TL;DR: California HEEHRA heat pump rebates are fully reserved and are not accepting new reservations. Single-family reservations closed February 24, 2026, and multifamily reservations closed September 1, 2026.
The $8,000 heat pump rebate is no longer available for a new California HEEHRA reservation. Homeowners still call asking for “the $8,000 one my neighbor got,” so your office needs one answer that every employee gives.
Say this: HEEHRA is fully reserved and is not taking new reservations. If the homeowner is already waitlisted, they should not install until a reservation is approved. You can still quote the heat pump using the job’s own numbers.
The $8,000 number came from a real program
When owners read their call summaries, rebate callers tend to name a dollar figure before describing their equipment. It is usually something like, “the $8,000 one my neighbor got.” The number came from a neighbor, an old flyer, or an ad. Nobody in the office has given the same answer twice.
The old amounts were real. For a single-family heat pump HVAC unit replacing an existing, non-heat pump primary source of space heating, HEEHRA offered up to $8,000 for households under 80 percent of area median income. Households between 80 and 150 percent of area median income could receive up to $4,000.
Single-family includes buildings with four or fewer units, condos, and manufactured or mobile homes. Those reservations have been fully reserved statewide since February 24, 2026.
Multifamily HEEHRA reservations have been fully reserved since September 1, 2026. Eligible equipment had per-unit rebates ranging from $700 to $8,000. Low-income properties could receive up to 100 percent of eligible project costs. Moderate-income properties could receive up to 50 percent, with a cap of $14,000 per residential unit.
Remove HEEHRA from every open quote
HEEHRA rebates are delivered through TECH Clean California. The federal Inflation Reduction Act funded the program, the U.S. Department of Energy oversees it, and the California Energy Commission manages it.
The program page says it is no longer accepting new reservations. That means your estimate templates should not show a HEEHRA line item, a “with rebate” net price, or an old savings calculation. Review open proposals and remove those figures where no approved reservation exists.
Price the heat pump on its own numbers. A customer should be able to accept the proposal without relying on a rebate that cannot be newly reserved.
The federal 25C credit lead stream ended December 31, 2025, so neither a new HEEHRA reservation nor that federal tax credit belongs in a 2026 California quote.
Other utility and local programs may have their own rules and paperwork requirements, including equipment documentation such as an AHRI matched system certificate. Do not apply HEEHRA rules to those programs. Direct homeowners to The Switch Is On for an incentive search and tell them to verify the current status of any program before relying on it.
A waitlist is not permission to install
Reservation requests that were not approved went onto a waitlist in case more funding becomes available. Later requests also go onto the waitlist.
The timing rule is strict. A waitlisted heat pump is eligible only if the installation happens after the reservation is approved. If the equipment is installed before the reservation is issued, the reservation or claim will be rejected.
Keep a list of waitlisted customers. Watch for program contact. If funding opens, the program contacts the contractor and customer to confirm the heat pump has not been installed. The contractor must respond within seven days or the request is removed from the waitlist.
If a reservation is approved, the clock starts then. Approved reservations are valid for 120 days from approval. The installation and rebate claim must be completed within that window, or the reservation is cancelled.
Write the quote so the customer understands that the price stands on its own and the installation date waits on reservation approval. That protects the customer from making an early purchase that destroys the possible rebate.
Your office should ask for one code, not financial records
HEEHRA rebates are available only through HEEHRA-trained, TECH Clean California-certified contractors. Homeowners find those contractors through The Switch Is On contractor finder by looking for the HEEHRA badge.
A contractor only needs the homeowner’s income eligibility verification code or approval PDF. The homeowner should not provide financial statements or other financial information to the contractor.
Train the office to say that plainly. The shop does not need bank statements or financial documents for a rebate. Anyone promising a new $8,000 federal heat pump rebate in California now is wrong at best.
Homeowners with concerns can contact the California Department of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-952-5210, the California Attorney General’s office, the Better Business Bureau, or their county District Attorney.
Put the rebate answer into the phone system
Write the response down before you ask a dispatcher, CSR, or receptionist to repeat it. The same rule you prepare for an AI receptionist should be the rule used by the whole office:
“California HEEHRA rebates are fully reserved and are not accepting new reservations. If you are already waitlisted, do not install until your reservation is approved. We can still quote the heat pump separately. We can also point you to The Switch Is On to search for local utility or regional programs.”
Dial 72 is an AI receptionist. Her name is Bella. She answers 24/7 in English or Spanish. During setup, the shop gives her its rules, so this written rebate answer becomes the answer she gives every caller.
Bella does not quote prices or promise rebate eligibility. Callers asking about heat pumps, rebates, or replacing an aging system are flagged as replacement leads. She captures the details and texts a call summary to the owner.
The rebate may be gone, but the replacement opportunity is not. A homeowner asking about a heat pump may have an aging or failed system. Treat that inquiry as the replacement lead it is, just as described in winning replacement leads.
Frequently asked questions
Is the California HEEHRA rebate still available?
No. Single-family reservations have been fully reserved since February 24, 2026. Multifamily reservations have been fully reserved since September 1, 2026. The program is not accepting new reservations.
Can a waitlisted customer install now and claim later?
No. The heat pump must be installed after a reservation is approved. Installing before approval causes the reservation or claim to be rejected.
What does a contractor need from the homeowner for a HEEHRA rebate?
The contractor needs the homeowner’s income eligibility verification code or approval PDF. The homeowner should not give the contractor financial statements or other financial information.
