Are there any active Ohio heat pump HVAC rebates in 2026?

Largely no, for non-income-qualified households. Some Ohio rural electric cooperatives (Buckeye REC, South Central Power, Frontier Power) and municipal utilities (American Municipal Power members) offer small heat pump or HPWH rebates, typically $100-$500. Outside those territories, the 2026 air-source heat pump HVAC rebate landscape in Ohio is sparse. Income-qualified households should monitor Ohio HEAR for launch.

Does Ohio's geothermal sector have better incentives?

Yes — geothermal installs qualify for the federal §25D 30% residential clean energy credit (no cap), which is unaffected by §25C's repeal and remains through 2032. A typical Ohio geothermal install at $35,000-$50,000 yields $10,500-$15,000 in federal credit alone. This makes geothermal economics surprisingly competitive in Ohio relative to air-source despite the higher upfront cost.

Should I wait for Ohio HEAR before installing?

Depends on your income and your equipment urgency. If your existing system has failed and you need heat or cooling, you can't realistically wait for an unlaunched program. If your system is functional and you'd qualify for HEAR's <80% AMI tier ($8,000 rebate), the wait may be worth it — but the launch date is uncertain. A pragmatic middle ground: get quotes now, monitor Ohio HEAR's portal monthly, and pull the trigger when either the program opens or your equipment fails.

What's the ECO-Link program and how do I use it?

ECO-Link is the Ohio Treasurer's interest rate buy-down program. You apply for an energy-efficiency home improvement loan through a participating bank or credit union, the lender certifies the project, and the Treasurer's office buys down the rate by 3% for up to 7 years (loans up to $50,000). It's a financing tool, not a rebate. Heat pump installs qualify if they meet the program's energy-efficiency criteria.

What's the maximum I can get back on a heat pump in Ohio?

Ohio households can stack up to $0 in currently-open state and utility rebates. Income-qualified households (under 80% AMI) may also access HEEHRA where the program is still accepting applications.

Can I stack utility, state, and federal rebates?

Generally yes — utility rebates, state energy office rebates, and (where open) HEEHRA stack with each other and on top of the federal §25D geothermal credit (if installing a geothermal heat pump). HEEHRA caps at total project cost, so the combined amount can't exceed what you spent. Confirm specifics with your installer before signing.

Do I get the rebate money up front or after install?

It depends on the program. HEEHRA is structured as a point-of-sale instant discount — your contractor takes it off the invoice at install (where the program is active and funded). Utility rebates are typically mailed as a check 6–10 weeks after install, after you submit your invoice and AHRI certificate.

When do I receive the rebate money?

Utility rebates are typically mailed as a check 6–10 weeks after install, after submitting your invoice and AHRI documentation. HEEHRA rebates are point-of-sale (instant) where active.

Are these rebates going away?

HEEHRA funding is finite per state — once a state exhausts its allocation, the program closes or moves to a waitlist (this has already happened in California and several other states as of early 2026). State and utility programs renew annually but amounts and eligibility can change. We update this page monthly with current funding status.

Ohio Heat Pump Rebates (2026) — Federal + State Stack

Q: Why did Ohio lose so many heat pump rebates after HB6?

House Bill 6 (2019) eliminated Ohio's mandated electric utility energy-efficiency programs and the rebate framework that funded them. Pre-HB6, AEP Ohio, Duke Energy Ohio, AES Ohio, and FirstEnergy's Ohio subsidiaries each ran residential heat pump rebate programs under PUCO-approved efficiency plans. Post-HB6, those programs were largely shut down or scaled back to the surviving water heater and thermostat measures. FirstEnergy's January 2025 ESP filing proposes restoring broader efficiency programs; that case has not yet ruled.

Q: What's the ECO-Link program and how do I use it?

ECO-Link is the Ohio Treasurer's interest rate buy-down program. You apply for an energy-efficiency home improvement loan through a participating bank or credit union, the lender certifies the project, and the Treasurer's office buys down the rate by 3% for up to 7 years (loans up to $50,000). It's a financing tool, not a rebate. Heat pump installs qualify if they meet the program's energy-efficiency criteria.

