HVAC rebates in Texas
Data last verified July 24, 2026
Texas rebates depend on who owns your utility — and that’s a legal distinction, not a marketing one.
In the deregulated territories, Oncor, CenterPoint, and AEP Texas are wires companies (TDUs). Texas law bars them from offering programs directly to residential customers, so every incentive flows through an approved participating contractor who applies it to your invoice. You will never get a rebate check from Oncor — the discount either shows up in your contractor’s price or it doesn’t. Ask.
Municipally owned utilities are exempt from that structure, and it shows. Austin Energy (verified): AC rebates of $600 / $700 / $800 across Tiers 1-3, heat pumps $650 / $750 / $950, with tiers running from 15.2 SEER2 up to 18.0 SEER2 for AC. Austin advertises a rebate “averaging $800.” Your participating contractor applies on your behalf; funding is first-come, first-served. CPS Energy in San Antonio (verified): $90-$310 per ton for central AC or heat pumps, existing homes only, applied through the CPS rebate application site.
The TDU programs are real but opaque. Oncor’s Take A Load Off, Texas program exists — third parties report up to ~$600 for SEER2 16+ heat pumps, but the program site blocked our verification, so treat that number as unconfirmed. CenterPoint applies rebates to the invoice for SEER 16+ systems and publishes a $50 instant smart-thermostat rebate and a free ComfortCheck tune-up, but no HVAC dollar amounts. AEP Texas publishes no figures at all; third parties report $120-$800 replacement incentives. We list what we can’t verify as exactly that: unverified.
Program details
Oncor — Home Energy Efficiency Program / Take A Load Off, Texas
verified 2026-07-24Program exists - amounts unverified. Third parties report up to ~$600 per qualifying heat pump (SEER2 16+); takealoadofftexas.com blocked verification (403).
Oncor delivery customer; work performed and incentive applied by an Oncor-approved Participating Service Provider (Oncor is a TDU - incentives flow through contractors, not directly to customers); first-come first-served annual funding
Program page ↗CenterPoint Energy (Houston TDU) — Residential Standard Offer Program
verified 2026-07-24Varies - rebate applied to installation invoice by participating contractor for SEER 16+ systems; $50 instant smart-thermostat rebate; free ComfortCheck A/C tune-up for eligible customers. Specific HVAC dollar amounts not published on the utility page.
Texas law bars CenterPoint from offering programs directly to residential customers - all incentives flow through approved third-party contractors; SEER 16 or higher
Program page ↗AEP Texas — CoolSaver A/C Tune-up + Residential Standard Offer Program
verified 2026-07-24Programs exist - amounts unverified. Site publishes no dollar figures; program-manual PDFs 404. Third parties report $75-$150 tune-up discounts and $120-$800 replacement incentives.
Participating ZIP codes only; delivered through participating contractors; annual funding limited
Program page ↗Austin Energy — Air Conditioning Rebates (Participating Contractor)
verified 2026-07-24AC: $600 / $700 / $800 (Tiers 1-3); heat pump: $650 / $750 / $950 (Tiers 1-3); advertised 'rebate averaging $800'
Installed by an Austin Energy participating contractor who applies on the customer's behalf; AC tiers from SEER2 15.2/EER2 12.0 to SEER2 18.0/EER2 13.0; HP tiers SEER2 15.2/EER2 11.0/HSPF2 7.8 to SEER2 17.0/EER2 13.0/HSPF2 9.0; CEE 2025-compliant equipment; first-come first-served funding
Program page ↗CPS Energy — Residential HVAC Rebates (SaveNow / STEP)
verified 2026-07-24Central A/C: $90-$310/ton; heat pump: $90-$310/ton; window units $15-$25
CPS Energy account holder; existing homes only (new construction excluded); apply via the CPS Energy Customer Rebate Application Site; per-SEER2 tier breakdown in the downloadable application
Program page ↗