What is the New energy-efficient home credit under Section 45L?

The new energy-efficient home credit is the federal tax credit under IRC Section 45L reported on IRS Form 8908. It applies to eligible contractors who construct or substantially reconstruct qualified new energy-efficient homes, with the credit claimed in the year another person acquires the home for use as a residence. Under OBBBA Section 70508, the Section 45L credit is no longer available for homes acquired after June 30, 2026, thereby compressing what had been a window that ran through December 31, 2032. The acquisition trigger is what controls. The construction start date alone does not preserve eligibility, so sales, leasing, and closing timing become the central planning facts for builders evaluating pipeline projects. Builders and advisors coordinating builder credit reviews with broader cost-recovery analysis can use Depreciation and amortization planning to model unit-level outcomes before and after the deadline.