Georgia Energy Rebates: What's Actually Open in 2026
Georgia's rebate landscape changed hard this year, and most pages haven't caught up: the state's HEAR program — the one paying up to $8,000 on heat pumps — stopped accepting applications on August 14, 2026 and hasn't announced a return. Meanwhile its sibling program HER is still open at up to $16,000 per home, Georgia Power's improvement rebates are running, and Atlanta Gas Light pays up to $1,000 on furnaces. Knowing which door is open — and in what order to walk through it — is the whole game now.
The big one still open: Georgia's Home Efficiency Rebates (HER)
Run by the state through GEFA, HER pays for whole-home efficiency projects on a sliding scale: households under 80% of area median income can get up to 98% of project costs covered (capped at $10,000–$16,000 depending on modeled energy savings), and higher-income households up to 50% (capped at $2,000–$4,000). Two rules make or break it: the project must go through a program-approved contractor, and the application goes in through the state's portal before the work starts. This is not a mail-in-the-receipt rebate — it's an apply-first program, which is exactly where most homeowners stumble.
What just closed — and what it teaches
HEAR (electrification rebates: up to $8,000 heat pumps, $1,750 heat pump water heaters for income-qualified homes) paused all new applications August 14, 2026, after the state issued more than $50 million. If a contractor is still quoting you HEAR money, that's stale information. The lesson is the same one Georgia Power's 60-day filing window and AGL's 45-day window teach: rebate money is a race — budgets run out and windows close, and the homeowners who get paid are the ones whose eligibility, contractor and paperwork were lined up before installation.
How "no extra cost" works
Most Georgia homeowners finance the upgrade. When monthly energy savings meet or beat the financing payment, the upgrade pays for itself — the rebate is on top. In Atlanta's climate, heat pumps do both jobs (summer cooling, winter heat), which is why every program above pushes them hardest. Projections use Department of Energy averages for your home and region.
Published utility programs in Georgia
Current offers in our source set, with direct links to the utility running each program.
The Georgia state rebate program
Funding and launch status for the state-administered HOMES and HEAR programs.
Source: US DOE, IRA Home Energy Rebates State Allocations (updated May 23, 2024)
Home Efficiency Rebates (HER, whole-home, up to $16,000) remain open. Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) stopped accepting new applications on August 14, 2026 with no announced return date.
Administered by Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), Division of Energy Resources.
Find programs for your Georgia home
Georgia rebate questions
Can I still get a federal tax credit in Georgia?
No. 25C and 25D were both repealed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. Anything installed in Georgia in 2026 earns no federal residential energy credit. Work finished on or before that date can still be claimed.
Is the $8,000 Georgia heat pump rebate still available?
No — that was HEAR, and it paused all new applications on August 14, 2026 with no announced return date. HER (up to $16,000 for whole-home projects) is still open.
Do I have to apply before installation?
For the state HER program, yes — approved contractor and portal application first. Georgia Power and AGL are post-install filings, but with strict windows (60 and 45 days).
Does it matter which gas company bills me?
No — Atlanta Gas Light pays the gas rebates regardless of your marketer (Gas South, GNG, SCANA and the rest sell the gas; AGL owns the pipes and the rebate budget).
Does checking eligibility affect my credit?
No. A soft check may be used for financing prequalification only — it never touches your score.
Is this a government program?
Upgrade Rebates is a rebate database and contractor-connection service. The rebates come from utilities and state programs; we track them and handle qualification.
What utility programs are listed for Georgia?
This guide includes 26 published measures from 6 Georgia utilities, with a direct link to each official program.