South Carolina Leafs?

To my fellow SC Leaf owners:
As I wrote previously, I leased my 2012 leaf in mid December 2012. I recently filed a form TC48A with SCDOR and requested information on the state tax credit via email and here is the official response I received via email:

Dear Sir,
Thank you for your application for the plug-in hybrid vehicle credit under S.C. Code § 12-6-3376, as last amended by 2012 Act No. 161.
Please be advised that the 2012 Nissan Leaf is not approved for credit because it is an all-electric vehicle.
To be eligible for the credit, vehicles must be certified by the manufacturer, or the domestic distributor in the case of a foreign manufacturer, as a plug-in hybrid as defined in Section 12-6-3376. Once approved, vehicles are listed on the department’s webpage “NEW PLUG-IN HYBRID VEHICLE CREDIT INFORMATION”.
Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Tax Analyst
Research and Review
S.C. Department of Revenue
###-###-####
*********@sctax.org

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So, to avoid further confusion I may have created, let it be known that the Leaf does not qualify for the <edit> 2012 <end edit>SC State Income Tax Credit.

If it doesn't qualify, something must have changed. I definitely received the credit for 2011.

NSXTASY said:

BarryE said:

iamwjh said:

I leased my 2012 Nissan Leaf SL in December 2012 and sent in the STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE APPLICATION FOR PLUG-IN HYBRID VEHICLE CREDIT (form TC48A) a few weeks ago.

Anyone have any experience with this process?

I am curious if they contact me, or what. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

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Are you referring to the SC $1,500 non refundable credit? You should apply for the credit when you file your 2012 SC tax return.

I purchased my Leaf in December of 2011 and received the $1,500 credit on my 2011 state tax return. All the forms necessary to apply for the credit were not available on Turbo Tax in 2011. I had to download the form from the SC web sit and fill it out by hand and submit it with my 2011 state tax return. I do not recall what the form number was. The correct SC forms will probably be in turbo tax this year. I also received the $7,500 Federal credit in 2011.

To the best of my knowledge you have to have a tax liability equal to or more than $1,500 to receive the credit.

Hope this helps,

Barry

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Barry, this is awesome news. Could you please look at your 2011 taxes and share here the SC form number ? thanks in advance

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I used form SC SCH. TC35 Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit, Rev. 6/8/10. You can download this from off the SC Department of Revenue web site. Complete the form and submit it with your 2012 SC state tax return. The Credit is 20% of the Federal credit of $7,500. Therefore your credit should be $1,500.

Barry

Thanks Barry,
I checked out the form you mentioned and looked that referenced IRS form 8910 and from what I can tell, unfortunately, this state tax credit is only valid for folks that purchase the Leaf, and not those that lease one.
"To qualify for the credit, you must be the vehicle's original owner or lessor and must use it primarily in the United States."

If I have missed something, PLEASE PLEASE, correct me. I sure could use the $$.

Thanks.

BarryE said:

I used form SC SCH. TC35 Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit, Rev. 6/8/10. You can download this from off the SC Department of Revenue web site. Complete the form and submit it with your 2012 SC state tax return. The Credit is 20% of the Federal credit of $7,500. Therefore your credit should be $1,500.
Barry

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Etracing - Sorry for the late response, my Leaf is blue. I'll be at the GrowFoods event Thursday (at 6 Pm). You should come by with your ride(s).

As to Form TC48A, an All Electric Car does not qualify as a "hybrid". Also you must be an owner of a plug-in hybrid to qualify (not a leasor).

We might want to keep our existence quiet as some states are considering charging users an additional tax to pay for road upkeep as we are not paying for it in gas taxes.

Speaking of taxes, I just received my property tax notice from Spartanburg county. It's over $740.

Seriously?

iamwjh said:

Speaking of taxes, I just received my property tax notice from Spartanburg county. It's over $740.

Seriously?

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did you purchase or lease? I'm a first time leasee and was under the impression we dont owe property taxes since its a lease...

NSXTASY said:

did you purchase or lease? I'm a first time leasee and was under the impression we dont owe property taxes since its a lease...

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I am leasing a 2012 LEAF. I was informed by the dealer that I am responsible for the prop taxes, and have 120 days from signing to pay them.
So I was expecting the tax notice, but in no way was I expecting it to be this much. The taxes for the LEAF are about 3x what I pay for my fully loaded F150 Lariat Super Crew. I just don't understand how they figured the tax to be so much. I know that the LEAF is not 3x more valued than the truck.

