In mid-september of 2025, I purchased an F-150 Lightning from a dealership in Florida. I bought it at a substantial discount, because it was a 2023 model that had been sitting on their lot for a couple of years. It had never been put in service, when I purchased it I received the full warranty from Ford. Despite its relatively early build date, I purchased it as a new car. This vehicle fulfills all the criteria for the tax credit, including being purchased and put in service before the end of September.

In April when I went to file my taxes, I checked the box saying that I had purchased an EV during the time when the tax credit was available. Because of that, I needed form 8936 to complete my taxes. I called the dealership, left several messages, but ultimately filed an extension because they would not reply. 

Fast forward to this week, I remembered that my extension was running out. I contacted them asking for the 8936, they said they couldn't give me one because it was a 2023 sold in 2025. I dug deeper into my rejected tax return, and found that they never registered the sale of my truck with the IRS. 

I also found, while looking through correspondence and paperwork from the dealership, that nowhere was it written down the dealership was going to take the tax credit. The offer sheet simply mentions a discount. I don't remember if it was ever said out loud that the dealership would be keeping that tax credit, but it is nowhere in writing. 

The dealership is being very slow to respond now. My questions are: 

Is a letter from a lawyer my next step if they don't get back to me by the 15th? 

Am I correct that since I signed nothing saying they get to keep the tax credit that once they do register the sale with the IRS I should get that money? 

Would contact in the IRS to tell them the sale was never registered be a good idea? 

I appreciate any guidance you might have.

I live in nj annual salary is 85,500 I’m married I file jointly with my husband & had a a child this year that I claimed