Contractors Information
California Licensed Contractors
If you are a California Licensed Contractor, check with your local utility to be added to their eligible contractor list. Consumers are asked to check with their local utility for a list of eligible contractors and the Contractors State License Board.
Download the Cash for Appliances logo for use in your marketing materials.
Rebate Levels Water Heaters and HVAC units
HVAC systems and Water Heaters must also meet the following criteria to be eligible for the Cash for Appliances rebate:
- Certified to the California Energy Commission as meeting minimum energy efficiency requirements
- Present on the ENERGY STAR® list
- Comply with the energy efficiency criteria listed in the Tables below.
NOTE:
All Appliances and HVAC and Water Heater systems MUST be recycled with a Certified Appliance Recycler (CAR) to be in compliance with the rebate program rules. Rebates will not be awarded if equipment is not properly recycled with a CAR. California law requires that appliances, and certain materials within appliances, be properly handled.
Appliances are valuable sources of scrap metal when they become obsolete or are no longer needed. However, some of the components in appliances contain materials that can cause health or environmental problems if they are not removed and properly managed prior to recycling. The details of the Certified Appliance Recycler laws can be found on the California Department of Toxic Substances Control website at: http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/
Mercury/Certified_Appliance_Recycler.cfm
Only those systems that have been shown to meet the specified program criteria with the submission of necessary information to the Energy Commission are qualified for a California Cash for Appliances rebate within the rebate offer period. The official list of qualifying models for California's Cash for Appliances can be viewed here:
| Appliance Category | Rebate | Energy Efficiency Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| WATER HEATERS | ||
| Electric Heat Pump | $300 | Energy factor >= 2.0 |
| High Performance Gas Storage | $100 | CEE Tier 1 or greater - energy factor >= 0.67 |
| Solar (electricity or natural gas back‐ up) |
$750 | Solar factor >= 0.5 |
| HVAC UNITS | ||
| Central Air Conditioner (split) * | Tier 1 ‐ $500 Tier 2 ‐ $750 Tier 3 ‐ $1000 |
Tier 1 ‐ 14.5 seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER), 12 energy efficiency ratio (EER) Tier 2 ‐ 15 SEER, 12.5 EER Tier 3 ‐ >=16 SEER, >=13 EER |
| Central Air Conditioner (packaged) ** |
Tier 1 ‐ $750 Tier 2 - $1000 |
Tier 1 ‐ 14 SEER, 11 EER Tier 2 - 14 SEER, 12 EER |
| Air Source Heat Pump (split) | Tier 1 – $500 Tier 2 – $750 |
Tier 1 ‐ 8.5 heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF), 14.5 SEER, 12 EER Tier 2 ‐ >=8.5 HSPF, >=15 SEER, >=12.5 EER |
| Air Source Heat Pump (packaged) | Tier 1 – $750 Tier 2 – $1,000 |
Tier 1 ‐ 8.0 HSPF, 14 SEER, 11 EER Tier 2 ‐ >=8 HSPF, >=14 SEER, >=12 EER |
| Gas Furnace | Tier 2 ‐ $200 Tier 3 ‐ $300 |
Tier 2 ‐ annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) = 92 Tier 3 ‐ AFUE > = 94 |
| Gas Boiler | $300 | Tier 2 ‐ AFUE > = 92 |
* A “split unit” is an air handling unit used to condition and circulate air where the heating and cooling components are separate.
** A “packaged unit” is an air handling unit used to condition and circulate air as part of an HVAC system where the entire unit is located outdoors usually on the roof or a concrete slab adjacent to the building.
For technical questions about HVAC units or water heaters, please call or
e-mail the Energy Efficiency Hotline at:
E-mail: rebates @ energy.state.ca.us
Phone: 916-654-5106 or
Phone: 1-800-772-3300 (toll free in Calif.)