Frequently asked questions

While people have the same likelihood of receiving a rebate no matter when they apply during the two-week application window, many people applied within the first days of the program. They also called our customer service team for assistance. We received significantly more calls and emails in the first three days of the application window than have similar programs in other states. This meant some applicants waited up to 48 hours before hearing from our team as it cleared the backlog of requests. 

The fix: The team is caught up on answering emails and voicemails. Our vendor brought in extra teammates to help with customer service needs, even outside of regular customer service hours.

If you would like to connect with the customer service team: Regular customer service hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Team members can answer questions about the e-bike instant rebate application process or web portal, and can be reached by emailing EBikesWSDOT@aptim.com  or calling 1-833-909-4222.

You can find the “Apply here” button on the homepage.

You will fill out some personal information, then receive an email with a link including your invitation code.

The link will bring you to the portal to create your login and password, which will allow you to answer the remaining application questions. 

You will need to use this login and password each time you access the portal.

Please note, the email with your invitation link will only be sent once. If you don't see it, check your spam and other folders. 

To be eligible to participate in the WE-Bike Rebate Program, you must: 

Be a resident of Washinton state. 

Be 16 years of age or older 

Have an email address

Yes, you must be a resident of the State of Washington. If you are randomly selected for an application, you will be required to provide proof of residency within the State of Washington. 

Each resident of the State of Washington aged 16 or over can apply for an E-Bike instant rebate. Multiple people per tax household can apply, but only one per household will be awarded. 

Yes, applicants must be 16 years of age or older when they apply. 

The application process is a two-step process. 

Step 1: applications will be open April 9 – April 23 

Step 2: If selected, applicants will have 96 hours to submit qualifying documents.

We will award instant rebates by random selection. If you want to receive an instant rebate, you must apply between April 9 and April 23. After this application period closes, our system will randomly select a designated number of applicants to complete their application. (You can learn more about the application and processes below. 

Applying for an e-bike rebate is a two-step process. 
 

Step 1: Application - During this step we’ll ask you to share contact and basic personal information as well as whether you are eligible for an income-qualified rebate. You will also be invited to participate in the University of Washington research. 

Applicants must use this portal/web page to apply for an instant rebate. 

During application, you will be asked to confirm your email address, create a login and password, then complete your application for the program. You will receive a confirmation email once you have submitted your application.

The application period will be open for two weeks starting April 9 2025.

Applicants select the application type they are eligible for: income qualified or non-income qualified rebate. 

Applicants answer a few demographic questions, confirm their information, and acknowledge the program’s Terms and Conditions. 

If the applicant is under 18, a parent or guardian will have to sign on their behalf 

After the application period has closed the system will randomly select a number of applicants to complete their application.

NOTE: You will not be able to change the application type (income verified or non-income verified) once the registration period has closed. Please make sure you review the income requirements carefully.    

  

Step 2:  If selected for an instant rebate, you must then provide qualifying documentation of residency within the state of Washington and, if applicable, income qualification.   

Selected applicants will receive an email invitation to complete their application. 

Applicants will have 96 hours to complete and supply qualifying documents to verify their eligibility. 

Applicants who successfully complete their application will be awarded an instant rebate that is good for 45 days. 

Residents must redeem instant rebates for qualifying e-bike purchases at an approved participating bike shop.

Applicants must verify that they can be reached at email addresses they include in their applications if selected for a rebate. You can do this by responding to an automated email invitation that our program sends out. 

Issue One: In the first few days of the program, it took a several hours for some applicants to receive this automated email. Some people then submitted duplicate applications or sent additional emails/voicemails to customer service.

The Fix: Our developers fixed the verification email delay hours after the program launched. If you are still having trouble verifying your email or cannot find the emailed invitation in your inbox or spam folder, please contact customer service. They can send you a new link and instructions to complete this step. They can also walk you through the verification process over the phone if needed.

