South Carolina Heat Pump Rebates
You can currently get up to $2,500 from South Carolina heat pump rebates, offered under Duke Energy Smart $aver Home Improvement Rebates. Cash rebates for qualifying home heating upgrades are also open today from Dominion Energy South Carolina and Santee Cooper.
Find the South Carolina rebates for your ZIP code
If JavaScript is off, look up your state in the program table.
Who sends your electric bill?
What are you putting in?
- Largest standard rebate currently open
- $1,500 Through Duke Energy Smart $aver Home Improvement Rebates, for homes served by Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Duke Energy Progress.
- HEAR appliance rebates
- Not yet available Run by South Carolina Energy Office. Official page
- HOMES whole-home rebates
- Not open yet Paid on the energy saved by a whole-home upgrade. Official page
- Federal tax credit 25C
- Ended No credit for heat pumps installed after 31 December 2025
South Carolina rebates for heat pumps
To learn which equipment upgrades earn cash back at your home, match your electric utility against the program list.
| Program | Who can get it | Central heat pump | Ductless mini-split | Heat pump water heater | Geothermal | Status | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion Energy South Carolina Heating & Cooling Rebates | Served by Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc | $650 | None | $750 | None | Open | Official page |
| Duke Energy Smart $aver Home Improvement Rebates (heat pump water heater and HVAC) | For homes served by Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Duke Energy Progress | $1,500 | $700 replace on failure / $900 early replacement | $500 | $700 replace on failure / $900 early replacement | Open | Official page |
| Santee Cooper Smart Energy Existing Homes (EmpowerHome) heat pump rebates | Santee Cooper customers | $400 per installed system | $80 per ½ ton | $400 | $600 per installed system | Open | Official page |
Claiming South Carolina Heat Pump Rebates From Your Utility
Review your electric company's rules and choose the right installer before work starts, and you are more likely to keep the full rebate. After the new unit goes in, each utility handles its own application process:
- Hire a participating contractor listed in Find it Duke, and Duke Energy Smart $aver will pay up to $2,500. Your installer has 60 days after service to submit the paperwork. The prepaid Mastercard then comes in four to six weeks.
- Heat pumps put in by a licensed mechanical contractor earn $400 to $650 from Dominion Energy South Carolina. Within 90 days of the work, you must send in your application along with a detailed installation invoice.
- Up to $700 is paid by Santee Cooper Smart Energy Existing Homes when your installer is a participating Trade Ally. After installation, send the completed forms by mail or email. Your check then comes in six to eight weeks.
Is there extra support in 2026 for lower income households?
The South Carolina Energy Office has two state programs in planning that are expected to go live in 2026. Up to $14,000 will go to families earning under 150% of the county area median income through Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates. Area median income means the midpoint of what households in your local county earn in a year. Federal rules bar swapping out a heat pump you already have, though approved contractors will take this discount off at purchase.
Home Efficiency Rebates will cover whole home projects at $2,000 to $16,000, with extra help for households under 80% of midpoint income.
The South Carolina Weatherization Assistance Program provides free efficiency upgrades today to households that meet posted income limits. A one-person household qualifies at $31,920, and a four-person household at $66,000. Supplemental Security Income recipients also qualify through Community Action Agencies.
Local Heating Rules and State Tax Credits
Because electricity already heats seven out of ten South Carolina households, the biggest utility rebates target older electric heaters. The $1,500 to $2,500 conversion rebates from Duke Energy go only to certain homes. These homes are replacing an electric furnace, baseboards, or a heat pump with electric strip heat. Electric strip heat warms air through metal coils, much like a toaster, and it uses a lot of power. Dominion Energy, in contrast, does not permit fuel switching, so the new unit you install must take the place of an older electric furnace. In addition, Smart $aver rebates are off limits to Duke Energy customers still on grandfathered rate schedules in Greenwood, South Carolina since June 2009.
On your taxes, no 25C federal tax credit remains for equipment installed after 31 December 2025. The South Carolina Geothermal Machinery and Equipment Credit, though, still pays 25% of the cost to install residential geothermal, capped at $3,500 a year.
Common Questions About South Carolina Heat Pump Rebates
Which heating and cooling rebates can you get in South Carolina right now?
All three major electric utilities give cash back on a heat pump water heater carrying the ENERGY STAR label, beyond their main heating rebates. Replacing an electric unit brings $750 from Dominion Energy, $500 from Duke Energy, and $400 from Santee Cooper. Duke Energy also provides a free assessment, Home Energy House Call, plus $125 toward a smart thermostat installed alongside your system.
Will any tax credits exist for heat pumps in 2026?
Public Law 119-21 brought the federal energy credit to an end on 31 December 2025. As a result, no federal tax credit will be available in 2026. However, the state credit on Form TC-38 can still be claimed by South Carolina taxpayers who put in a geothermal heat pump. The credit is worth 25% of costs up to $3,500 a year, or half your tax liability, and any unused amount carries forward.
Do heat pumps perform well in South Carolina?
Yes. South Carolina has mostly mild winters, so heat pumps are an efficient way to heat and cool. Roughly a quarter of homes in the state use natural gas for heat, and propane serves only four in 100. Utilities also give rebates on dual fuel setups, where a furnace backs up the heat pump on colder nights.
In South Carolina, how does home size change heat pump rebates and loans?
Several rebates from utilities are based on the size of the living space your new equipment will heat and cool. Conditioned space of at least 1,000 square feet is what Duke Energy requires for ductless units and conversion rebates of $1,500 to $2,500. Ductless systems earn $40 to $80 per half ton from Santee Cooper, which also provides low-interest loans for heat pump replacements.
Get South Carolina installer quotes with the rebates taken off
Most rebates on this page are paid through the installer or need the installer's paperwork, so the quote is where the money is settled. Tell us the ZIP code and what you want installed, and installers who work with these programs send a written price with the rebates taken off.