When you buy an EV (electric vehicle) in Saitama Prefecture, where do the subsidies come from, and how much can you get? To state the conclusion first: for the 2026 fiscal year (Reiwa 8), Saitama is a two-tier structure of "no prefectural purchase subsidy; the national CEV subsidy (up to ¥1.3 million for an EV) plus municipal add-ons". Saitama City is running subsidies, on a first-come, first-served basis, of ¥50,000 for a standard-size EV, ¥30,000 for a mini EV, ¥500,000 for an FCV, and ¥100,000 for V2H. This article organizes the 2026 fiscal year information from primary sources: how to use the national, prefectural, and municipal programs, points to note when applying, the reduction of automobile tax on EVs, and whether subsidies are taxed.
Think of Saitama's EV subsidies as a "two-tier" structure
CEV subsidy (the lead role in purchases)
A national subsidy available to both individuals and corporations. The FY2025 supplementary-budget round (registrations from April 2026) offers the largest amounts, such as up to 1.3 million yen for EVs.
Independent add-ons such as Saitama City
Availability and amounts differ by municipality. Saitama City offers ¥50,000 for an EV plus ¥100,000 for V2H, etc. It can be combined with the national subsidy.
No prefectural purchase subsidy for the 2026 fiscal year
Saitama Prefecture has announced that its "Electric Vehicle Introduction Cost Subsidy" is not planned for the Reiwa 8 fiscal year. Do not count on the prefecture; build your plan with national + municipal.
[National] CEV Subsidy under the FY2025 Supplementary Budget (registrations from April 2026; the main pillar)
On 4 September 2026, responding to a rise in enquiries, the Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center published its forecast for when applications for the national CEV subsidy (vehicles) will close. The expected closing period is early December to late December 2026. The forecast may move depending on the volume of applications and will be updated as the budget is drawn down[Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center].
Note how the deadline is counted. Applications are taken in order of the date the form reaches the secretariat — not the date the vehicle is registered or the contract signed. And once the budget is reached, applications close on the day before the budget is exhausted. It can therefore close earlier than forecast, so "as long as delivery happens by December" is not a safe assumption.
If you are considering a purchase, work back from delivery and the arrival date of the form, and aim to be ready to apply during November. Always check the Center's official site for the current status.
"Up to ¥1.3 million" is a cap. The subsidy amount is decided for each vehicle type by an evaluation of the vehicle's environmental performance and the like, and differs, such as ¥1 million or ¥800,000. An add-on may apply for power-supply functions (V2H, external power supply). Check the exact subsidy amount for the car you are buying against the figures published by the Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center. Applications close once the budget runs out. On September 4 the secretariat announced that it expects to stop accepting applications around early to late December 2026 (applications are taken in order of arrival, and intake ends the day before the budget is reached; secretariat notice, PDF, in Japanese). A subsidized vehicle carries a mandatory holding period (in principle 4 years); if you dispose of it within the period, repayment may be required.
The overall picture of the CEV subsidy and the situation in every prefecture is explained in our guide to EV subsidies in all 47 prefectures.
[Saitama Prefecture] No prefectural purchase subsidy for the 2026 fiscal year
Saitama Prefecture used to run the "Electric Vehicle Introduction Cost Subsidy Program," but the prefecture's official page states that it is not planned for the Reiwa 8 fiscal year (2026). There is no need to "wait for the prefectural subsidy before buying"; for the 2026 fiscal year, the right approach is to combine the national CEV subsidy with municipal add-ons.
Meanwhile, neighboring Tokyo continues generous subsidies for individuals (see the Tokyo EV subsidy guide), so there is a large gap between the two. Even if you commute outside the prefecture, subsidies are determined by your address (the base of use of the vehicle), so note that Saitama residents are subject to Saitama's rules. For Kanagawa Prefecture, see Kanagawa EV subsidies.
[Municipalities] Saitama City: ¥50,000 for an EV, ¥500,000 for an FCV, ¥100,000 for V2H
Saitama City's "Electric Vehicle Promotion Subsidy" (Reiwa 8 fiscal year) is as follows.
| Eligible item | Subsidy amount (per vehicle or unit) |
|---|---|
| EV (standard-size car, new) | ¥50,000 |
| EV (mini or small car, new) | ¥30,000 |
| FCV (fuel cell vehicle, new) | ¥500,000 |
| V2H charge/discharge equipment (new installation) | ¥100,000 |
- Eligible applicants: individuals living in the city, and corporations or sole proprietors with a place of business in the city (for leases, the "user" applies)
- Eligible vehicles: new vehicles registered between April 1, 2026 and March 19, 2027. PHEVs are not eligible
- Application period: June 1, 2026 to March 19, 2027. First-come, first-served; it closes when the budget (approximately ¥21.1 million) is reached (a lottery is held if same-day applications exceed it)
- Can be combined with the national CEV subsidy and other subsidies. There is a property-disposal restriction period; selling within the period requires an approval application
Beyond Saitama City, municipal-level programs are scattered around — for example, Kawaguchi City supports EV and FCV purchases through its "Global Warming Countermeasure Activity Support Grant." Amounts, conditions, and application status change during the year, so search "your municipality's name + EV subsidy" and check the official site. Some municipalities also offer support bundled with solar power and storage batteries.
Check the "tax" on EVs too (reductions in automobile tax)
Apart from subsidies, EVs are also favored on the tax side. The environmental performance levy of the automobile tax was abolished on March 31, 2026, and it is not charged on vehicles acquired on or after April 1, 2026 (Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Taxation, in Japanese). For EVs, the type-based levy of the automobile tax for the following fiscal year is reduced by roughly 75% under the greening special provision. If you switch from a gasoline car, a fuel-cost gap remains even after the abolition of the provisional gasoline tax rate at the end of 2025. Details are explained in EV taxes and the 2026 automobile tax reform.
Is a subsidy taxed?
An EV subsidy an individual receives is treated as occasional income. Occasional income has an annual special deduction of ¥500,000, so it is not taxed if, combined with other occasional income (such as lump-sum life insurance receipts), it stays within ¥500,000 a year. Even the national and city subsidies combined usually stay within ¥500,000, but be careful about the total in a year when you receive multiple large subsidies, such as the ¥500,000 FCV subsidy. The treatment differs for vehicles bought for business use, so check with a tax accountant or the like.
Summary
- Saitama Prefecture has no prefectural purchase subsidy for fiscal 2026. Residents combine the national CEV subsidy (up to ¥1.3 million for EVs) with municipal top-ups.
- Saitama City offers ¥50,000 for standard EVs, ¥30,000 for kei EVs, ¥500,000 for FCVs, and ¥100,000 for V2H systems. The budget of about ¥21.1 million is allocated first-come, first-served, and PHEVs are not eligible.
- The national CEV subsidy is expected to close applications sometime from early to late December 2026, so have your application ready to submit in November.
- The environmental performance levy has already been abolished, and the following year's automobile tax is cut by roughly 75%.
- Subsidies count as occasional income. They are not taxed if they stay within the ¥500,000 annual special deduction.
Reference links (sources)
* Subsidy amounts, requirements, and application status are as of August 2026. Programs may end early depending on budget consumption. Always check the latest information on each official site before applying.
