California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is often described as an EV charging program, but it covers transportation fuel of every kind. Gasoline and diesel generate deficits. Lower-carbon fuels, including electricity, generate credits that can be sold. CARB lists electric vehicles, trucks, transit systems, electric forklifts, electric cargo-handling equipment, electric transportation refrigeration units and shore power to ocean-going vessels as eligible to generate credits.
The 2024 amendments, in effect since 2025, tightened the program's targets and changed who earns credits in several categories. Starting with 2026 data, electricity credit reports are subject to third-party verification. That makes the meter behind each claim more important than it used to be.
LCFS Electricity Credit Categories at a Glance
| Site type | Who earns the credit | What is measured |
|---|---|---|
| Home charging | Electric utilities, with a share available to vehicle makers | Utility data and estimates |
| Public, workplace and fleet depot charging | The charger owner | kWh dispensed by each registered charger |
| Multifamily charging not reserved for one resident | The charger owner | kWh dispensed by each registered charger |
| DC fast charging sites | The charger owner | Charger capacity plus kWh dispensed |
| Electric forklifts | The owner of the charging equipment | Metered kWh, by facility, from 2026 |
| Refrigerated trailers, cargo handling equipment, shore power | The owner of the charging equipment | Metered kWh |
| Propane forklifts | Reporting obligation for fossil propane | Gallons dispensed |
Public, Workplace and Fleet Depot Charging
Non-residential charging earns credits for the electricity each charger dispenses. That includes fleet vans and trucks charging at a depot, not just public stations. Networked chargers usually record their own kWh. Depots with non-networked Level 2 chargers need separate metering to report their energy.
The 2024 amendments also reclassified non-reserved multifamily charging as non-residential, so credits go to the charger owner instead of the utility.
DC Fast Charging Capacity Credits
DC fast charging sites can apply for capacity-based credits on top of energy credits. Each quarter, a site receives its normal energy credit plus a capacity credit using a 20% utilization factor for public or shared sites, or 10% for private sites, for up to 10 years.
Electric Forklifts
Electric forklifts remain one of the largest credit categories, with three changes since 2025:
- Lower credit rate for smaller trucks. Forklifts under 12,000 lb lift capacity saw their energy economy ratio cut from 3.8 to 2.4, so each kWh earns fewer credits.
- Two reporting categories. CARB's forklift reporting guidance splits charging into under and over 12,000 lb. Charging that cannot be separated must be reported in the under-12,000 lb category, so fleets with heavy trucks gain by metering them separately.
- Metering from 2026. Estimated forklift energy is no longer accepted. Charging must be metered and reported by facility. See forklift metering under California's LCFS for meter placement and the charger efficiency adjustment.
Refrigerated Trailers, Cargo Handling and Shore Power
Plug-in transport refrigeration units at cold-storage docks, electric cargo-handling equipment at ports and rail yards, and shore power for ships at berth all earn credits. The 2024 amendments made the owner of the charging equipment the credit generator for these categories and for forklifts. These loads are usually on shared panels, so a dedicated meter is typically needed to separate them.
Propane Forklifts and Conversions
CARB's guidance states that fossil propane is a fuel the LCFS requires to be reported, and renewable propane needs an approved fuel pathway to earn credits. A fleet that converts from propane to electric forklifts moves from a reporting obligation to a credit-generating category. It needs metering on the new chargers before those credits can be claimed.
Other States
Washington's Clean Fuel Standard requires kWh dispensed per charger for public, fleet, workplace and multifamily charging facilities. Oregon and New Mexico run similar programs. See LCFS and Clean Fuel Standard Metering Requirements by State for a comparison.
Metering Hardware by Site Type
Emergent Metering supplies the metering hardware for the categories that need separate meters:
- Forklift charging rooms and fleet depots: multi-circuit electric meters with current transformers on each charger feed or on a dedicated charging feeder
- Refrigerated trailer docks and cargo equipment: dedicated meters on the circuits serving those loads
- Large charging rooms: metering panels
Emergent Metering supplies equipment. LCFS registration, reporting, verification and credit sales sit with the credit generator, its aggregator and an accredited verification body.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the LCFS only apply to public EV charging?
No. It credits electricity used by fleet depots, workplaces, multifamily buildings, forklifts, refrigerated trailers, cargo handling equipment, transit and shore power, as well as public charging.
Do fleet depot chargers earn LCFS credits?
Yes. Non-residential charging, including fleet depots, earns credits for the kWh each registered charger dispenses. The charger owner is the credit generator.
Do propane forklifts earn LCFS credits?
Fossil propane must be reported under the LCFS. Renewable propane can earn credits only with an approved fuel pathway. Electric forklifts earn credits on metered electricity.
Why meter forklifts over 12,000 lb separately?
Charging that cannot be split by lift capacity must be reported in the under-12,000 lb category, which earns credits at a lower rate.