Have you heard that Massachusetts homeowners may be able to add a federally funded heat pump rebate on top of the Mass Save incentives they already know? If you are pricing a cold-climate heat pump in the Commonwealth, the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates program (HEEHRA, also called HEAR) is the newest layer in that stack.
That said, HEEHRA is a federal allocation run by the state. Its timing, income math, and stacking rules differ from Mass Save in ways that matter on a five-figure project, and this guide covers the rebate caps, the income tiers, and how the two programs fit together.
HEEHRA in Massachusetts is a federally funded rebate administered by the state Department of Energy Resources (DOER). It covers up to $8,000 for a heat pump and up to $14,000 per household.
What Is HEEHRA, And Who Runs It In Massachusetts?
HEEHRA was created by Section 50122 of the Inflation Reduction Act and is funded through the U.S. Department of Energy, which allocated money to each state energy office. In Massachusetts, that office is the Department of Energy Resources, known as DOER.
Keep in mind that the federal statute sets the ceilings, while each state writes its own implementation plan. As a result, eligibility windows, contractor requirements, and launch dates differ from state to state, as our HEEHRA state-by-state status tracker shows.
Massachusetts also has a long-running, ratepayer-funded efficiency program in Mass Save. It is sponsored by the state's investor-owned gas and electric utilities and Cape Light Compact.
Accordingly, the HEEHRA question here is less about whether incentives exist and more about how a new federal layer fits on top of an established one. For readers comparing neighboring states, our Vermont heat pump rebates guide shows a different New England approach to the same problem.
HEEHRA Rebate Caps By Upgrade
The federal statute sets a cap for each type of upgrade, plus a ceiling for the whole household. Here is how those caps break down:
| Qualified upgrade | Federal HEEHRA cap | What it typically covers |
|---|---|---|
| Heat pump for space heating and cooling | Up to $8,000 | Ducted, ductless mini-split, or ground-source systems that meet program efficiency criteria |
| Heat pump water heater | Up to $1,750 | Replacing a gas, oil, or electric-resistance tank |
| Electrical panel or service upgrade | Up to $4,000 | Panel replacement or service capacity needed to support electric equipment |
| Electrical wiring | Up to $2,500 | New circuits and wiring tied to a qualified appliance |
| Insulation, air sealing, and ventilation | Up to $1,600 | Envelope work that reduces heating and cooling load |
| Electric stove, cooktop, range, or wall oven | Up to $840 | Replacing gas or propane cooking |
| Heat pump clothes dryer | Up to $840 | Ventless or vented heat pump dryers |
| Household maximum | $14,000 | Combined total across all upgrades |
Note that these are ceilings, not guaranteed amounts. The actual rebate is the lower of the cap or the share of project cost your income tier allows.
What's more, a household can only draw $14,000 in total across all upgrades. A ducted whole-home heat pump with a panel upgrade and new wiring adds up to $14,500 in combined caps ($8,000 + $4,000 + $2,500), so in that case the household limit is the number that controls.
The HEEHRA heat pump cap is $8,000, and the household cap across all upgrades is $14,000. A panel upgrade adds up to $4,000 and wiring up to $2,500, both within that household limit.
Income Tiers: How AMI Works In Massachusetts
HEEHRA measures income against area median income (AMI), which HUD publishes by county and metro area. Households at or below 80% of AMI can receive up to 100% of project cost, subject to the caps.
Households between 80% and 150% of AMI can receive up to 50% of project cost, also subject to the caps. Households above 150% of AMI are not eligible for HEEHRA, although they may still qualify for Mass Save's standard rebates.
For a step-by-step look at how household size and location shift these thresholds, see our HEEHRA income tiers explained guide. The same math applies in Massachusetts, but local AMI figures produce very different dollar cutoffs.
Massachusetts households at or below 80% of AMI can get up to 100% of project cost. Those between 80% and 150% of AMI can get up to 50%, and HEEHRA does not apply above 150%.
Why Massachusetts AMI Varies So Much
Area median income in the Boston metro area is much higher than in many western Massachusetts counties. As a result, the same household income can fall into different HEEHRA tiers depending on where the home is.
For instance, a family earning a given salary in Middlesex County may land in the 80%–150% tier. The same family with the same income in Berkshire or Hampden County could land above 150% and fall outside the program entirely, or the reverse, depending on the HUD figures for that year.
Be aware that DOER sets its own rules for proving income. Federal program guidance allows states to accept enrollment in programs such as SNAP, LIHEAP, or Medicaid as proof of low income, so check DOER's final documentation list before you assemble paperwork.
