State and utility programs carry present day money for heat pumps. National credit programs that ended December 31, 2025 are not current. Always verify the live program page and note the date you checked.
Who Pays What Now
Utilities pay rebates to cut peak load. States pay through energy offices and clean heat programs. Some programs pay per ton. Some pay per home. Some pay the contractor at install. Others mail you a check after inspection.
NYS Clean Heat is one live example of a state utility path with published cold climate guidance (NYS Clean Heat (https://cleanheat.ny.gov/heat-pumps-cold-climates-do-they-work/)). Your state has its own names and forms. Use our finder to find yours: heatpumpnetwork.com/incentives (https://heatpumpnetwork.com/incentives).
We print a dollar only when the live program URL and the check date sit in the same sentence. No URL plus date, no dollar. That rule protects you from stale posts.
The Steps In Order
One, find your program before you sign. Two, confirm the home and equipment qualify. Three, confirm the installer qualifies if the program keeps a list. Four, get the pre approval if required. Five, install and commission. Six, submit invoice, AHRI number, and photos fast. Seven, track it until paid.
Missed pre approval is the top reason folks lose money. Some programs deny payment when install starts before approval lands.
Paperwork That Gets You Paid
Save the signed proposal with model numbers. Save the AHRI certificate. Save permits and final inspection. Save paid invoice with install date. Save photos of indoor and outdoor units plus nameplates. Save the utility bill showing the install address.
Programs often ask for the home type, prior fuel, and square footage. Keep a one page fact sheet on the house so every form matches.
Stacking Rules
You can often combine a utility rebate with a state rebate when both allow it. Some programs reduce one when you take another. Some count tax filing status. Read the stack clause before you promise yourself a total.
Contractors who do this weekly know which forms clash. Ask how many applications like yours they filed in the last year. Ask what got denied and why.
Renter And Income Paths
Some states hold funds for income qualified homes. Those paths often cover more cost but need extra docs. Landlords face split rules on who applies and who keeps the unit. Call the program line early if you rent or own rentals.
Red Flags
Anyone quoting a rebate dollar without showing the live program page and check date. Anyone asking you to sign a rebate assignment you do not follow. Anyone starting work before required pre approval. Anyone who says expired national credits still apply to new installs after the 2025 cutover.
Some national rebate tracks closed May 29, 2026. Treat posts that still list them as current with care. State and utility money is the live lane.