If you’ve heard about the $8,000 heat pump rebates in California, here’s the key update: as of early 2026, HEEHRA is not taking any applications. This page covers what the program is, why it’s paused, what it means for your heat pump plans, and what options you have right now.
Is HEEHRA still available in California? Not for new single-family applicants. Single-family homes were fully reserved statewide on February 24, 2026, and Southern California reached this point earlier, on January 7, 2026.
Currently, applications are placed on a waitlist rather than approved. This could change if more funding is released, so check the latest status before making decisions.
HEEHRA stands for the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act, which is part of the federal Inflation Reduction Act. It provides point-of-sale rebates to income-qualified households for replacing fossil-fuel appliances with efficient electric ones, like heat pumps, HVAC systems, and water heaters. Each state runs its own program. In California, the California Energy Commission oversees it, and TECH Clean California manages most daily operations.
A point-of-sale rebate is supposed to lower your cost right when you buy, instead of making you pay everything up front and wait for a refund. That’s how it’s meant to work. Right now, though, whether you get this benefit depends on whether funding is available, and that’s what has changed.
As of February 24, 2026, HEEHRA rebates for single-family home retrofits are fully reserved statewide in California, and the program has stopped accepting income verification applications for single-family projects.
This is confirmed directly on the California Energy Commission’s own program page and by TECH Clean California, which administers the program.
Southern California, including Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, reached full reservation status earlier, on January 7, 2026. Now, any new reservation requests are placed on a waitlist if more funding becomes available later.
If you submit a reservation now, it will be added to the waitlist. If funding becomes available again, the program will contact your contractor to confirm that you still want to move forward. This will be done before the reservation is approved.
Multifamily HEEHRA funding is handled separately and was still processing earlier applications as of mid-2026, but that’s a different track from the single-family rebates most homeowners are interested in.
Eligibility is based on household income relative to Area Median Income (AMI), which varies by county and household size:
These amounts are just for heat pump HVAC systems. Heat pump water heaters and other upgrades have different limits. AMI limits also vary by county, so it’s wise to use the official program tools to see where you qualify, since Los Angeles County’s threshold is different from those in rural areas.
To qualify, equipment must meet certain efficiency standards and, starting January 1, 2026, revised refrigerant rules. Any HEEHRA-eligible air conditioning or heat pump system installed after that date must use a refrigerant with a global warming potential of 700 or less.
This means the older R-410A refrigerant is no longer allowed, and newer options like R-454B or R-32 are required. This is critical to know because it affects which equipment is available, even if you’re not applying for a rebate.
Sometimes you can combine HEEHRA with other incentives, but not always.
One key rule: You can’t get both a TECH Clean California incentive and an HEEHRA rebate for the same project. You have to pick one. In the past, HEEHRA could be combined with other state, local, or utility incentives. However, since single-family HEEHRA is closed to all applicants, this mostly matters if funding opens up again in the future.
Separately, the federal Section 25C tax credit, which is a different program from HEEHRA, expired for equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025. It does not apply to installations in 2026.
If you want to upgrade your heat pump and hope HEEHRA funding returns, timing is critical. Right now, a waitlisted project only qualifies for the rebate if you install after your reservation is approved.
If you install first and apply later, you won’t get the rebate. If you can’t wait for funding to reopen, it’s better to plan your project around the incentives available now. Treat HEEHRA as a possible extra rather than the main reason for your budget.
TECH Clean California has issued a scam warning: a real HEEHRA contractor only needs your income eligibility code or approval documents, not your bank statements or other financial records. If someone asks for those, it’s a red flag.
“I can install now and apply for HEEHRA later.” Not under current waitlist rules. Approval must be obtained before installing a wait-listed project to qualify.
“HEEHRA and TECH Clean California rebates stack together.” They don’t. It’s one or the other per project.
“Every California homeowner qualifies.” No. HEEHRA is income-restricted by design, and even income-qualifying households currently face a paused program with no guaranteed timeline for reopening.
“A contractor can guarantee my rebate.” No contractor can guarantee funding or program approval availability. That decision rests with the program administrator, not the installer.
Even if the rebate program is paused, that doesn’t change whether a heat pump is right for your home. You should base your decision on your home’s electrical system, ductwork, climate, and comfort needs, not just on whether a rebate is available. For more help, see “ Should I install a heat pump in LA.”
Other incentives remain available, regardless of HEEHRA. LADWP has its own heat pump rebates for qualifying installations in the Los Angeles area.
Other utility or state programs may be available depending on your location. Check California HVAC rebates for the latest non-HEEHRA options.
We can help with everything an HVAC contractor should handle: making sure your system is the right size, helping you choose equipment, ensuring a quality installation, and providing the paperwork most rebate programs require, such as permits and AHRI certificates.
We can’t promise a specific rebate amount or guarantee approval, since that’s up to the program administrator and depends on funding and income verification. If you work with any contractor on a HEEHRA-eligible project, make sure they are TECH Clean California-certified, as that’s required for HEEHRA rebates.
See heat pump services for installation details, or HVAC replacement in Los Angeles if you’re still weighing repair against replacement.
Not for new single-family applicants. Single-family HEEHRA funding has been fully reserved statewide since February 24, 2026, with Southern California reaching that status even earlier, on January 7, 2026. All new requests are placed on a waitlist rather than being approved.
When funding is available, households at or below 80% of Area Median Income can receive up to $8,000 toward a qualifying heat pump HVAC system. Households between 80% and 150% of AMI can receive up to $4,000. These figures don’t apply while the program is fully reserved.
Yes. A contractor can submit a reservation request for a waitlisted position. If funding becomes available, the program contacts the contractor and customer to confirm the project before releasing the reservation.
No. Current program rules do not allow both. You may choose one or the other.
Yes, heat pump water heaters are separately eligible under the program, with their own rebate cap distinct from the HVAC system cap.
No. The federal Section 25C tax credit, a separate program from HEEHRA, expired for equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025. It doesn’t apply to 2026 work.
That depends on your situation. If your current system is failing and you need to replace it, it’s worth planning around currently active incentives rather than an uncertain reopening timeline. If your project can wait, joining the waitlist costs nothing and preserves the option.
Whether HEEHRA funding comes back or not, we can help you understand what a heat pump upgrade could mean for your home. We can also help you understand what incentives you can get right now.
Los Angeles County: (818) 722-1332
Ventura County: (805) 755-4074
We check with the California Energy Commission and TECH Clean California for the latest program status as of September 2026. Since rebate programs can change, please check for updates before you buy.
Sources: California Energy Commission, IRA Residential Energy Rebate Programs · TECH Clean California, HEEHRA Rebates