How HEEHRA Interacts With Mass Save
Mass Save is funded through an energy efficiency charge on utility bills, not federal appropriations. That difference matters: federal rules bar combining HEEHRA with another federal grant for the same upgrade, but they do not bar pairing it with state or utility incentives.
In practice, a Massachusetts heat pump project may draw on Mass Save rebates, the Mass Save HEAT Loan, and HEEHRA at once, as long as the combined incentives do not exceed the project's cost. That said, DOER and the program administrators decide which program applies first and who files the paperwork, not the homeowner.
Two Different Income Yardsticks
Mass Save's income-eligible and moderate-income offers are tied to state median income (SMI), not HUD's area median income. Households at or below 60% of SMI have historically qualified for no-cost upgrades through local Community Action agencies, while households between 61% and 80% of SMI have qualified for enhanced moderate-income rebates.
Because SMI is one statewide figure and AMI is local, a household can count as moderate income under one program and low income under the other. This is why it pays to run both calculations before assuming which tier applies.
Here is how the two programs compare side by side:
| Feature | HEEHRA (Massachusetts) | Mass Save |
|---|---|---|
| Funding source | Federal Inflation Reduction Act allocation through DOE | Ratepayer energy efficiency charge |
| Administrator | Massachusetts DOER | Investor-owned utilities and Cape Light Compact |
| Income measure | Area median income (AMI) | State median income (SMI) |
| Higher-income households | Not eligible above 150% of AMI | Standard rebates generally available regardless of income |
| Funding duration | Fixed allocation; ends when spent | Renewed through three-year efficiency plans |
| Financing | Rebate only | HEAT Loan, 0% interest for qualifying projects |
Overall, Mass Save is the steady, long-running layer and HEEHRA is a limited federal supplement on top of it. For a broader framework on ordering incentives, our rebate stacking guide covers how multiple programs interact on one invoice.
Generally, yes. Mass Save is ratepayer-funded, not federal, so it can stack with HEEHRA on the same heat pump as long as total incentives do not exceed the project's cost.
Utility Territory Still Matters
Mass Save offers are delivered through your gas or electric utility, so the administrator you deal with depends on your service territory. Eversource customers, for example, can review territory details in our Eversource rebates guide.
Keep in mind that municipal light plant customers (in towns served by a municipal utility) are generally not covered by Mass Save. Many municipal utilities run their own heat pump rebates, and HEEHRA eligibility for those households depends on DOER's rules, not utility membership.
A Worked Example (Illustrative Only)
Consider a hypothetical household in Worcester County with income at 70% of AMI, installing a ducted cold-climate heat pump quoted at $22,000. Under HEEHRA, that household could be eligible for up to 100% of cost, capped at $8,000 for the heat pump.
If the same household also qualifies for a Mass Save rebate on that system, that amount would further reduce the out-of-pocket cost. The Mass Save HEAT Loan could then finance the remaining balance, subject to its terms at the time of application.
Now consider a second hypothetical household at 120% of AMI with the same $22,000 quote. HEEHRA would cover up to 50% of cost, but the $8,000 heat pump cap would still limit the rebate well below half of the quote.
Note on figures. The household incomes and quotes above are placeholders that show the order of operations, not verified rebate amounts. Mass Save revises its rebate schedule with each three-year plan, so the current offer sheet and DOER's published program terms are the only reliable sources.
For context on what a realistic quote looks like before any incentives, see our breakdown of heat pump installation costs. A higher quote does not necessarily mean a larger rebate, because the caps apply regardless of project size.
What The Federal Tax Credit Expiration Means
The federal 25C credit, which had offered up to $2,000 for a qualifying heat pump, ended for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. The federal residential clean energy credit (25D), which covered solar and geothermal, ended on the same date.
As a result, Massachusetts households planning a 2026 install cannot count on a federal tax credit. HEEHRA, Mass Save, and any municipal or state-level programs now carry the incentive load, as tracked on our federal tax credit status page.
No. The federal 25C heat pump credit ended for equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025. In Massachusetts, HEEHRA and Mass Save are now the main incentive layers.
Equipment And Installation Requirements To Plan Around
Rebate eligibility depends on the equipment and the installation as well as household income. Massachusetts winters in eastern counties regularly reach single-digit design temperatures, and interior and western areas run colder, so equipment selection matters for both comfort and eligibility.
