Wisconsin EV chargers must register with 3-cent tax starting on Jan. 1

Wisconsin’s new 3-cent per kilowatt hour state tax on electricity sales for electric vehicles starts Jan. 1.

Any owner, operator, manager, or lessee of an EV charging station must now register with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s Online Business Tax Registration if the charging station is subject to the tax.

"The excise tax represents a crucial source of revenue for maintaining Wisconsin's roadways and infrastructure," said Department of Revenue Secretary Designee David Casey. "It will help ensure continued funding for road repairs and construction as Wisconsin drivers increasingly make the switch to electric vehicles, while creating a more equitable system in which all drivers contribute to road maintenance costs."

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed Act 121 into law in March to ensure EV owners contribute fairly to road repairs.

WisDOT estimated the tax could lead to $27,000 annually in taxes to start while the Department of Revenue said it could bring in up to $930,000 annually.

The charging station owner must register and the excise tax applies regardless of whether the charging station is available for public use and whether there is a charge to the consumer for the electricity from the EV charging station.

Hotels also must register charging stations.

The excise tax does not apply and registration is not required for residential EV charging stations.