Q: What's the maximum I can get back on a heat pump in Ohio?

Ohio households can stack up to $0 in currently-open state and utility rebates. Income-qualified households (under 80% AMI) may also access HEEHRA where the program is still accepting applications.

Q: Can I stack utility, state, and federal rebates?

Generally yes — utility rebates, state energy office rebates, and (where open) HEEHRA stack with each other and on top of the federal §25D geothermal credit (if installing a geothermal heat pump). HEEHRA caps at total project cost, so the combined amount can't exceed what you spent. Confirm specifics with your installer before signing.

Q: Do I get the rebate money up front or after install?

It depends on the program. HEEHRA is structured as a point-of-sale instant discount — your contractor takes it off the invoice at install (where the program is active and funded). Utility rebates are typically mailed as a check 6–10 weeks after install, after you submit your invoice and AHRI certificate.

Q: When do I receive the rebate money?

Utility rebates are typically mailed as a check 6–10 weeks after install, after submitting your invoice and AHRI documentation. HEEHRA rebates are point-of-sale (instant) where active.

Q: Are these rebates going away?

HEEHRA funding is finite per state — once a state exhausts its allocation, the program closes or moves to a waitlist (this has already happened in California and several other states as of early 2026). State and utility programs renew annually but amounts and eligibility can change. We update this page monthly with current funding status.

What's available in Ohio

Ohio has very limited verified heat pump rebates available in 2026 following the dismantling of mandated electric utility energy efficiency programs by House Bill 6 (2019), which eliminated the rebate framework that had previously existed at AEP Ohio, Duke Energy Ohio, AES Ohio, and FirstEnergy. Ohio was awarded approximately $249M in IRA Home Energy Rebates funding (split roughly evenly between HEAR and HOMES), administered by the Ohio Department of Development, but neither program had launched as of April 2026; HEAR is expected to offer up to $8,000 for income-qualified households at or below 150% AMI when it opens. Some surviving utility incentives appear to be limited to heat pump water heater rebates from Duke Energy Ohio and FirstEnergy (Ohio Edison, Illuminating Company, Toledo Edison) and the Ohio Treasurer's ECO-Link rate buydown on home improvement loans, but exact 2026 amounts warrant direct verification with the utility before relying on them. The federal §25C tax credit (up to $2,000 for heat pumps) expired December 31, 2025, so 2026 installs no longer have access to that credit; the §25D Residential Clean Energy Credit (30% through 2032) still applies to geothermal heat pumps. The only surviving utility incentives are smart-thermostat rebates ($75–$150 by utility), not heat pump rebates. FirstEnergy's sixth Electric Security Plan (ESP VI, filed January 2025) remained pending before PUCO as of mid-2026 and, as filed, does not restore residential heat pump rebates.

Ohio state + utility (open)

0 programs accepting applications

Ohio income-qualified (open)

0 programs accepting applications (incl. HEEHRA where active)

HEEHRA in Ohio

HEEHRA rebate: Point-of-sale rebate up to $8,000 for households at or below 80% of area median income. Funded by the IRA, administered by each state. Ohio is finalizing program rules.

How heat pump rebates work in Ohio

Ohio has the thinnest residential heat pump rebate landscape of any large state in 2026, and the reason is regulatory rather than economic. House Bill 6, enacted in 2019, dismantled the mandated electric utility energy-efficiency programs that previously funded residential rebates at AEP Ohio, Duke Energy Ohio, AES Ohio (formerly DP&L), and FirstEnergy's Ohio subsidiaries (Ohio Edison, the Illuminating Company, Toledo Edison). Before HB6, Ohio homeowners had access to utility-funded heat pump rebates broadly comparable to Pennsylvania's Act 129 programs. After HB6, those programs largely disappeared. The result: Ohio's 2026 incentive picture for heat pumps relies almost entirely on federal IRA pass-through funding, with limited surviving utility incentives concentrated on heat pump water heaters.