Issue Two: Some people with @protonmail.com and @iCloud.com email addresses are struggling to apply.
The Fix: People with iCloud email addresses have received delayed emails. If your iCloud capacity if full or close to full, this may affect our communication with you. People should not use Apple’s feature that allows them to create custom iCloud email addresses to hide their real ones. Our technology doesn’t not work with @protonmail.com email addresses, and developers have added a banner note on the website to flag this. 

Every applicant who is randomly selected to receive a rebate must provide proof of residency in the state of Washington. All documents must be dated within one year of application. Acceptable proof of address documents include: 
 

• Photo ID such as: Driver’s License tribal citizen ID cards, passports, Employee Authorization Documents issued to refugees, address confidentiality program participant cards or other government issued ID. ISSUE DATE OF APRIL 2024 OR NEWER.

• Computer-generated bills (utility, credit card, doctor, hospital, etc.) 

• Printed bank statement 

• Pre-printed pay stub (from a period within the last 3 months) 

• First-class mail (from a government agency or court) 

• Current homeowner's, renter's, motor vehicle or bike insurance policy 

• Mortgage, lease, or rental contract 

• Transcript or report card from an accredited school 

• Motor vehicle registration 

• USPS Change of Address Form CNL107 

• Letter from an organization you are working with that confirms your residency in WA (for those unable to provide a physical address) 

Individuals who are unable to provide any documents to verify their physical address may be eligible to provide alternative documents and should contact customer service for individual support.

Some people have struggled to add their home address to their application. We need an address only to confirm you live in Washington state: The program isn’t sending out any physical mail. All communication is done using the email address you provide with your application. 

Issue One: I can’t type in the address at all.
The Fix: Use the pre-populating cell as advised. Don’t type your address directly into the sections marked “Street,” “City,” or otherwise. Rather: Use the first available cell in this section, located above “Street” and “County”. Type the building number and  street name into this cell and wait: The cell will offer a drop-down menu with auto-populated options to finish your address. Click one of those options.

Issue Two: The application keeps reversing elements of my address (I.e., “Central St. NE” becomes “NE Central St.,” or unit numbers show up as apartment numbers.)
The Fix: Often, there is no issue here and it’s just how our system, relying on the same tool used by the U.S. Postal Service, processes addresses. Please use the pre-populated address suggestion that is closest to your address. Customer service team members are available to assist if you need additional guidance. 

Issue Three: The pre-populating address cell doesn’t recognize my address or PO box at all!
Some people in rural areas and tribal reservations may experience this.
The Fix: One way to handle this is by using the address of a local U.S Postal Service post office near you. Type “USPS near me ” into your preferred search engine, or refer to the USPS website. 

Individuals who are unable to provide any of these documents to verify a physical State of Washington address may be eligible to provide alternative documents. Please contact customer service.   If the participant is unhoused and working with a government agency or non-profit organization, a signed and dated letter explaining their situation on letterhead paper will be accepted in the place of an ID 

In the initial application, providing an address that is nearby to where you live is sufficient. However, if you are randomly selected to receive a rebate, you’ll need to prove you live in the state. This can be stressful for people who don’t have home addresses. 

The Fix: When asked for an address, check the box marked “Unhoused or No Permanent Residence.” Then provide an address for the city where you are located. This could be the address of an agency you work with or the address of a USPS office nearby. If you cannot provide this, please contact our customer Service team for assistance.

To meet the income-qualifications your tax household income needs to be at or below 80% of the county Area Median Income (AMI). One of the documents from the list of approved documentation must be submitted. Please see this link to check your county AMI information by household. 

2023 or 2024 Federal Tax form 1040 showing Line 11 – Adjusted Gross Income. In the case of a Federal Tax form 1040-SR you will need to submit the first 2 pages of the form.  

***Please redact or black out any Social Security Numbers on any documents.*** 

OR provide a dated document showing proof of enrollment in any one of the following programs: 

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 

• Medicaid 

• Enrolment in a property tax exemption or deferral program 

   

All documents must show current enrollment and must be dated within the last year. 

