Tesla Refer and Earn in the United States: Car-Buy Rewards Are Out, One-for-One FSD Months Are In

For people watching Tesla's referral program in the United States, the practical takeaway is simple: a car purchase no longer triggers a referral reward. Instead, the reward channel is tied to FSD subscription time, and the trade-off is described as "one month for one month". Electrek reported the shift away from Refer and Earn's vehicle-buying incentive and toward this FSD-based mechanism. Under the current description, using a referral code to buy a Tesla does not give either side a vehicle reward; the referrer's compensation becomes FSD access.

Who can create a referral link now

Tesla's FSD referral support page shows that the new rules apply only to users who meet specific conditions. A referrer can generate a referral link in the Refer and Earn section of the Tesla App only if the referrer is currently subscribing to FSD at $99/month, or if the referrer had already bought the FSD buyout edition before Tesla stopped selling the FSD buyout. The Tesla App version must be 4.62.0 or higher. A car owner who has FSD through a one-year gifted FSD arrangement cannot participate.

What the referred Tesla owner must satisfy

The referred side also has several requirements. The Tesla vehicle must be registered and hardware compatible. The user must not have paid for FSD in the past 12 months, and must not have a FSD buyout. There is an extra waiting condition: after the FSD trial period included with a new vehicle ends, the owner must wait until 12 months have passed before using the referral link.

• Referrer status: current $99/month FSD subscription, or prior FSD buyout purchase before Tesla stopped selling the FSD buyout.
• App requirement: Tesla App 4.62.0 or higher for the Refer and Earn page.
• Referred vehicle: registered and hardware compatible.
• Recent FSD history: no paid FSD purchase within 12 months and no FSD buyout.
• New-car trial rule: the referral link can be used only after 12 months following the end of the new-vehicle FSD trial.
• Excluded case: FSD obtained through one-year gifted FSD does not qualify the referrer.

What both sides receive when the referred user pays

If the referred Tesla owner converts from the trial to a paid FSD subscription, the referrer gets one choice from two options: one free month of FSD, or $99 Tesla credits. The referred owner receives one free month of FSD. Tesla credits expire after 12 months and cannot be withdrawn.

Role	Condition	Reward	Notes
Referrer	Referred user moves from trial to paid subscription	one free month of FSD, or $99 Tesla credits; choose one of two	Credits expire after 12 months; no withdrawal
Referred Tesla owner	Vehicle registered, hardware compatible, and other eligibility rules met	one free month of FSD	Must satisfy the 12-month trial-end waiting rule where applicable

Tesla also limits how much a participant can earn. A user can receive at most 12 times each year. That means one year can bring in up to 12 months FSD, or up to $1188 Tesla credits.

Where car purchases still appear in Tesla's referral page

The Electrek report says the clearer change appears in the terms on the current Tesla Refer and Earn page. Buyer-side benefits now apply only to solar panels. Referrer-side benefits cover only solar, first test drive (lifetime maximum 30 times), and the FSD referral described above.

Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck appear only in loyalty benefits. Loyalty benefits apply when an existing Tesla owner buys Tesla products again. Model S and Model X do not appear in that list at all.

Timing and announcement status

The Tesla page shows an update date of February 24, 2026, but the report notes that there was no formal announcement for this adjustment. That means Tesla has not officially announced that the new-vehicle purchase referral incentive plan is offline.

Common misconceptions

One misconception is that every Tesla referral code still produces a vehicle reward. The current page does not describe a car-purchase reward for the buyer or the referrer. The vehicle referral reward is not presented as a current buyer benefit or current referrer benefit. Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck are limited to loyalty benefits for existing owners, while Model S and Model X are absent.

Another misconception is that anyone with FSD can create a link. A one-year gifted FSD user is specifically excluded from generating the referral link. Also, a user who had the new-vehicle FSD trial must observe the waiting condition: use is allowed only after 12 months following the end of that trial.

A third misconception is that rewards are unlimited. The limit is 12 times each year, with a maximum one-year outcome of 12 months FSD or $1188 Tesla credits.

Action suggestions for readers

1. Check whether the referral account is using a $99/month FSD subscription, or has a prior FSD buyout that was bought before Tesla stopped selling the FSD buyout.
2. Open the Tesla App and confirm the Refer and Earn page is available at Tesla App 4.62.0 or higher.
3. Do not expect referral benefits from a one-year gifted FSD account.
4. Before referring a buyer, check the referred vehicle's registration, hardware compatibility, FSD payment history within 12 months, and whether it has an FSD buyout.
5. If the referred car used a new-vehicle FSD trial, count 12 months from the trial's end before trying to use the referral link.
6. Remember that if a paid conversion occurs, the referrer chooses one free month of FSD or $99 Tesla credits, and credits expire after 12 months without withdrawal.

FAQ

Does Tesla Refer and Earn still pay buyers for purchasing a car?
No. The reported current structure does not provide a vehicle reward to the buyer or referrer when a car is bought with a referral code. The referrer benefit is FSD time under the "one month for one month" arrangement.

What does a referrer receive if the referred user starts paying for FSD?
The referrer can choose one free month of FSD or $99 Tesla credits, one of two options.

What is the annual cap?
The cap is 12 times each year. The maximum reward over one year is 12 months FSD or $1188 Tesla credits.

Why does the date matter?
The page is updated February 24, 2026, but there was no formal announcement. The lack of an official announcement means Tesla has not announced that the new-vehicle purchase referral incentive plan is offline.