DRIVEN now pays for the EV workshop, not just the charger.
Since September 2026 the federal DRIVEN rebate covers 80% of EV-specific tools, PPE and lifting gear, up to five of each item, inside a $50,000 site cap. It is for workshops that meet AS 5732:2022 and have an EV-qualified mechanic on staff — and only for gear bought from 12 May 2026.
Written by Juan Flinn, Content Editor · Reviewed by the Mission Green commercial team · Updated October 2026
What DRIVEN pays
a workshop.
Since the 2026 to 2029 stream opened on 8 September 2026, the money is no longer only for the charger on the wall.
80% of the cost
Of eligible EV-specific PPE, workshop equipment, tools and lifting gear, GST-exclusive.
Five of each
A maximum of five of each item per site, plus one copy of AS 5732:2022.
$50,000
Shared with chargers, which are capped at $21,000 — so a site that maxes out chargers still has up to $29,000 for everything else.
The same floor applies as for chargers: at least $5,000 of eligible spending per site, per claim. Equipment and chargers can go in the same application, and either can make up the $5,000.
Equipment must be bought and paid for on or after 12 May 2026 and no later than 30 April 2029.
An EV repairer,
by the guidelines’ test.
Three conditions, all of them checked against evidence you attach.
Commercial premises. The business operates from non-residential, commercial premises with a unique street address. A workshop in a home, or in a garage, shed or outbuilding attached to one, is excluded. A mobile mechanic needs a fixed business address.
AS 5732:2022. The workshop complies with the minimum standards in Australian Standard 5732:2022, EV operations — maintenance and repair, and keeps complying as a condition of the rebate.
A qualified person on staff. At least one current staff member suitably qualified to work on EVs. The guidelines give examples of the evidence: AURETH101 (Depower and reinitialise battery electric vehicles), AUR32721 Certificate III in Automotive Electric Vehicle Technology, and the AURSS00063 and AURSS00064 battery electric vehicle skill sets.
Licensed motor dealers and their service centres are eligible too, and show a dealer licence instead.
Three kinds
of equipment.
Examples from the guidelines. The lists are not exhaustive, but every item has to be EV-specific.
| Category | Examples in the guidelines |
|---|---|
| PPE | Arc flash face shield with chin guard; electrical-hazard-rated insulated footwear; high-voltage insulated safety gloves |
| Workshop equipment and tools | High-voltage first aid kit with rescue hook; AED; EV fire blankets; insulating floor mats; EV signage, barriers and covers; lockout/tagout kits; rated multimeters and leads; insulation resistance tester; insulated tools; EV battery testing and diagnostics; EV-specific scan tools; battery storage or containment; low-voltage battery maintenance charger |
| Lifting equipment | EV battery lifting tables and other battery lifting equipment; EV-specific hoists or access equipment |
| The standard | One copy of AS 5732:2022 per site |
Equipment that needs installing must be installed by a suitably qualified technician, and the workshop is responsible for any regulatory or safety certification it needs.
Where the line
is drawn.
The guidelines exclude the costs a workshop would have anyway.
Not covered: routine or ongoing operating costs; maintenance or replacement of existing equipment; subscriptions; general tools that are not EV-specific; and anything bought for resale. Items must be for genuine use in the workshop.
Each equipment claim also needs a signed declaration, on the template from business.gov.au, confirming the items meet the workshop safety standards, are solely for servicing and repairing EVs, are not for resale, and fall within the item limits.
So what should
a workshop actually do?
Short version.
Get the evidence ready first. The qualification certificate for your EV-trained staff member, and confirmation the workshop meets AS 5732:2022. Without them the application cannot succeed.
Buy only what the workshop needs, and keep every invoice. Five of each item is the limit, and the claim is GST-exclusive.
Put chargers and equipment in one application. It helps clear the $5,000 floor, and each financial year’s money goes in order of receipt.
DRIVEN for workshops:
your questions, answered.
EV-specific PPE, workshop equipment and tools, and lifting equipment that support the safe servicing and repair of electric vehicles under AS 5732:2022. Examples in the guidelines include arc flash face shields, high-voltage insulated gloves, insulated tools, insulation resistance testers, EV battery diagnostic equipment, EV fire blankets, battery lifting tables and EV-specific hoists.
Up to 80% of eligible expenditure, limited to five of each item per site and within the $50,000 per-site cap that also covers chargers. One copy of the AS 5732:2022 standard can be claimed per site.
An automotive repair business in non-residential, commercial premises that complies with AS 5732:2022 and has at least one current staff member suitably qualified to work on EVs. Licensed dealers and their service centres are also eligible. Workshops in a home, or in a garage or shed attached to one, are not.
The guidelines list examples including AURETH101 (Depower and reinitialise battery electric vehicles), AUR32721 Certificate III in Automotive Electric Vehicle Technology, the AURSS00063 Battery Electric Vehicle Diagnose and Repair Skill Set, and the AURSS00064 Battery Electric Vehicle Inspection and Servicing Skill Set. The list is not exhaustive.
Only if it was bought and paid for on or after 12 May 2026. Like the charger rebate, the equipment rebate reimburses costs you have already paid, so you buy first and claim with the tax invoice.
Yes. Sites funded for chargers in round 1 or round 2 cannot top up the charger amount, but they can apply for EV-specific equipment that was not funded before, within the same per-site cap.
Routine or ongoing operating costs, maintenance or replacement of existing equipment, subscriptions, general tools that are not EV-specific, and anything bought for resale.
Where these figures come from.
Every figure on this page is taken from the DRIVEN Charger Rebate Stream 2026 to 2029 grant opportunity guidelines, released 8 September 2026 and updated 22 September 2026. It is general information about how the rules read, not advice about your business — the department’s decision on eligibility is final.