Should You Wait for New Hampshire’s HEAR Heat Pump Rebate?

An $8,000 heat pump rebate sounds like a good reason to put an installation on hold. But before you delay a needed heating or cooling replacement, there is a more important question: Will your household and your project actually qualify?

Our advice is simple: don’t postpone a needed upgrade based only on a rebate headline. Check your eligibility, compare the incentives available for your project today, and weigh the cost of keeping your current equipment running.

The program commonly called HEAR now uses the federal name High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebates, or HEEHR. It is not an automatic $8,000 discount for every homeowner. For a broader overview, read our guide to New Hampshire’s income-based heat pump rebate.

First, check the income limit

HEAR is income-based. Households above 150% of area median income do not qualify. The applicable dollar threshold depends on your location and household size—not one statewide salary limit.

New Hampshire’s published guidance describes two eligible income groups:

• Below 80% of area median income: up to 100% of eligible project costs, within program caps.
• From 80% through 150%: up to 50% of eligible project costs, within program caps.

The heat pump maximum is $8,000, not a guaranteed payment. For example, 50% of a $10,000 eligible project is $5,000. Final eligibility and approved costs determine the actual rebate. Source: NH Department of Energy rebate questions and answers.

If your household exceeds the income limit, waiting for this particular rebate will not make your project eligible.

Replacing oil, propane or natural gas? Don’t assume HEAR applies

DOE’s May 2026 guidance excludes replacing non-electric equipment with electric equipment. It allows eligible electric-to-electric upgrades and new construction, and permits existing fossil-fuel HVAC to remain when a heat pump is added.

That does not make every home with an oil or gas system ineligible. The specific upgrade and New Hampshire’s implementation rules matter. Insulation and air sealing requirements also apply. Source: U.S. Department of Energy Program Notice 26-2.

Before putting your plans on hold, identify exactly which equipment you would replace. “I want a heat pump” is not enough to establish rebate eligibility.

Don’t plan around an unconfirmed start date

Before you plan an installation around HEAR, check the NH Department of Energy’s program page for current application availability, launch updates and instructions. Do not base your schedule on an assumed start date.

A projected launch window is not an approved rebate for your installation. If receiving HEAR is essential to your budget, confirm the required application, approval and installation sequence with the program administrator before committing to work. Do not assume a project completed now can be reimbursed later.

HEAR and NEHPA are not two discounts for the same project

The New England Heat Pump Accelerator, or NEHPA, is federally funded. HEAR cannot be combined with another federal grant or rebate for the same qualified project. That means you should compare these two incentive paths, not add both to the same heat pump estimate. This follows the federal same-project restriction and NEHPA’s stated funding source. DOE guidance, NEHPA funding information.

NHSaves is a separate, ratepayer-funded program. Its available incentives and coordination requirements should be checked for your utility and equipment. Source: NHSaves heat pump program.

Compare what is available now

Not qualifying for HEAR does not necessarily mean missing out on all heat pump incentives.

For eligible Eversource, Liberty and Unitil electric customers, NHSaves currently lists a $250-per-ton heat pump rebate that can include qualifying oil, propane or natural-gas replacements. Qualifying replacements of working, permanent primary electric-resistance heat have an enhanced incentive, with pre-verification required. Equipment, funding and other requirements apply; New Hampshire Electric Cooperative has separate terms. Check current NHSaves requirements.

Ask for an estimate that separates equipment and installation costs from each eligible incentive. A possible future rebate should not be presented as an approved discount.

When does waiting make sense?

Waiting may be reasonable when your system is reliable, your household appears income-eligible, the proposed work fits the program, and your schedule is flexible.

Waiting is harder to justify when you are above the income limit, your planned replacement is excluded, or you are spending money to keep failing equipment operating. Compare repair costs and ongoing operating costs with the potential additional benefit—not just the advertised rebate maximum. A larger rebate does not automatically mean the better overall decision.

If your equipment works well and you have no immediate comfort problem, there is no need to rush into a replacement either. The right timing depends on your home, not a deadline invented to sell equipment.

Get a plan for your home—not just a rebate promise

A.J. LeBlanc Heating can review your existing equipment, discuss heat pump installation options, and help you compare current rebates with your project needs. Income eligibility and final rebate approval belong to the program administrator.

Call 603-623-0412 to discuss your options. You do not need to wait for a future program to find out what your home needs and what an installation would cost today.

Program rules, funding and incentives can change. Confirm the current written requirements before purchasing equipment or scheduling work.