Cities / California / Riverside
AC Replacement Cost in Riverside, CA (2026)
A 3-ton central air conditioner, installed, before rebates
$4,150to$9,700
From a public baseline. How prices are made.
The low and the high are the spread of equipment and labor in the public baseline for a 3-ton central air conditioner in 2026.
California Rebates in 2026
Enrollment for 2026 is open. Open. This public benefit program offers rebates to residential electric customers. Program is subject to fund availability and may be cancelled at any time.
Riverside Public Utilities pays $150 per ton on a central air conditioner at 15.2 SEER to 15.9 SEER. After the rebate the typical price for a 3-ton central air conditioner is $6,450. Checked October 22, 2026. How to apply.
| Equipment | Minimum efficiency | Rebate |
|---|---|---|
| Central air conditioning | 15.2 SEER to 15.9 SEER | $150 per ton |
| Central air conditioning | 16 SEER or greater | $250 per ton |
| Electric heat pump | 15.2 SEER or greater | $750 per ton |
Every Program a Riverside Homeowner Can Use
- Federal 25C credit gives no credit for a 2026 install. Ended.
- Heat Pump and Air Conditioning Rebates pay up to $750 per ton. Open now.
- HEEHRA Phase I pays up to $8,000 per single-family household. Closed for 2026.
- San Fernando Valley Incentives pays up to $4,500 per single-family project. Open now.
- Single Family Heat Pump HVAC Incentives pays up to $1,000 per outdoor unit. Closed for 2026.
What It Costs
All 7 systems, low to high
| System | Low | Typical | High | Range drawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central AC and gas furnace | ||||
| Central AC only, 3 ton 16 SEER | $4,150 | $6,900 | $9,700 | |
| Gas furnace only, 80,000 BTU 95% AFUE | $3,750 | $4,050 | $4,800 | |
| Heat pump, ducted | ||||
| 2-ton heat pump 15 SEER | $6,500 | $11,750 | $17,000 | |
| 3-ton heat pump 15 SEER | $7,450 | $13,350 | $19,250 | |
| 4-ton heat pump 15 SEER | $8,400 | $14,950 | $21,500 | |
| 5-ton heat pump 15 SEER | $9,400 | $16,550 | $23,700 | |
| Mini-split | ||||
| Mini-split, one zone, 12,000 BTU 20 SEER | $4,500 | $7,500 | $10,500 | |
Sources today: public baseline: NREL National Residential Efficiency Measures Database, 2024 release (read via hvacbase.org, 2026-10-19). Two more sources join as they arrive: Verified contractor ranges and homeowner-reported quotes. 2023 dollars, national. No metro factor is applied in this version. This city publishes no machine-readable permit feed, so no permit facts print. How prices are made.
Common Questions
How much does a 3-ton central air conditioner cost installed in Riverside?
The installed range is $4,150 to $9,700, with a typical price of $6,900. This is the national public baseline in 2023 dollars. After the rebate the typical price for a 3-ton central air conditioner is $6,450.
What does the Riverside Public Utilities central air conditioner rebate pay in 2026?
$150 per ton at 15.2 SEER to 15.9 SEER, through Heat Pump and Air Conditioning Rebates. Open. This public benefit program offers rebates to residential electric customers. Program is subject to fund availability and may be cancelled at any time.
Is there a federal tax credit for a 3-ton central air conditioner in 2026?
The IRS allows the credit for property placed in service before December 31, 2025. A heat pump installed in 2026 gets no federal credit. The utility rebate is the money on the table in 2026.
What do the other systems cost in Riverside?
A gas furnace runs $3,750 to $4,800, typical $4,050. A 3-ton heat pump runs $7,450 to $19,250, typical $13,350. A one-zone mini-split runs $4,500 to $10,500, typical $7,500. Each range is installed, before rebates.
What size and efficiency does the central air conditioner range assume?
The range is for the table row "Central AC only, 3 ton" at 16 SEER. The table on this page lists 7 systems from low to high, each with its own size and efficiency.
Contractors in Riverside
A Verified contractor is one that published its terms here.
Range quarter 2026-Q4, updated October 22, 2026. Last change: First pages: furnace, AC and heat pump ranges from the public baseline, and the state programs read from each provider. Changelog. Source page: https://hvacvisit.com/california/riverside/ac-replacement-cost. Cite a range with a link to the page it is on. Do not republish a page, a table or a dataset in full.