Florida HVAC rebates in 2026 — the stacking playbook.

Yes — and you should. The two programs are structurally independent. Utility rebates are program dollars from the utility's demand-side-management budget, delivered as a bill credit or check within 60–90 days of install. The federal 25C credit is a tax credit you claim on your 1040 the following April — it reduces your federal tax liability, up to $2,000 for a qualifying heat pump, up to $600 for a qualifying central AC. Both can apply to the same install. On a Premier-tier heat pump in FPL territory, that's $2,150 utility + $2,000 federal = $4,150 off the effective installed price.

It depends on your utility and your system tier. The current 2026 caps: FPL (Florida Power & Light) up to $2,150 on qualifying high-efficiency heat pumps — the biggest residential HVAC rebate in Florida. Duke Energy Florida up to $1,500 on qualifying heat pumps. TECO (Tampa Electric) up to $1,000 on qualifying systems. These are maximums — the actual amount depends on the SEER2 rating, HSPF2 rating, and equipment certification. A Basic-tier 14 SEER2 system typically doesn't qualify for any utility rebate; a Premier or Optimum-tier heat pump qualifies for the full amount.

Not when we install. Filing the rebate paperwork is a standard part of every NewHVACDeals install at Deluxe tier and above — we submit the utility application within 5 business days of the final inspection, the utility issues the bill credit or check to you in 60–90 days, and we send you the confirmation. The federal 25C credit is different: because it's a tax credit, you file it yourself on IRS Form 5695 when you file your federal return. We give you the manufacturer's AHRI certificate (the document that proves your system meets the efficiency threshold) at install — that's the only paperwork you need for the federal credit.

For the federal IRA 25C heat pump credit: HSPF2 ≥ 7.5 and SEER2 ≥ 15.2 for ducted systems (higher for mini-splits). For central AC (non-heat-pump): SEER2 ≥ 16 and EER2 ≥ 12. For utility rebates, FPL, Duke, and TECO each set their own thresholds, generally aligned with ENERGY STAR Most Efficient tier — roughly SEER2 ≥ 16 for qualifying AC and SEER2 ≥ 17 for top-tier rebates. Our Premier and Optimum tiers hit every threshold on every program. Deluxe qualifies for most utility rebates but not the full federal credit. Basic doesn't qualify for rebates — which is part of why Basic is priced as the volume anchor.

No — 25C is a non-refundable tax credit with no income cap. The cap is on the credit amount itself: $2,000 per year for heat pumps, $600 per year for qualifying AC equipment, $1,200 lifetime on windows and doors. Because it's non-refundable, you need at least $2,000 of federal tax liability in the year you claim it for a heat pump. If you don't owe $2,000 in federal tax that year, the credit zeros out your liability and the rest is lost — it doesn't roll forward. For homeowners near retirement or in low-tax-liability years, this is worth planning around with your accountant.

25C is a tax credit for all homeowners regardless of income. HEEHRA (High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act) is an income-based direct rebate program — up to $8,000 for a heat pump for households at or below 80% of Area Median Income. Florida's HEEHRA program is still being rolled out through the state energy office; as of April 2026, the full program isn't live for residential HVAC in most Florida counties, but the rollout is expected through 2026–2027. If you qualify for HEEHRA by income, the federal rebate is significantly larger than 25C — we flag eligibility during the assessment and link you to the state enrollment portal when it opens.

Some do, yes — and it's the industry's ugly secret. The test: ask the contractor for a quote with the rebate passed through to you as a price reduction vs the same system with no rebate filed. If the 'rebate price' and the 'no-rebate price' differ by exactly the rebate amount, you're getting the rebate. If the spread is less than the full rebate, the contractor is keeping a portion. Our standard price shown on the tier cards is already rebate-net — the utility rebate and the 25C credit are disclosed separately and applied in full to your effective out-of-pocket number, never absorbed as contractor margin.

60–90 days from final inspection, typically. The process: we submit the utility rebate application within 5 business days of your install passing the county final inspection. The utility verifies the equipment against the AHRI database and the permit record. They then issue either a bill credit on your next statement (FPL and Duke default to this) or mail a check (TECO default). You'll see it on your utility account before you file your next federal return, so the two forms of money arrive roughly in sequence: utility in summer, 25C credit at tax filing the following April.

Yes. Utility rebate programs and the federal 25C credit both key on the new equipment's efficiency, not on proof that your old equipment was broken. A planned 'efficiency upgrade' replacement — where you're replacing a functional 12-year-old 14 SEER unit with a new 18 SEER2 heat pump — qualifies for the full rebate stack on the new equipment. You do need to demonstrate that the old equipment was removed and replaced (the contractor's haul-away documentation covers this). Emergency replacements after a breakdown also qualify; there's no 'repair first' requirement.

The federal 25C credit is available only to the taxpayer who pays for and installs the equipment, and generally requires you to own the residence as a principal residence. Renters cannot claim 25C. Utility rebates in Florida are paid to the account holder on the utility bill — so a tenant who pays their own FPL bill can, in theory, file the rebate application. In practice most landlords own the HVAC equipment and file the rebate themselves. If you're a landlord installing in a rental property, utility rebates typically still apply and 25C may apply at reduced amounts depending on IRS rules — check with your tax advisor.