Overview:
As electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Singapore continues to rise, more drivers are looking for ways to maximize their rewards at charging stations. Whether you’re topping up at a standalone EV charger or plugging in at a petrol station, using the right credit card can help you earn miles or cashback every time.
What MCC Does EV Charging Fall Under?
Before picking the right card, it’s essential to understand how EV charging payments are categorized:
MCC | Description | Common EV Charging |
5552 | EV Charging Stations | ¹Charge+, ¹SP Group, MNL, ChargEco, CDG Engie, Kigo, ²Volt |
5541 | Petrol Stations | Shell Recharge |
5511 | Automobile & Truck Dealers | ³Juice+ |
4789 | Transportation Services Not Elsewhere Classified | ²Volt |
Disclaimer: EV charging transactions may be coded under different MCCs depending on the charging provider or bank. Please double-check.
- ¹Charge+ and SP Group have been reported to code under MCC 4900 (Utilities) also.
- ²Volt may be classified under MCC 5552 or 4789.
- ³Juice+ has been reported under MCC 7523 (Parking Lots & Garages) also
General Cards to Use – must be online payment (MCC 5552, MCC 4789, MCC 5511)
- While these cards don’t explicitly list EV charging as a bonus category, they reward online spending regardless of the MCC, except those in exclusion list. Example, if Charge+ and SP Group are under MCC4900, this is typically under general exclusion list for most credit cards. Since EV charging payments are typically made through apps, the transactions are processed as online purchases—making them eligible for rewards. For Shell, you might need to use app to pay, if that is possible.
Credit Cards | Earn Rate | Minimum Spend & Cap | Merchants | Notes |
Citi Rewards | 4 miles per dollar | No min spend; spend capped at S$1,000 | Charge+, SP Group, *Volt, Juice+, etc | * Volt might be under MCC 5552 or 4789—if it’s 4789, avoid using Citi Rewards as it’s excluded |
DBS Woman’s World Card | 4 miles per dollar | No min spend; spend capped at S$1,500 (S$1,000 wef 1 Aug 2025) | ||
UOB Evol | 10% cashback | S$800 per statement month | ||
DCS Flex | 6% cash rebates | S$600 per statement month; capped at S$25 per category |
Citi Rewards Card
Earn 4 miles per dollar on online spend and selected retail
UOB Evol Card
Earn 10% cashback on all online and mobile contactless spend (Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay) and on overseas in-store FX spend
DCS Flex Card
Earn up to 8% cash rebates (best value), 2.4 miles per dollar, or 8% investment credits
Cards That Explicitly Reward EV Charging
- Here are some cards that explicitly includes EV charging on their list of eligible categories for rewards:
Credit Cards | Earn Rate | Minimum Spend & Cap | Merchants | Notes |
DBS yuu | up to 18% cashback | S$600 per calendar month; spend capped at S$600 | Charge+ only | not available on AMEX version |
Maybank Family & Friends | 8% cashback | S$800 per calendar month; capped at S$25 per category | MCC 5552 & 5541 (Bluecharge, Shell Recharge, Virta EV Charging) | Must choose Transport Category |
OCBC 365 | 3% cashback | S$800/S$1,600 per calendar month; capped at S$80/S$160 | MCC 5552 (SP Digital, Greenlots, CDG ENGIE and City Energy) | |
DCS V2 | 5% cashback | S$600 per statement month; capped at S$90 | MCC 5541 & 5552 (Shell Recharge, Charge+, Volt, etc.) | |
Standard Chartered Smart Card | up to 10% cashback | S$800 per statement month | MCC 5552 (Charge+, ChargEco, CDG Engie, etc.) | until 31 December 2025 only |
DBS Yuu Card
Earn up to 17.5% cash rebate or 10 miles per dollar at Yuu merchants
Maybank Family & Friends Card
Earn 8% cashback for five of your chosen categories.
OCBC 365 Card
Earn 6% cashback on Petrol, 5% cashback on Dining, 3% cashback on Groceries, Land Transport, Streaming, Electric Vehicle Charging, Watsons, Utilities
Standard Chartered Smart Card
(WE DON’T PROMOTE THIS CARD ANYMORE)
Earn 6% cashback or 5.6 miles per dollar in the form of reward points on selected merchants
Cards to Use for MCC 5541 (Petrol Stations)
- Shell Recharge transactions in are typically coded under MCC 5541 (Petrol Stations). Since this isn’t classified under the newer EV Charging MCC (5552), it’s important to use cards that explicitly rewards on petrol. The following cards are well-suited for this, either through cashback or miles, as long as the correct bonus category is selected and any minimum spend requirements are met.
Credit Cards | Earn Rate | Minimum Spend & Cap | Merchants | Notes |
UOB Lady’s | 4 miles per dollar | No min spend; spend capped at S$1,000 (Classic), S$2,000 (Solitaire – S$750 per category wef 1 Aug 2025) | Shell Recharge | must choose Transport Category may get extra 2 miles per dollar with UOB lady’s savings (check calculator to see if it’s worthwhile for you) |
Maybank Family & Friends | 8% cashback | S$800 per calendar month; capped at S$25 per category | Must choose Transport Category | |
DCS V2 | 5% cashback | S$600 per statement month; capped at S$90 | ||
UOB One | up to 5% cashback (3.33% base cashback + 1.67% cashback on shell transactions) or up to 4.33% cashback (3.33% base cashback + 1.% cashback on SP transactions) | S$2,000 (only valid on Tier 3) or S$600 per statement month | Shell Recharge or SP Group |
UOB Lady's Card
Earn 4 miles per dollar on 1 or 2 chosen categories
Maybank Family & Friends Card
Earn 8% cashback for five of your chosen categories.
Conclusion:
Understanding the Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) is crucial: most EV charging providers fall under MCC 5552, others can fall under MCC 5511 and 4789; while Shell Recharge or petrol station based EV Chargers is typically under MCC 5541. So the best thing to do is to make sure to check the individual card’s terms and conditions as well as the eligible MCCs it rewards.
Ultimately, by pairing your charging habits with the right card strategy, you can earn meaningful cashback or miles—turning this new category into real rewards.
💳 Credit cards change their T&Cs every so often and it is difficult to stay updated. That’s why I created a Telegram Broadcast where you can receive timely bite-sized updates to get the most out of your spending.
💡 We believe in always paying our credit card bills on time and in full. It is only by doing that, can we fully maximise our credit card benefits.
