Russia's Federal Tax Service denies mass erroneous EV tax charges
In short
Russia's Federal Tax Service (FNS) denied reports of mass erroneous transport tax charges on electric vehicles, saying the claims do not correspond to reality. The FNS said it applied 2025 transport tax benefits in line with regional laws, and that not all regions provide full exemption for EVs. Complaints about charges in regions where the tax is zeroed had circulated on social media and in media, including from drivers in Moscow and the Moscow region, according to Kommersant.
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The Federal Tax Service (FNS) of Russia denied reports of mass erroneous transport tax charges on electric vehicles, saying the information does not correspond to reality. The denial was reported by RBC, RIA Novosti and Kommersant, all citing the FNS press service. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The FNS said the reports of erroneous charges had spread on social networks and in the media. Kommersant, citing the Autoru magazine, reported that car owners complained about tax charges on electric cars in regions where the tax is zeroed. Complaints came in particular from drivers in Moscow and the Moscow region, according to Kommersant. [ 3 ]
According to the FNS, it applied transport tax benefits for 2025 in line with regional laws. The agency noted that not all regions provide full exemption from the tax. In several regions, only electric cars with a certain power or cars from a Minpromtorg list are not taxed, and in some regions the exemption does not apply to cars with both electric and internal combustion engines. In Moscow, restrictions on granting tax benefits apply, the FNS said. [ 3 ]
The FNS said that if an owner of several cars did not submit an application for a benefit, it is automatically applied to the car with the highest tax amount. The agency recommended that car owners contact the tax authority for explanations on what exactly the tax was charged for. [ 3 ]
The FNS noted that regional benefits for electric vehicles can be conditional, so the fact that a car is electric does not guarantee full exemption. Kommersant cited examples: in Krasnodar Krai in February 2022, the exemption applied to cars with power up to 150 hp, while in Chelyabinsk Oblast in July 2022 it was proposed to exclude expensive cars from the Minpromtorg list, which are taxed with an increasing coefficient. In Tatarstan in August 2023, a planned benefit would have applied only to vehicles exclusively with electric motors, not covering cars with other engine types, according to Kommersant. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The denial addresses complaints that had spread on social media and in media about EV owners being charged transport tax in regions where it is zeroed. The FNS points to regional variations in tax benefits, meaning EV owners may still owe tax depending on power, engine type or whether the car is on a special list. The agency recommended owners contact tax authorities for clarification.
Key facts
- The Federal Tax Service (FNS) denied information about mass erroneous tax charges on electric vehicles. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The FNS said reports of erroneous charges spread in social networks and media. [ 3 ]
- Complaints came from drivers in Moscow and the Moscow region, according to Autoru magazine as cited by Kommersant. [ 3 ]
- The FNS applied transport tax benefits for 2025 in line with regional laws. [ 3 ]
- Not all regions provide full exemption from transport tax for electric vehicles, the FNS said. [ 3 ]
- The FNS recommended car owners contact tax authorities for explanations on the charges. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether any individual erroneous tax charges actually occurred. The FNS denies mass erroneous charges, but the documents do not state whether isolated errors happened or how many.
- The full set of regional conditions for the electric vehicle transport tax benefit. Only Kommersant provides details, and its article is cut off; RBC and RIA Novosti do not elaborate.
- How many car owners or regions were affected by the reported charges. The documents do not provide numbers or a comprehensive list of regions.