How to Apply for a Plug-in Vehicle Grant: Dealer & Manufacturer Portal Guide
This guide explains how car manufacturers and dealerships apply for UK plug-in vehicle grants through the official portal operated by the :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} (OZEV). It translates the formal guidance into a clear, operational workflow for sales, admin, and finance teams.
The plug-in vehicle grant portal is not for retail customers. Customers receive the grant as a discount at point of purchase. Dealers and manufacturers are responsible for submitting, updating, and managing grant claims through the secure portal.
1) Before logging in: what you must have ready
Before accessing the portal or creating an order, dealers should review the relevant eligibility and application guidance for the specific grant type (car, van, truck, taxi, motorcycle, or wheelchair accessible vehicle).
- Your dealership reference number (required to raise new orders)
- Grant application number or in-house reference (to search existing orders)
- Customer name or vehicle registration number (VRM) for lookups
Access to the portal requires a browser with JavaScript enabled.
2) First-time access: setting up portal accounts
Manufacturers new to the scheme must email OZEV to request portal credentials and define user permissions. New dealerships should coordinate directly with their manufacturer to have access created.
- Usernames are individual email addresses (shared accounts are not permitted)
- There is no limit to the number of admin users per dealer account
- Each user account can only be linked to one dealer account
3) Before entering a grant application
Dealers must confirm compliance before raising an order:
- The end customer has not exceeded grant limits
- For multistage builds (route 2), required DVLA forms are already submitted
- For wheelchair accessible vehicles, conversion details are registered with DVLA
Up to 10 vehicles can be included in one application. If one vehicle is cancelled, the entire application is cancelled.
4) Starting a new grant application
From the vehicle dashboard, select Start new grant application and enter:
- Transaction type (cash, finance, lease, Motability)
- Type of sale (private, business, fleet, sole trader, demonstrator)
- End customer details (must be the vehicle recipient, not the lease company)
- Vehicle details, expected delivery date, and final purchase price
5) Updating an application as the order progresses
Dealers must keep applications up to date throughout delivery and registration. Required updates may include:
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Vehicle Registration Mark (VRM)
- Date of first registration
- Actual delivery date
- Taxi licence number (for taxis only)
Demonstrator vehicles should be clearly marked as such within the order.
6) Understanding order statuses (and why they matter)
| Status | What it means operationally |
|---|---|
| In pipeline | Order created; VIN not yet assigned |
| Awaiting registration | VIN assigned; waiting for DVLA registration |
| Awaiting / Passed validation | Vehicle details checked against DVLA records |
| Pending delivery | Validated but delivery date not yet entered |
| Awaiting payment | All required details entered; payment processing pending |
| Completed | Payment file generated and sent for processing |
| Awaiting audit / Audit in progress | Invoice documentation requested and reviewed |
| On hold | No VRM entered within 9 months; order frozen |
| Cancelled | Order cancelled by dealer or OZEV |
7) Payment, audits, and reconciliations
At month-end, OZEV reconciles orders with manufacturers. Discrepancies may push orders back to earlier statuses for correction.
- Invoices selected for audit must be emailed within 28 days
- Audit outcomes may be approved or rejected with required corrective actions
- Payments are processed after successful validation and audit completion
8) Support, lockouts, and escalation
What if we need help?
Dealers should email the scheme administrators for portal or order issues. Typical response times are 5 working days for enquiries and up to 10 days for audits.
What if an account is locked?
After repeated failed login attempts, accounts are locked for 30 minutes. If access is still blocked after that period, dealers must contact the administrators to request an unlock.
