Every month a homeowner asks me what HVAC rebates apply to their Hesperia, Victorville, or Riverside home. In 2026 the honest answer is shorter than it used to be. The federal credits are gone, the main statewide heat pump incentive is fully reserved, and which furnace rebate you can get depends on a detail most people have never checked: the name of the company on your gas bill.
Two-sentence answer: in 2026 the rebates that are actually open are the SoCalGas high-efficiency furnace rebate (for SoCalGas customers) and the Riverside Public Utilities heat pump and AC rebates (for RPU customers). The federal IRA credits expired Dec 31, 2025, TECH Clean California heat pump incentives are fully reserved, and Southwest Gas, which serves most of the Victor Valley, ended its California furnace rebate program in 2025.
Updated September 29, 2026. We checked every program below against the utility’s own published materials. Programs change, so we confirm again at quote time.
What expired
- Federal IRA Section 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit. Covered property placed in service before December 31, 2025. Equipment installed in 2026 does not qualify.
- Federal IRA Section 25D Residential Clean Energy Credit. Not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025.
- TECH Clean California single-family heat pump HVAC incentives. This is the program SCE customers used for heat pump rebates, paid through the installing contractor. Fully reserved statewide since November 14, 2025.
- Southwest Gas California residential rebates. The published program ran 2021 to 2025, covering purchases through December 31, 2025. We have not found a 2026 program.
Step one: check which gas utility you’re on
This matters more than any other detail for furnace rebates.
- Southwest Gas serves the Victor Valley: Hesperia, Victorville, Apple Valley, Adelanto, Lucerne Valley, and Helendale / Silver Lakes.
- SoCalGas serves most of the Inland Empire (San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, and the rest), plus parts of Phelan, Pinon Hills, and Wrightwood.
- Propane heats most Oak Hills homes and many in Phelan and Wrightwood, where natural gas lines do not reach. There is no utility furnace rebate for propane.
Look at the top of your gas bill. If it says Southwest Gas, the SoCalGas rebate below does not apply to you.
SoCalGas high-efficiency furnace rebate (SoCalGas customers)
SoCalGas pays by furnace size, measured in kBtuh of input, in three tiers:
| AFUE rating | Rebate | On an 80,000 BTU furnace |
|---|---|---|
| 92-94% | $1.40 per kBtuh | About $112 |
| 95-96% | $10 per kBtuh | About $800 |
| 97% or higher | $25 per kBtuh | About $2,000 |
The rules: it has to be installed by a licensed contractor, you need proof the permit was closed, and it’s limited to one rebate per household. The program runs January 1 to December 31, 2026, or until funds run out. SoCalGas also offers up to 50% more for customers affected by the 2025 wildfires, but only in specific Los Angeles and Ventura County ZIP codes, not in our service area.
The tier jump matters. On the same size furnace, going from 95% to 97% AFUE raises the rebate from about $800 to about $2,000. That changes the math on premium furnaces for SoCalGas customers, and we show both numbers on the quote.
SCE customers: heat pumps and AC
SCE’s heat pump rebates ran through TECH Clean California, which has been fully reserved statewide since November 2025. Until TECH funding reopens, most SCE customers should not count on a utility heat pump rebate. We check TECH status on every heat pump quote.
What SCE still points customers to:
- Golden State Rebates: instant rebate coupons on qualifying air conditioners and smart thermostats at participating retailers. Amounts are set per product.
- Smart thermostat bill credit: SCE offers a $75 bill credit when you enroll a qualifying smart thermostat in its demand response program.
Wrightwood and Phelan are SCE territory for electric.
Riverside Public Utilities (Riverside customers only)
If your Riverside home is on RPU for electric (most of central and west Riverside), RPU has the strongest rebates in our service area:
| Equipment | Rebate |
|---|---|
| Heat pump, 15.2 SEER or higher | $750 per ton |
| Central AC, 15.2-15.9 SEER | $150 per ton |
| Central AC, 16 SEER or higher | $250 per ton |
| Wi-Fi smart thermostat | $50 |
| AC tune-up | $25 |
A 3-ton heat pump at $750 per ton is $2,250. Apply within 90 days of install, and funding is subject to availability. Parts of far southeast Riverside are on SCE instead, so we check your meter at quote time. More on Riverside homes on our Riverside HVAC page.
Manufacturer rebates
Goodman, Rheem, Carrier, Daikin, and other manufacturers run seasonal promotions, usually as instant discounts during specific install windows. They change often, so we don’t publish amounts here. We check what is running when we quote and apply it to the price.
How this changes the heat pump vs furnace decision
With TECH reserved, a heat pump in SCE territory costs its full installed price, $4,500-$11,000 for a standard ducted system. A furnace replacement runs $3,200-$7,800, and SoCalGas customers can take up to about $2,000 off a 97% AFUE unit. RPU customers are the exception, because $750 per ton makes a heat pump much more competitive. See the heat pump vs furnace cost guide and the furnace replacement cost guide for full pricing.
What we handle
We confirm which utility you’re on, check which programs have funding the week we quote, and put the rebate amounts on the written quote. For programs that require the contractor’s paperwork, like the SoCalGas permit closure proof, we handle it after the install and inspection. If a program closes between quote and install, we tell you before we start.
How to get it quoted
Call 760-983-2326 for a free in-home estimate. Have a recent gas and electric bill handy so we can confirm your utilities on the spot. See heat pumps, furnace installation, or our cost guides for pre-rebate pricing.