Ohio was awarded approximately $249 million in IRA Home Energy Rebates funding (split roughly evenly between HEAR and HOMES), administered by the Ohio Department of Development. As of April 2026 neither program had launched. HEAR is expected to offer up to $8,000 for income-qualified households at or below 150% AMI when it opens, and HOMES will offer performance-based rebates for whole-home efficiency upgrades. Without a launched HEAR program, Ohio income-qualified households cannot claim the $8,000 federal rebate today; the timeline for launch has slipped multiple times and was indefinite as of April 2026.

Surviving utility incentives in Ohio are limited primarily to heat pump water heater rebates from Duke Energy Ohio and FirstEnergy's three Ohio subsidiaries (Ohio Edison, the Illuminating Company, Toledo Edison), plus the Ohio Treasurer's ECO-Link rate-buydown program on home improvement loans. Specific 2026 rebate amounts for these programs warrant direct verification with the utility before relying on them — Ohio utility rebate websites are sparsely maintained and often reflect program structures from the pre-HB6 era. FirstEnergy filed a sixth Electric Security Plan with the PUCO in January 2025 proposing new residential efficiency programs that, if approved, could restore broader utility rebates; that case has not yet ruled. The federal §25C tax credit was repealed at the end of 2025 and is not available for 2026 installs.

Ohio rebate programs

2 utility-specific programs not shown here. Enter your ZIP in the calculator to filter to just your utility.

A worked example: replacing a Cleveland gas furnace + AC

Diane owns an 1,800 sq ft Colonial in Lakewood, served by the Illuminating Company (FirstEnergy) for electricity and Dominion East Ohio for natural gas. Her 23-year-old gas furnace and AC are both end-of-life. She gets quotes for a 3-ton ducted air-source heat pump (16.2 SEER2 / 8.5 HSPF2) with a retained gas furnace as backup (a dual-fuel configuration, defensible in Cleveland's design temperature of roughly 5°F). Installed quotes range $14,800 to $17,400; she picks a contractor at $15,800.

Diane checks the Illuminating Company's residential rebates page. The active 2026 programs are limited to heat pump water heater rebates and a small smart-thermostat rebate. There is no air-source heat pump HVAC rebate from FirstEnergy in Ohio in 2026. There is no Ohio state rebate. There is no §25C federal credit (repealed at end of 2025). For the heat pump HVAC portion of her install, Diane's incentive stack is $0.

Diane is replacing her electric water heater at the same time. She picks a heat pump water heater (50-gallon ENERGY STAR with UEF 3.5+) for $2,400 installed. The Illuminating Company's HPWH rebate (verify current 2026 amount directly) lands around $300-$500 for a qualifying ENERGY STAR HPWH. That's the entire 2026 incentive on her project: a few hundred dollars for the water heater work, nothing for the heat pump HVAC. Net out of pocket: roughly $17,800 across both upgrades.

Diane's brother Tom in Cincinnati is served by Duke Energy Ohio. Duke Ohio's 2026 residential incentives are similarly limited — HPWH rebates and smart-thermostat programs but no broad HVAC heat pump rebate. The honest 2026 message for Ohio homeowners: until Ohio HEAR launches or the PUCO approves FirstEnergy's restored efficiency programs, the air-source heat pump incentive picture is essentially zero for non-income-qualified households. Plan accordingly. If your install can wait until late 2026 or 2027 and you'd qualify for HEAR, the wait may be worth several thousand dollars.

Choosing a contractor in Ohio

Ohio licenses HVAC contractors statewide through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board, which issues HVAC contractor licenses through the Ohio Department of Commerce. Verify your contractor's HVAC license at com.ohio.gov before signing. The license number must appear on permits and contracts. Ohio also requires EPA Section 608 certification for refrigerant work, which is a federal requirement layered on top of state licensing.

Because Ohio's utility rebate landscape is thin, contractor enrollment in utility programs matters less than it does in states like California or New York. Where utility rebates do exist (Duke Ohio HPWH, FirstEnergy HPWH), the contractor typically files; verify enrollment for those specific HPWH programs if you're claiming them. For heat pump HVAC work in Ohio in 2026, the contractor's enrollment status doesn't unlock additional rebates because there are no broad HVAC rebates to claim.

