AC replacement cost in Texas
Data last verified July 24, 2026
Four things move a Texas AC replacement quote.
Labor. Texas HVAC mechanics earn a mean $59,130 a year against $64,780 nationally (BLS, May 2025). Our cost index treats half of a job as fixed (equipment, materials) and scales the other half by local wages, putting Texas at 0.96 — about 4% under the national ranges shown in the table.
Efficiency floor. As a Southeast-region state, the legal minimum for split ACs under 45,000 Btu/hr is 14.3 SEER2; larger splits (45,000+ Btu/hr, roughly 3.75 tons and up) get a 13.8 SEER2 floor. Stepping up costs real money: 16-17 SEER2 runs about 1.15x the code-minimum price, 18+ about 1.35x. Note the national baseline itself is wide — published 3-ton figures span $5,000 to $11,000 because sources genuinely disagree, so treat every range here as an estimate, not a promise.
Permits. Houston publishes a verified formula: 2% of job cost plus $47.00 plus a $33.56 admin fee — on an $8,000 changeout, that’s $240.56. Dallas ($125-$167) and San Antonio ($60) figures come from third-party summaries and are approximate. On unincorporated county land you may owe nothing.
Rebate offsets. Austin Energy pays $600-$800 on tiered AC installs ($650-$950 for heat pumps) through its participating contractors. CPS Energy in San Antonio pays $90-$310 per ton on existing homes. In Oncor, CenterPoint, and AEP Texas territory, incentives exist but flow through approved contractors — ask your bidder to show the incentive on the invoice.
Get the tonnage right first; every other line item scales from it.
Estimated installed ranges for Texas
National base × Texas cost index (0.96). Estimate-grade — method and caveats.
| Size | Code minimum | 16–17 SEER2 (×1.15) | 18+ SEER2 (×1.35) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-ton | $3,850 – $8,150 | $4,400 – $9,400 | $5,200 – $11,000 |
| 2.5-ton | $4,300 – $9,100 | $4,950 – $10,500 | $5,850 – $12,300 |
| 3-ton | $4,800 – $10,550 | $5,500 – $12,150 | $6,500 – $14,250 |
| 3.5-ton | $5,300 – $11,500 | $6,050 – $13,250 | $7,150 – $15,550 |
| 4-ton | $5,750 – $12,950 | $6,600 – $14,900 | $7,800 – $17,500 |
| 5-ton | $6,700 – $14,400 | $7,750 – $16,550 | $9,050 – $19,450 |
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