Image: Tesla
Tesla has begun notifying U.S. customers that free Full Self-Driving (FSD) transfers will officially come to an end on March 31, 2026, putting a firm deadline on a perk that has quietly driven upgrade decisions for several quarters (via @sawyermerritt).
According to messages now being sent to customers, Tesla says orders must be placed by March 31 to qualify for a free FSD transfer to a new vehicle. During previous quarters, Tesla said the offer would expire sometime “that quarter.” However, this marks the first time in a long while that the company has communicated a specific end date — a move that strongly suggests this may actually be the final extension.
What makes this round particularly notable is a subtle policy change. Tesla is telling customers they only need to place their order by March 31 to lock in the free transfer, even if delivery happens later. In past quarters, Tesla typically required customers to take delivery before the quarter ended. That difference could signal Tesla isn’t using the perk purely to goose Q1 deliveries — historically its weakest sales quarter — but is instead preparing to truly shut the door on free transfers.
The timing lines up with Tesla’s broader shift in how it sells Full Self-Driving. As reported last week, Tesla is moving FSD to a subscription-only model, ending the long-standing option to buy it outright. Currently, U.S. customers can still purchase FSD for $8,000, or subscribe for $99 per month or $999 per year, but the one-time purchase option is set to disappear next month.
That shift dramatically lowers the upfront cost for drivers while giving Tesla a steadier stream of recurring revenue. It also comes as FSD itself continues to evolve rapidly. Tesla is already testing an internal “unsupervised” version on its Robotaxi fleet in Austin, while public releases have become increasingly capable — even allowing drivers to text behind the wheel under specific conditions.
Still, there are open questions. While all signs point to free FSD transfers ending for good, it remains unclear what happens to the free FSD perk bundled with Tesla’s Luxe Package on higher-end models like the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck.
For now, one thing is clear: customers who were waiting to upgrade while keeping their FSD license now have a real deadline — and this time, Tesla may actually mean it.
