Florida's $346 Million HVAC Rebate Program: What's Actually Available (July 2026)

Florida has been allocated $346,326,390 in federal Home Energy Rebate funding. As of July 2026, homeowners cannot apply for a dollar of it.

That one fact resolves most of the confusion you’ll find online. Some sites say Florida rejected the money. Others say the program launched in early 2026 and is paying out now. Neither matches what the state agency running the program actually says. Here’s the full picture — and the rebates that are genuinely available while you wait.

The Money Is Real: $346,326,390

The U.S. Department of Energy’s state allocation table puts Florida’s total at $346,326,390, split across two federal programs:

• HOMES (Home Efficiency Rebates): $173,668,720
• HEAR (Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates): $172,657,670

HEAR is aimed at low- and moderate-income households. HOMES rewards whole-home efficiency improvements. In Florida, both will be administered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) as the Florida Energy Saver Program.

What FDACS Actually Says (July 2026)

The FDACS Florida Energy Saver portal (floridaenergysaverprogram.fdacs.gov) cites “approximately $346 million in federal funding” and states plainly: “Applications are expected to open in the future.”

Not open now. Expected to open. The portal indicates HEAR — the income-qualified program — launches first, with HOMES to follow, pending DOE approval. No launch date has been announced.

Why Everyone Is Confused: The 2023–2024 Fight

The program’s history in Florida is genuinely contested, and both versions got wide coverage. You’ll run into both, so here they are side by side.

The “Florida rejected the money” version

In June 2023, Governor DeSantis vetoed the $5 million state administrative appropriation needed to run the program, and Florida withdrew its application for the federal funds. Florida’s Democratic congressional delegation put out a press release framed as “Energy Rebates Rejected by State” and asked DOE to administer the program directly. The Florida Phoenix and Canary Media both covered the standoff as a political fight between DeSantis and the federal government. Canary Media reported DOE saying Florida remained eligible and had until August 16, 2024 to apply — and no formal return of the $346 million was ever documented.

The “Florida took the money” version

ACHR News, an HVAC industry trade publication, reported that DeSantis “quietly accepted” the $346.3 million in the state budget signed in 2024, and DOE reported that all 50 states accepted Home Energy Rebates funding. FDACS now runs the resulting Florida Energy Saver Program — which is why the portal exists at all.

The accurate one-sentence summary

Florida’s ~$346M allocation was delayed by a 2023 veto fight — widely reported at the time as the state rejecting the money — but the state later accepted the funds. As of July 2026, FDACS says applications have not yet opened.

About Those “The Program Launched in Early 2026” Claims

Some websites claim Florida’s rebate program launched in early 2026 and is accepting applications. That is not what FDACS says. The state’s own portal — the only authoritative source on application status — says applications are expected to open in the future.

If a contractor tells you they can get you the federal HEAR or HOMES rebate on a job today, treat it as a red flag. There is no open application to submit.

What You Can Actually Claim Right Now

While the federal money sits in limbo, Florida’s utility rebate programs are live. These are verified as of July 2026.

FPL: $200 instant

$200 credited on the contractor’s invoice for a new residential A/C system (indoor and outdoor units) rated SEER2 15.2 or above, installed by an FPL-approved Participating Independent Contractor.

TECO (Tampa Electric): $40 or $550

$40 at SEER2 15.2 — or $550 at SEER2 16.2. That’s a big jump for one SEER2 point, so price the higher-tier equipment before deciding. Applies when you replace an old ducted system with a qualifying heat pump, straight cool/natural gas heat, or geothermal system. Submit the application with the AHRI certificate and paid invoice within 90 days; the rebate is capped at the invoice total.

JEA (Jacksonville): $200 + $50

$200 for an ENERGY STAR central AC, heat pump, or mini-split, plus $50 for an ENERGY STAR smart thermostat. Split heat pumps need SEER2 16+, EER2 11.0+, and HSPF2 8.0+ (Tier 1). Apply within 90 days of installation — and no later than October 10, 2026 for the current program year.

OUC (Orlando): $45–$1,150

A bill credit that scales with tonnage and SEER2 rating, with a 15.2 SEER2 minimum. Submit a dated invoice with model numbers plus the AHRI certificate within 6 months via myOUC.

Duke Energy Florida: program exists, amounts unverified

Duke runs a Home Energy Improvement HVAC Replacement program. Third parties report up to $1,000 per unit across SEER 16/17/18+ tiers, but we could not verify amounts or requirements on Duke’s own site. Confirm directly with Duke before counting on a number.

What to Do

Replacing your system now? Use your utility’s rebate and don’t wait for HEAR/HOMES — there’s no announced open date, and a failing AC in a Florida summer isn’t a negotiation.

Can wait, and household income is low or moderate? HEAR launches first and is aimed at you. It may be worth holding off on non-urgent electrification upgrades until FDACS opens applications.

Either way: bookmark the FDACS Florida Energy Saver portal at floridaenergysaverprogram.fdacs.gov and check it before signing any contract a salesperson claims is “rebate eligible.” When applications actually open, that’s where it will say so.