To claim the Clean Vehicle Credit using Form 8936, the IRS requires the dealer to provide information at the time of the sale.
Here are some steps to find the "date placed in service" and complete Form 8936:
Dealer Report Requirement:
- Per the IRS: At the time of sale, a seller must give you information about your vehicle's qualifications. Sellers must also register online and report the same information to the IRS. If they don't, your vehicle won't be eligible for the credit.
- Check Purchase Documents: The date placed in service is typically the date you took ownership of the vehicle. This can be found on your purchase document
- Free VIN Lookup Services: If you don't have the report, you can use free VIN lookup services like NICB VINCheck or Vehicle History to find information about your vehicle's history