Policy overview
Bihar approved its first comprehensive EV policy in December 2023, then substantially rewrote the buyer-incentive side in May 2026. The amended policy runs through the "Mukhyamantri Bihar Paryavaran Anukul Parivahan Rozgar Yojana" — a scheme framed around employment and environment rather than transport alone, which explains its unusual design: subsidies differentiated by caste category and gender rather than by battery capacity.
Key parameters
| Amendment approved | 13 May 2026 |
| Effective from | 15 May 2026 |
| Base policy | Bihar EV Policy 2023 (5 Dec 2023) |
| FY2026–27 allocation | ₹110 crore |
| Implementing scheme | Mukhyamantri Bihar Paryavaran Anukul Parivahan Rozgar Yojana |
| 2030 target | 30% of new registrations |
| Disbursal | Direct Benefit Transfer, online portal |
What's covered
- Flat DBT purchase subsidies with separate general and SC/ST rates
- A women-specific ₹1 lakh electric car subsidy — rare among Indian state policies
- 50% motor vehicle tax rebate on all EVs registered in Bihar
- Permit fee exemptions across three-wheeler, light and heavy commercial categories
- Four-tier charging station capital incentive structure with 50–75% support
- 30% power tariff subsidy for public and semi-public charging stations
- Scrapping incentives for old vehicles, and subsidised municipal parking for personal EVs
- Aggregator fleet electrification obligations with permit fee incentives to 2028
Electric two-wheelers (E2W)
The highest-volume subsidised category, and the clearest example of Bihar's category-differentiated design.
| Beneficiary | Direct subsidy |
|---|---|
| General category | ₹10,000 |
| SC/ST category | ₹12,000 |
| Motor vehicle tax | 50% rebate |
| Disbursal | Direct Benefit Transfer |
- Stacks with central PM E-DRIVE incentives, applied by the dealer at invoice
- Scrapping incentives available for retiring an old vehicle alongside the purchase
- Aggregators must maintain specified percentages of electric two-wheelers in their fleets, with consequences for non-compliance, and get permit fee exemptions for exceeding targets by 2028
| Purchase incentive | ₹5,000 per kWh, first 10,000 vehicles |
| Motor vehicle tax, early adopters | 75% rebate, first 10,000 vehicles |
| Motor vehicle tax, thereafter | 50% rebate |
Electric three-wheelers (E3W)
Bihar splits three-wheelers into passenger and goods carriage, and only the goods side carries a cash subsidy under the amended policy.
Goods carriage (e-auto)
| General category | ₹50,000 |
| SC/ST category | ₹60,000 |
| Motor vehicle tax | 50% rebate |
| Permit fee | Exempt on new registration |
Passenger three-wheelers
- 50% rebate in motor vehicle tax through the policy period
- Newly registered electric three-wheelers exempt from permit fees
- No separate flat cash subsidy line published for the passenger sub-category under the amendment — the ₹50,000/₹60,000 rates are specified for goods carriage
- Central PM E-DRIVE incentives remain available for e-3W
Electric four-wheelers (E4W)
Bihar's four-wheeler subsidy is the most distinctive provision in any state policy in this tracker: at ₹1 lakh it's substantial, but it is conditioned on the car being registered in a woman's name.
| Electric car registered to a woman | ₹1,00,000 |
| Motor vehicle tax, all EVs | 50% rebate |
| Disbursal | Direct Benefit Transfer |
| Central PM E-DRIVE | Not applicable to private cars |
| Purchase incentive | ₹10,000 per kWh, first 1,000 vehicles |
| Motor vehicle tax, early adopters | 75% rebate, first 1,000 vehicles |
| Motor vehicle tax, thereafter | 50% rebate |
| Reported cap under 2023 policy | Up to ₹1.25 lakh |
Aggregator obligations
- Aggregators are required to maintain specified percentages of electric four-wheelers in their fleets, with consequences for non-compliance
- Permit fee exemptions offered as an incentive to operate more electric four-wheelers by 2028
- Municipal authorities directed to provide subsidised parking for personal EVs, with cities preparing on-street EV parking plans that pair subsidised fees with charging points
Light electric commercial vehicles (eLCV)
Light electric goods carriers get tax and permit relief rather than a distinct flat subsidy line under the amendment.
| Benefit | Detail |
|---|---|
| Motor vehicle tax | 50% rebate |
| Permit fee | Exempt for all light electric goods carriers, full policy period |
| Scrapping incentive | Available |
| Central PM E-DRIVE | Applicable to e-trucks |
- The permit fee exemption applies for the whole policy period rather than a first-N-vehicles quota — a meaningful operating-cost saving for last-mile logistics fleets
- Goods-carrying electric three-wheelers sit in a separate, subsidised category — see the E3W section above for the ₹50,000/₹60,000 rates
Electric buses & heavy vehicles (eBus)
Buses and heavy goods carriers share a single category in the Bihar policy, with a front-loaded tax rebate that steps down after two years.
| Motor vehicle tax, first 2 years | 75% rebate |
| Motor vehicle tax, thereafter | 50% rebate |
| Permit fee | Exempt, full policy period |
| Category scope | Buses and heavy goods carriage |
| Central PM E-DRIVE | Applicable to buses |
Context
- Bihar's cabinet separately approved acquisition of 400 electric buses under the central PM e-Bus Sewa programme, for Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga and Purnea
- The amended policy explicitly names increased EV use in commercial transport and rural mobility as objectives
- The 75%-then-50% tax structure rewards early fleet conversion rather than capping benefits by unit quota
Charging & battery infrastructure
Bihar's charging incentives are among the most generous per-charger in the country — up to 75% of equipment cost — structured across four charger categories aligned to Ministry of Power guidelines. Incentives run for three years.