Here are the items most likely to affect whether a project qualifies and performs as expected:
- A Manual J load calculation. An ACCA Manual J calculation sizes the system to the home's actual heat loss rather than square footage. Our cold-climate heat pump sizing guide and the heat pump calculator show how the inputs affect tonnage.
- Cold-climate equipment. Mass Save has generally required heat pumps listed on the NEEP cold-climate air-source heat pump list, and federal HEEHRA guidance ties eligible heat pumps to ENERGY STAR certification. Check the AHRI certificate for SEER2 and HSPF2 ratings before you sign.
- Backup heat strategy. Many Massachusetts installs keep an existing boiler or furnace, or add electric-resistance strips, for the coldest hours. Our heat pump backup heat guide covers how that choice affects operating cost and program rules.
- Panel and service capacity. Older homes on 100-amp service may need an upgrade, which HEEHRA can cover up to $4,000. Our heat pump panel capacity guide explains how to tell whether yours is enough.
- Commissioning documentation. Rebate files often require proof of proper installation, including refrigerant charge verification. See our refrigerant charge and commissioning guide for what a complete record includes.
All of these items affect both eligibility and long-term performance. A correctly sized, properly commissioned system is easier to get through a rebate review and less likely to short-cycle in shoulder seasons.
Additionally, households replacing an oil or electric-resistance water heater may want to price a heat pump water heater at the same time. HEEHRA's $1,750 water heater cap counts toward the same $14,000 household ceiling, so planning both upgrades together shows how much room is left.
Where Massachusetts Stands On Launch
Before you build a project budget around HEEHRA, confirm the program's current status directly with DOER. State rollouts have moved on different timelines, and federal guidance has changed since the program was first announced in 2024.
Remember that HEEHRA is a fixed allocation, not an ongoing program. Once Massachusetts spends its share, rebates end unless new funding is appropriated, which is a key difference from the Mass Save plan cycle.
Check DOER directly. State HEEHRA rollouts have moved on different timelines and funding is limited, so eligibility windows and contractor enrollment depend on DOER's current program status.
Our HEEHRA guide hub collects every state deep dive we have published. Comparing Massachusetts with states such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania shows how differently states have set up contractor enrollment and income verification.
A Decision Rule By Project Phase
The right next step depends on where you are in the process. Here is how the information above applies at each phase:
- Pre-purchase. Calculate your household income against both the local AMI figure and the statewide SMI figure, and ask for a Manual J load calculation with every quote. Confirm DOER's current HEEHRA status and ask each contractor whether they are enrolled with both HEEHRA and Mass Save.
- Mid-application. Keep income documentation, quotes, and equipment model numbers in one file. If a program requires pre-approval, installing before approval can forfeit the rebate, so confirm the sequence in writing.
- Post-install. Collect the AHRI certificate, commissioning records, and final invoice showing each incentive applied. These documents support any later audit and make it easier to reconcile what each program actually paid.
Overall, the household that runs both income calculations early and confirms program status before signing is in the best position to use every layer available. The household that skips those steps risks assuming a tier or rebate that does not apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a landlord use HEEHRA for a rental property in Massachusetts?
Under the federal statute, landlords can apply for units occupied by income-eligible tenants. Multifamily buildings qualify when at least half of the households fall at or below 150% of AMI, though DOER sets the documentation rules.
Do HEEHRA and Mass Save use the same contractors?
Not automatically. Each program keeps its own contractor requirements, so a Mass Save participating contractor is not necessarily enrolled for HEEHRA. Ask each contractor which programs they can file on your behalf.
Can HEEHRA be combined with the federal HOMES rebate?
Federal rules bar using HEEHRA and the HOMES performance-based rebate for the same upgrade. A household may be able to use each program on different upgrades, depending on how DOER structures both programs.
Does a heat pump have to replace my existing boiler to qualify?
HEEHRA does not require removing fossil-fuel equipment by statute, but program rules and Mass Save offers can vary based on whether the heat pump is the primary heat source. Confirm the current requirement before choosing a backup strategy.
Planning Your Massachusetts Heat Pump Project
Massachusetts households have more incentive layers available than most, and that also makes the decisions more complicated. Running both income calculations, getting a proper load calculation, and confirming DOER's status before signing a contract are the steps that make the difference.
To see how HEEHRA fits alongside every other program, start with our HEEHRA state guide hub. Then compare quotes with a clear view of which rebates apply to your home.
This article is for informational purposes and is not financial / tax / legal / medical advice. Consult a licensed professional (CPA, elder-law attorney, HVAC contractor, state Medicaid office) before acting.