Has anyone else in SC spent over $700 on the prop tax for their LEAF?

/EDIT/ I just looked at my tax notice again for the LEAF. It is for the 2012 tax year. Now I am kinda mad too :x . Since I owe > $740 for what is effectively 2 weeks of possession of the property, since I signed the lease papers on 12/16/2012.

iamwjh said:

NSXTASY said:

did you purchase or lease? I'm a first time leasee and was under the impression we dont owe property taxes since its a lease...

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I am leasing a 2012 LEAF. I was informed by the dealer that I am responsible for the prop taxes, and have 120 days from signing to pay them.
So I was expecting the tax notice, but in no way was I expecting it to be this much. The taxes for the LEAF are about 3x what I pay for my fully loaded F150 Lariat Super Crew. I just don't understand how they figured the tax to be so much. I know that the LEAF is not 3x more valued than the truck.

Has anyone else in SC spent over $700 on the prop tax for their LEAF?

/EDIT/ I just looked at my tax notice again for the LEAF. It is for the 2012 tax year. Now I am kinda mad too :x . Since I owe > $740 for what is effectively 2 weeks of possession of the property, since I signed the lease papers on 12/16/2012.

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I paid $489.39 in Beaufort.

Barry

BarryE said:

I paid $489.39 in Beaufort.
Barry

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I called the tax collectors office and asked them for a run-down of the process for establishing the tax fees. Here is what she told me:

According to their system, they have the value of my 2012 Nissan Element assessed at 35,200. 6% state tax rate = 2,112. Millage rate of .3415 brings the tax to 721 and there is a $25 road tax, which brings my net taxes to > $745. She did clarify for me that this is a 12-month tax and I will not owe again until April 2014.

I pointed out that my vehicle is a Nissan LEAF and not the Element, which is a Honda model and asked her if there was anything she could do to help me out on reducing the taxes due. After a lengthy time on hold, she came back and told me that there was nothing she could do and added that the taxes will go down next year because they reduce that assessed value by $8,000 (which is about 23%).

Maybe they just don't have a LEAF option in their highly sophisticated computerized system. If the vehicle de-values by 23% per year, I guess the taxes will eventually be affordable.

Just did my taxes, and it looks like the volt qualifies for a $1999 credit. I assume the Leaf would hit to $2000 max

charlestonleafer said:

Just did my taxes, and it looks like the volt qualifies for a $1999 credit. I assume the Leaf would hit to $2000 max

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Two things to consider:

• The Volt qualifies for the SC State Hybrid tax credit, because it is Electric + Gas.
  The LEAF is not a hybrid, rather 100% electric, so no SC State hybrid tax credit.

Also, for those that lease, I don't think lessees can claim the state tax credit, since it is calculated as a fraction or percentage of the Federal tax credit, which is claimed by the dealer or lessor.

But it does get a $1500 State 100% electric credit.... Form TC35?

Heading out to Greenville in the LEAF today. Going to theTD convetion center for a while to see the camping and RV show. Then to downtown for a walk around and maybe a bite while the LEAF gets some free electrons at the parking garage.

i saw a black LEAF on woodruff rd last week in Greenville... we were like "good" LEAF and "evil" LEAF at a red light for a few minutes. super cool guy in the other LEAF waved by as I was turning... awesome encounter!

NSXTASY said:

i saw a black LEAF on woodruff rd last week in Greenville... we were like "good" LEAF and "evil" LEAF at a red light for a few minutes. super cool guy in the other LEAF waved by as I was turning... awesome encounter!

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While we were looking for a parking spot for our LEAF at the Convention Center on Sunday, a nice couple stopped us and said they have a LEAF too. They were from Asheville NC but didn't drive their LEAF that day... Had a brief talk and parted ways. They said there are a lot of LEAFs in Asheville.

So, I met my first LEAF owners this week, but still have not seen any LEAFs on the road yet.

FWIW, we did get some pointing and staring while driving the LEAF down main street in Greenville on Sunday.

I have seen a black Leaf and a blue Leaf on Woodruff Rd in addition to my red one.

I just got one 3 days ago. 2012 Sliver. Im up in Columbia most of the time.

Looking to lease a Leaf in Columbia. Any other Columbia owners, where did you lease from and would you mind posting your lease details? Any dealers other than Dick Smith?

What is the latest for tax credits? Do you get "20% of federal credit" ($1500) for Leafs in SC?

Thanks.

Im in Columbia. I didn't lease though. Charging stations seem plentiful, I mostly charge at home.