Ohio's climate is genuinely cold — Cleveland and Akron hit 5°F design temperatures, Toledo and Cincinnati not much warmer. A non-cold-climate heat pump can deliver poor performance below 10°F and may push the homeowner toward expensive electric resistance backup or strain a retained gas furnace. For Ohio installs north of the I-70 corridor, specify a NEEP Cold-Climate Air-Source Heat Pump Specification (CCASHP) listed system. Dual-fuel configurations (heat pump primary, gas furnace backup) are a defensible engineering choice in Ohio and avoid the cold-snap performance trap.

Common pitfalls for Ohio homeowners

Assuming pre-HB6 rebates still exist. Several Ohio HVAC contractor websites and AI-generated content still cite heat pump rebates from AEP Ohio, Duke Energy Ohio, AES Ohio, and FirstEnergy's Ohio subsidiaries based on pre-2019 program structures. Those programs were dismantled by HB6. Confirm directly with the utility's 2026 residential rebates page before relying on any specific Ohio utility heat pump rebate.
Counting on Ohio HEAR in 2026. Ohio HEAR is administered by the Ohio Department of Development but had not launched as of April 2026. The timeline has slipped multiple times. Treat the $8,000 maximum as future-state only; do not budget around it for 2026 installs. If Ohio HEAR launches mid-2026 or 2027, projects completed before launch generally cannot retroactively claim it.
Counting on §25C federal credit. The federal residential energy property credit (§25C) covered up to $2,000 for heat pumps in 2025 but was repealed effective December 31, 2025 by the OBBBA. Ohio installs completed in 2026 cannot claim it. Several Ohio HVAC contractor sites still cite the $2,000 figure as currently available — it isn't.
Sizing for cooling-only in Ohio's climate. Ohio has more heating-degree-days than cooling-degree-days, especially north of Columbus. A heat pump sized purely on AC tonnage can be undersized for heating and over-rely on backup electric resistance or gas, which spikes winter operating costs. Ask your contractor for a Manual J load calculation that explicitly shows both the cooling design load (at roughly 88-92°F ambient) and the heating design load (at 0°F to 10°F depending on city) — the heating load typically dominates.
Ignoring the ECO-Link rate buydown. The Ohio Treasurer's ECO-Link program buys down the interest rate on home improvement loans for energy-efficiency upgrades through participating banks and credit unions. It is not a rebate — you still pay the full project cost — but it can reduce your effective interest rate by 3% for up to 7 years on loans up to $50,000. For Ohio homeowners financing a heat pump install in 2026, this is one of the few state-level financial benefits actually available.

Estimate your net cost

Your state

System type

Household income

Used to determine HEEHRA eligibility (under 80% area median income).

Average installed cost

$12,500

Incentives offset 0% of the install−$0

No currently-open programs match this combination. Try a different income tier or state.

Estimated out-of-pocket$12,500

Estimate only. Includes only programs accepting applications today — waitlisted or closed programs are excluded. Mutually exclusive programs (e.g. HEEHRA vs HOMES) and project-cost caps are applied per current program rules; confirm with your installer and utility before signing.

Independent — not affiliated with installers, manufacturers, or utilities.MethodologyNot tax adviceReport a correction

How to claim each rebate

Get pre-approved (where required). Some utility programs require approval before install. Check program details before signing a contract.
Use a participating contractor. Many programs require a licensed installer from an approved contractor list — especially HEEHRA, which routes through CEC-approved contractors who process the rebate at point of sale.
Save documentation. AHRI certificate, model numbers, and itemized invoice are required for most utility rebates.
Submit utility rebate within 60–90 days of install. Some programs are first-come first-served and close mid-year — funding can run out before the calendar year does.

FAQ

House Bill 6 (2019) eliminated Ohio's mandated electric utility energy-efficiency programs and the rebate framework that funded them. Pre-HB6, AEP Ohio, Duke Energy Ohio, AES Ohio, and FirstEnergy's Ohio subsidiaries each ran residential heat pump rebate programs under PUCO-approved efficiency plans. Post-HB6, those programs were largely shut down or scaled back to the surviving water heater and thermostat measures. FirstEnergy's January 2025 ESP filing proposes restoring broader efficiency programs; that case has not yet ruled.

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