I'm being audited: what is a "manufacturer's certification"?

[SEAR1T]

I'm being audited for my $7,500 tax credit on form 8936 for 2022. The IRS is requesting my VIN, bill of sale, and:

"The manufacturer's certification or the domestic distributor's certification if a foreign manufacturer, if any”

Rivian support seems to think this "manufacturer's certification" is the Monroney label, which they won't provide a copy of. My accountant isn't able to help either. Does anyone have any experience with this and can provide guidance, please? I'm not sure how to proceed.

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[zefram47]

Definitely not the Monroney. I've only seen one once, but it's a "formal looking" certificate much like a vehicle title that's used to initially title a vehicle. I think every case since when buying a new vehicle the dealer must've sent it to the lender as it never passed through my hands.

 

[Riviot]

MCO, manufacturer certificate of origin, is like the birth certificate for a car. Once it's titled, the states normally destroy them. Kind of weird they're asking for it. But it also says "if any."

 

[Paul Hackett]

I'm being audited for my $7,500 tax credit on form 8936 for 2022. The IRS is requesting my VIN, bill of sale, and:

"The manufacturer's certification or the domestic distributor's certification if a foreign manufacturer, if any”

Rivian support seems to think this "manufacturer's certification" is the Monroney label, which they won't provide a copy of. My accountant isn't able to help either. Does anyone have any experience with this and can provide guidance, please? I'm not sure how to proceed.

That's sounds more like a RFI (request for information) or further documentation as opposed to an IRS audit. A RFI response can be uploaded to your account on IRS.gov and is way less painful than an audit. My guess is they're looking to determine whether your R1T qualifies under the requirements of the "Inflation Reduction Act" and if so to what extent; but beyond that no idea what the document is that they're requesting, but may want to start by sending/uploading them the title, registration, and bill of sale...wouldn't hurt...

 

[SEAR1T]

That's sounds more like a RFI (request for information) or further documentation as opposed to an IRS audit.

I have no idea if this is true but the first sentence of the letter is "We're auditing your 2022 form 1040, and we need a response from you" and the specific documentation requested for form 8936 is VIN, bill of sale, and this mysterious "manufacturer's certification" (which nobody, including Rivian, truly seems to know what it is)

 

[Paul Hackett]

I have no idea if this is true but the first sentence of the letter is "We're auditing your 2022 form 1040, and we need a response from you" and the specific documentation requested for form 8936 is VIN, bill of sale, and this mysterious "manufacturer's certification" (which nobody, including Rivian, truly seems to know what it is)

Yeah that's an audit, but appears to be focused on the single issue of verifying that you in fact made the purchase that gave rise to the tax credit from 2022. My guess is that by uploading the VIN and bill of sale, registration that that will be satisfactory. If I remember correctly 2022 was before the enactment of the IRA which implemented levels of complication related to eligibility for the $7,500 tax credit. If you upload that information (title, registration, bill of sale) on your IRS.gov account, it'll take them likely 60 days to respond whether it's satisfactory and or if they require more information... if you don't respond timely... the next letter will come certified... if you don't have an online account set one up, it's relatively painless once you get past the "Id.me" (painful IMHO) process and is far more reliable than sending the information via the US post office and hoping that it's correctly directed at the IRS end. MY guess is that if you provide them proof that you purchased, titled and registered the vehicle that will satisfy them.

 

[CompilerBreak]

What you are describing just sounds like this list? https://www.irs.gov/credits-deducti...d-clean-vehicles-purchased-in-2022-and-before

Their question makes it sound like you bought something not on the list of approved manufacturers.

 

[Yo Eddy]

I have no idea if this is true but the first sentence of the letter is "We're auditing your 2022 form 1040, and we need a response from you" and the specific documentation requested for form 8936 is VIN, bill of sale, and this mysterious "manufacturer's certification" (which nobody, including Rivian, truly seems to know what it is)

got the same letter and been trying to figure out what that certification is. Haven't tried Rivian yet, but will let you know if I get anywhere

 

[lefkonj]

I only had to provide the window sticker and bill of sale.

 

[Riviot]

MCO is only necessary if you don't have any other documents. All the others listed suffice.

 

[@n!m@l!@]

I opted for self-registration when we bought our R1S so I received documents from Rivian needed to register the vehicle with DMV. One of the documents (and the most important one) they sent is the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO). Consider this as the “birth certificate” of your vehicle. It looks like a title. You are required to submit it to the DMV when you (or Rivian) register the vehicle. See below (not our R1S’ MCO):

 

[stormbreaker]

My 2023 dual R1T with large pack only qualified for half of the $7500. So maybe the amount was the issue?

 

[tjsainsb]

It may be the Clean Vehicle Seller Report in with original signing docs. That should have been submitted with the return.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Those under audit, was binding agreement involved?

 

[Riviot]

It may be the Clean Vehicle Seller Report in with original signing docs. That should have been submitted with the return.

It's not, see above responses with actual MCO...

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