How the Colorado e-bike tax credit works
Colorado takes $225 off a new e-bike for any state resident — applied as an instant discount at the register by a registered retailer, not a credit you claim on a tax return. There’s no income limit and no lottery: one discounted bike per resident per calendar year, every year through 2032. You pay sales tax on the full price; the discount comes off after.
Verified Jun 2, 2026 Colorado Energy Office ↗
Three things Coloradans get wrong
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It’s $225, not $450
The discount halved on January 1, 2026. Any page — or shop — still quoting $450 is out of date. (A few retailers on an off-calendar tax year may honor $450 through June 30; ask first.)
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It’s a discount, not a tax form
You don’t file for it. A registered shop takes $225 off at checkout and claims the credit itself. If anyone tells you to claim it on your return, that’s wrong — only the retailer can.
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You’re taxed on the full price
Sales tax is figured on the bike’s pre-discount price, then the $225 comes off. So it doesn’t shrink your tax bill — budget for tax on the sticker, not the net.
Who qualifies, and how to claim it
What needs to be true
- You’re a Colorado resident (proof of address dated within three months)
- The bike is new — used and private-sale bikes don’t count
- It’s a Class 1, 2 or 3 e-bike with working pedals and a motor of 750 watts or less
- It’s independently safety-certified to UL 2849, UL 2271 or EN 15194
- You haven’t already taken the discount this calendar year (one per resident)
Getting the $225 off
- Find a registered Colorado retailer. The state keeps a list, but it’s self-reported — call the shop and confirm it’s offering the $225 discount.
- Buy a qualifying e-bike in person. The retailer takes $225 off at the register and signs a short residency affidavit with you.
- Pay sales tax on the full price. The discount comes off after tax, so budget for tax on the sticker — not the net.
Program details — including the statute (§39-22-555, C.R.S.) and the retailer list — are on the Colorado Energy Office page. The standards a bike can meet are UL 2849, UL 2271 or EN 15194; the state’s consumer page names only the first two, so check the bike’s certification before you count on it.
In Denver? It stacks for up to $900 off
Denver runs its own e-bike rebate — $675 for a standard bike, up to $1,175 for an adaptive one — and its page says it combines with the $225 state credit. That’s up to $900 off a standard e-bike, or up to 80% of the price. The catch: Denver releases vouchers in timed rounds that sell out fast.
Local rebates that stack on the $225
Sort by amount or by status. Tap any program for its official page.
Paused and seasonal programs are listed here too — marked as such — so you’re not chasing a rebate that closed.
| Level | Top value | Status | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gunnison County Electric | Utility | 25% up to $150 | No income limit | Open | Gunnison County; up to $300 a year per member account | Official page |
| La Plata Electric | Utility | 25% up to $100 | No income limit | Open | Durango & Pagosa area; bike must be UL-certified and under $2,000 | Official page |
| Holy Cross Energy | Utility | $50 | No income limit | Open | Eagle, Pitkin & Garfield service area; up to 2 per household | Official page |
| Biggest local rebateDenver | City | $675–$1,175 | Standard tier income-capped; adaptive uncapped | Scheduled | Instant voucher in timed rounds; next opens July 7, 2026 | Official page |
| Lafayette | City | $300 / $600 | $600 if income-qualified | Seasonal | Point-of-sale; runs a window each spring — confirm the current round | Official page |
| Mt. Crested Butte | City | $500–$600 | $1,000–$1,500 if income-qualified | Paused | 2025 funds ran out in September; a 2026 round isn’t confirmed yet | Official page |
| Boulder | City | — | Was income-tiered | Paused | City of Boulder says the program is on pause for 2026 | Official page |
Co-op rebates are limited to that utility’s members, and city programs to residents. Amounts and funding change fast — confirm on the program’s own page before you buy. Ended for 2026: the town rebates in Durango, Eagle and Avon have closed (Durango riders can still use La Plata Electric). Last checked 2 June 2026.
A rebate covers part of it. Here’s the rest.
Even $900 off rarely covers the whole bike. Whatever’s left, you can spread out — and because the rebate shrinks what you borrow, you pay interest on a smaller number. Sometimes that’s the difference between borrowing and not borrowing at all.
What Coloradans ask about the credit
How much is the Colorado e-bike tax credit in 2026?
$225 off a new e-bike, down from $450 in 2025. It’s an instant discount at a registered Colorado retailer — one per resident per calendar year, with no income limit — and it runs every year through 2032.
How do I claim the Colorado e-bike credit?
You don’t file anything. Buy from a registered Colorado retailer and they take the $225 off at the register and claim the credit themselves. Confirm the shop is participating before you buy, because the state’s retailer list is self-reported and not guaranteed current.
Do I report the Colorado e-bike credit on my taxes or pay it back?
No. The buyer never touches a tax form for it — only the retailer claims the income-tax credit. There’s nothing to repay. You do pay sales tax on the full, pre-discount price.
Can I combine the Colorado credit with a local rebate?
Yes, where the local program allows it. Denver’s rebate, for example, says it stacks with the $225 state credit for up to $900 off a standard bike. Stacking isn’t addressed on the state’s own page, so confirm it on the local program’s page.
What e-bikes qualify for the Colorado credit?
A new e-bike with two or three wheels, working pedals and a motor of 750 watts or less — Class 1, 2 or 3 — that’s independently certified to UL 2849, UL 2271 or EN 15194. There’s no price cap. Used bikes are excluded.
Why do some shops still say $450?
The credit was $450 in 2024 and 2025 and dropped to $225 on January 1, 2026. Most pages showing $450 are simply out of date. A small number of shops on an off-calendar tax year may still honor $450 through June 30, 2026 — ask before you assume.
Looking beyond Colorado? See every US e-bike rebate.