Do I Qualify
- Existing single-family homes qualify. The home must not have had a natural gas utility account before the upgrade.
- Use an Efficiency Maine Residential Registered Vendor and eligible equipment.
- Low-income eligibility requires verified MaineCare, HEAP, SNAP or TANF participation. The home must be the owner's principal residence.
- Moderate-income limits are adjusted gross income up to $70,000 for individual filers or $100,000 for joint filers. The home must be the owner's principal residence.
- For the ducted track, remove all forced-air furnaces during the upgrade.
- For the other whole-home track, new and existing heat pumps must cover at least 80% of peak heating load. Heat pumps and permitted supplemental heat must cover the full load.
- For the other whole-home track, reserve any furnace or boiler for emergency backup.
- Multi-zone equipment and dual-fuel heat pump/furnace systems do not earn these equipment rebates.
How Much Comes Off
| Equipment | Requirement | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ducted whole-home heat pumps — any income | Rebate-eligible ducted heat pumps sized for at least 100% of the home's peak heating load. | $3,000 per housing unit |
| Ducted whole-home heat pumps — moderate income | Verified moderate income; rebate-eligible ducted heat pumps sized for at least 100% of the home's peak heating load. | $6,000 per housing unit |
| Ducted whole-home heat pumps — low income | Verified low income; rebate-eligible ducted heat pumps sized for at least 100% of the home's peak heating load. | $9,000 per housing unit |
| Single-zone heat pumps — any income | Single-zone heat pumps on Efficiency Maine's eligible list. | $1,000 per rebate-eligible outdoor unit |
| Single-zone heat pumps — moderate income | Verified moderate income; single-zone heat pumps on Efficiency Maine's eligible list. | $2,000 per rebate-eligible outdoor unit |
| Single-zone heat pumps — low income | Verified low income; single-zone heat pumps on Efficiency Maine's eligible list. | $3,000 per rebate-eligible outdoor unit |
| Limited Time Offer | Upgrade completed and claim emailed or postmarked between March 1 and December 31, 2026, inclusive. | $500 per housing unit |
Who Files It
The homeowner and Registered Vendor sign the claim. Payment may go to either. Low-income rebates are sent to the vendor.
The provider pays either the contractor or the homeowner.
The Steps to Apply
- Verify income eligibility before claiming an enhanced rebate. Verify eligibility.
- Hire a Residential Registered Vendor and complete the eligible installation.
- Submit the appropriate signed claim, sizing worksheet and project-cost documents within six months of completion.
- Meet the earlier calendar-year submission deadline to receive the limited-time bonus.
Read on October 22, 2026 from the Efficiency Maine page. A change to this program is a dated line in the changelog.