| Charger category | Equipment support | Installation | Max per charger | Quota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC charger, 3 guns — slow/moderate | 75% | ₹10,000 | ₹50,000 | First 600 |
| AC charger, 2 guns — fast | 75% | ₹25,000 | ₹1,50,000 | First 300 |
| DC charger, 2 guns — slow/moderate | 75% | ₹25,000 | ₹1,50,000 | First 300 |
| CCS/CHAdeMO, 2 guns — fast | 50% | ₹1,00,000 | ₹10,00,000 | First 60 |
Station models
- Private car stations: residential buildings, RWAs and co-operative housing societies with at least 5 ECS demarcated parking encouraged to install a Bharat EV AC charger
- Semi-public stations: non-residential building owners and market associations with parking for 5 cars and 5 bikes encouraged to install a Bharat EV AC charger (3 guns)
- Public stations: commercial use only, permitted on both government and private land
Power tariff & recycling
- 30% subsidy on power tariff for public and semi-public charging stations for the first three years, administered by the Transport Department
- Energy Department to ensure reasonable electricity rates for these stations
- Renewable energy supply for EV charging actively promoted
- Battery reuse encouraged once packs degrade to 70–80% capacity, with recycling businesses promoted in collaboration with manufacturers, emphasising rare metal extraction
- Charging incentives conditional on compliance with Ministry of Power guidelines
How the subsidy is claimed
Bihar moved subsidy disbursal fully online in July 2026, joining the set of states digitising EV incentive claims.
- Subsidies apply only to electric vehicles purchased on or after 15 May 2026, the date the amended policy took effect
- Claims are submitted through a dedicated online portal on the Bihar Transport Department website, live since around 20 July 2026
- The process is designed to be fully digital, with no physical office visits required to initiate a claim
- Payment is made by Direct Benefit Transfer into the beneficiary's account
- Beneficiaries cannot claim similar incentives under any other Bihar state government scheme for the same vehicle
- Incentives apply to vehicles complying with FAME India scheme definitions
Policy timeline
Hollow markers indicate future targets rather than events that have occurred.
Bihar EV Policy 2023 approved
Five-year policy with ~₹56.54 crore budget; target of 15% EV share in new registrations by 2028. Established the MVT rebate ladder and charging incentive structure.
Amendment Policy 2026 cabinet-approved
Purchase incentives restructured to flat DBT amounts with SC/ST and women-specific rates; ₹110 crore allocated for FY2026–27; target raised to 30% by 2030.
Amended policy takes effect
Cut-off date for subsidy eligibility — only vehicles purchased on or after this date qualify.
Online subsidy portal goes live
Transport Department activates fully digital claim submission for eligible EV buyers statewide.
Aggregator fleet milestones
Permit fee exemptions tied to aggregators operating higher shares of electric two- and four-wheelers by this year.
30% EV registration target
State transport officials estimate this would save roughly 10 crore litres of petrol and diesel annually.
Frequently asked questions
Under the amended 2026 policy, electric two-wheeler buyers get a direct subsidy of ₹10,000 for general category beneficiaries and ₹12,000 for SC/ST beneficiaries, paid through Direct Benefit Transfer. This applies only to vehicles purchased on or after 15 May 2026.
Yes, but with a specific condition. The ₹1 lakh direct subsidy applies to an electric car registered in the name of a woman. It's a women-specific provision rather than a general four-wheeler purchase incentive, making Bihar one of the few states with a gender-linked EV subsidy of this size.
The amended policy was cabinet-approved on 13 May 2026 and came into effect on 15 May 2026. Subsidies apply exclusively to electric vehicles purchased on or after that date. Claims are submitted through a fully digital portal on the Bihar Transport Department website, which went live around 20 July 2026.
All electric vehicles registered in Bihar are eligible for a 50% rebate on motor vehicle tax under the amended policy. The earlier 2023 structure had offered a 75% rebate to early adopters within specified quotas, tapering to 50% thereafter.
Goods-carrying electric autos get ₹50,000 for general category beneficiaries and ₹60,000 for SC/ST beneficiaries. Newly registered electric three-wheelers are also exempt from permit fees, and light electric goods carriers get permit fee exemption throughout the policy period.
The amended 2026 policy targets 30% of all new vehicle registrations being electric by 2030, raised from the 2023 policy's target of 15% by 2028. State transport officials estimate that meeting the 30% target would save roughly 10 crore litres of petrol and diesel annually.
Sources & further reading
- EVreporter — Bihar Electric Vehicle Policy 2023 full summary — includes link to the original policy PDF; source for the charging incentive tiers, MVT ladder and permit exemptions
- Drishti IAS — Bihar EV Policy 2026 amendment provisions, May 2026 — category-wise subsidy amounts
- Saur Energy — ₹110 crore allocation and scheme framing, May 2026
- APAC News Network — online subsidy portal launch and 15 May cut-off, Jul 2026
- 30% by 2030 target and fuel-saving estimate, Angel One / SearchEV, May 2026
- PM e-Bus Sewa allocation of 400 e-buses across six Bihar districts, Deccan Herald
Compiled by the All India EV Research Desk. This page summarises publicly reported policy details for informational purposes and is updated as official notifications evolve — it is not a substitute for the official gazette text.