If you elect to apply for an income-eligible rebate, you are asked to enter your annual household income into a cell. 

Issue One: I get an error message when I type in my income 
The Fix: Don’t include the dollar sign ($) at the beginning of the amount. The cell can only accept numbers, not symbols.

Issue Two: I don’t know which income documents to use to show my income if I don’t file taxes. 
The Fix: Right now, you don’t need to provide these. Go ahead and submit your application. If you are selected, our customer service agents will work with you on personalized solutions.  

The WSDOT e-bike rebate program, also known as WE-Bike, offers instant rebates to Washington residents to help reduce the upfront cost of purchasing e-bikes and eligible accessories. The program aims to make active transportation more affordable and accessible.

The e-bike rebate program is funded through the 2021-2023 Washington state legislature’s transportation budget. Funding comes from the Climate Commitment Act

The Climate Commitment Act was signed by the Governor of Washington in 2021. It creates a market-based cap-and-invest program to require the largest polluters to reduce greenhouse gas pollution. The CCA is being put to work across Washington to benefit families, schools workers and more.

You can learn more here WSDOT E-Bike Battery Safety

See these helpful tips at this link WSDOT E-Bike Safe Riding Tips 

Please reach out to APTIM to get a copy of the training

EBikesWSDOT@aptim.com

You can email us at EBikesWSDOT@aptim.com or call us at 1 833 909 4222 
Our regular office hours are Monday through Friday from 7am to 3pm.

Rebates are not retroactive to past purchases. Rebates can only be used at the time of purchase for a new e-bike from a participating e-bike retailer. 

E-Bikes must be purchased new from a participating E-Bike retailer. WE-Bike Program Participating Shops

E-Bikes must be purchased new from a participating E-Bike retailer. 

All 3 classes of e-bike, fitting the definitions provided in state law (RCW 46.04.071 and RCW 46.04.169) are eligible including trikes and adaptive bikes. Electric mountain bikes are not eligible under this program.

Instant rebate recipients may redeem a rebate for the purchase of an eligible new, fully assembled E-Bike that meets the following criteria: 

Standard E-Bike Eligibility The following classes of E-Bikes excluding Electric Mountain Bikes:

• Class 1: an electrical assisted bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 mph.

• Class 2: an electrical assisted bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance regardless of whether the rider is pedaling but ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 mph.

• Class 3: an electrical assisted bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 28 mph. 

Has two or three wheels and fully operable pedals. Electric motor is 750 watts or less; may not be gasoline powered. No minimum or maximum purchase price.

E-bike battery must be UL certified with both the following certifications: ULC 2271 AND UL 2849 UL 2272 may be used in lieu of UL 2849 for adaptive bikes if necessary.

E-Cargo Bike Eligibility E-Cargo bicycles are designed to carry heavier loads including the weight of cargo and or people. Adaptive E-Bike Eligibility Adaptive e-bikes are electric bicycles that make cycling and riding a bike easier for the rider based on their individual and specific mobility needs and are for individuals unable to ride a standard E-Bike. 

Adaptive E-Bikes are Standard, or Cargo E-Bikes designed or modified to meet the physical needs or abilities of the operator or a passenger.   Examples of Adaptive E-Bikes include but are not limited to:  Recumbent E-Bikes and e-trikes.  Supine or prone e-trikes or e-handcycles.  Electric Handcycles.  Tandem E-Bikes allow a rider who cannot operate an E-Bike alone to ride with another person.  E-bikes must be manufactured with a battery and motor as part of bike, no aftermarket electrification kits are allowed.   

All instant rebates are good for 45 days from the day they are awarded. If they are not used within 45 days, they automatically expire. All rebates need to be used by June 30, 2025.

If you decide to join the study, you will be asked to fill out a short questionnaire and use a smartphone app to track your travel. People who complete the study will get a gift card of up to $50.