even if the employee sells their home.
We’re here to help
We hope that’s cleared the matter up but we appreciate that it can be very confusing. If you’d like tailored advice regarding electric vehicles or have any other form of tax query, call our Yorkshire office on 01482 235575, our London office on 0207 885 0605, or fill in the contact form below.
Tagged as: Tax & Expenses
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