Everything about the rebates below is from BED's heat pumps page, read 23 October 2026. All listed offers are valid through 31 December 2026, and BED "may change or end offers at any time".
The 2026 amounts
| System | BED online rebate | Contractor discount at sale | Income-qualified bonus | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini-split, up to 2 tons | $2,100 | (Contractor may get $350 to $450 from BED) | +$400 or +$500 | 2 per household |
| Mini-split, over 2 tons | $2,500 | (as above) | +$400 or +$500 | 2 per household |
| Ducted, standard, up to 2 tons | None | $1,000 | +$500 per condenser | |
| Ducted, standard, over 2 to 4 tons | None | $1,500 | +$500 per condenser | |
| Ducted, standard, over 4 tons | None | $2,000 | +$500 per condenser | |
| Ducted, high performance, up to 2 tons | $1,350 | $1,000 | +$500 per condenser | 1 per household |
| Ducted, high performance, over 2 to 4 tons | $3,950 | $1,500 | +$500 per condenser | 1 per household |
| Ducted, high performance, over 4 tons | $5,450 | $2,000 | +$500 per condenser | 1 per household |
| Air-to-water | $2,000 per ton, up to $12,000 | +$400 |
All rebates together (contractor discount, BED rebate and bonus) are capped at 75% of the cost. High-performance ducted systems need the contractor to set the crossover temperature to 15°F and write it on the quote or invoice. BED also warns gas customers that a mini-split will likely raise annual heating costs, and a ducted system may not lower them, though both cut emissions.
Who can claim, and how
- Customers. BED residential and small-business accounts in existing buildings. New construction has separate offers; garages and small auxiliary spaces need BED approval, as do seasonal homes.
- Equipment. On the Qualified Product List and bought through participating local professionals and HVAC distributors. Equipment you source yourself is not eligible.
- Installer. BED's preferred installers are members of Vermont's Efficiency Excellence Network, and contractors "must secure permits from Burlington's Permitting and Inspections Department."
- Deadline. Online form within 90 days of installation, with your BED account number and a paid-in-full invoice.
- Taxes. Over $600 in BED rebates in a calendar year may need a W-9.
- Financing. Credit-union loans (EastRise, Vermont Federal Credit Union) and the WRAP on-bill repayment program are listed on the page.
Get the quote to state tonnage, the model number as listed on the Qualified Product List, whether it is the standard or high-performance tier, and, for ducted high-performance, the 15°F crossover setting. Those four lines decide which row of the table you get.
What Burlington's heat pump permits show
| Measure | Burlington heat pumps |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 585 |
| Firms | 78 |
| Usual filed value | $1,600 |
| Reached final (permits a year or more old) | 82.4% |
| Usual days from issue to final | 70 |
| Share held by the busiest firm / five busiest | 26.5% / 61.0% |
| Firms with 10+ permits | 9 |
| Busiest / quietest month | October (178) / February (57) |
The usual filed value, $1,600, is below a single mini-split rebate, so treat it as the value written on the permit, not the installed price, and do not use it as a quote. The market is concentrated: the busiest firm, New England Electric, filed 26.5% of the permits, and the five busiest 61.0%. Filing peaks in October and is quietest in February. Finished shares among busy firms run from 49.2% to 96.8%.
Compare Burlington heat pump installers by permit record →
Electrical permit rules: Burlington electrical permit. Look up a past permit: Burlington building permit search. Costs: Burlington heat pump cost and Burlington home improvement costs. What the equipment does: what is a heat pump. EV chargers have their own BED rebate: Burlington EV charger rebate.
What this does not tell you
We cannot tell which permits received a BED rebate or which systems were ducted. Burlington has no license data in our file, so our pages cannot show license status; ask the installer for proof of Efficiency Excellence Network membership and their Vermont electrical license. Our data is the City of Burlington only.
How we know this
Rebate amounts, caps, eligibility and the permit requirement are from Burlington Electric Department's heat pumps page (2026 offers, valid through 31 December 2026), read 23 October 2026. Permit counts are City of Burlington, Vermont permits classified as heat pump installations on homes, October 2023 to September 2026; finished share uses permits a year or more old, and days to final is the median from issue to final.
Numbers come from City of Burlington permits on 1–4 family homes, condos and mobile homes (the city's OpenGov permit feed), data through October 20, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- How much is the Burlington Electric rebate for a mini-split?
$2,100 for a system up to 2 tons (24,000 Btu/hr) and $2,500 over 2 tons, plus $400 or $500 more for income-qualifying customers. The installer may also get $350 to $450 from BED, which counts toward the 75% cap. Limit two per household (BED, 2026 offers, read 23 October 2026).
- What is BED's rebate for a ducted heat pump?
Standard-performance ducted systems get a point-of-sale discount from the contractor of $1,000, $1,500 or $2,000 by size, and no online rebate. High-performance ducted systems add an online rebate of $1,350 (up to 2 tons), $3,950 (over 2 to 4 tons) or $5,450 (over 4 tons); the contractor must set the crossover temperature to 15°F and note it on the quote or invoice.
- How long do I have to apply for a BED heat pump rebate?
90 days from installation, using BED's online form, with your BED account number and a paid-in-full invoice. The 2026 offers run through 31 December 2026, and BED can change or end them without notice.
- Does my heat pump installer need a permit in Burlington?
Yes. BED's page says contractors must secure permits from Burlington's Permitting and Inspections Department. The usual heat pump permit in our data reached its final 70 days after issue.
- Can I buy the heat pump myself and claim the rebate?
No. Equipment must be on the Qualified Product List and bought through local participating professionals and HVAC distributors; customer-sourced equipment is not eligible.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Burlington, VT building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Burlington, VT contractor license lookup: OPR registration, electrician and plumber licenses, and the permits
- Home improvement costs in Burlington, VT (2026): what 7 kinds of jobs were filed at
- What is a heat pump? How it differs from an AC and a furnace, and what Seattle filed
For one city
- Heat Pumps — Burlington Electric Department (accessed 2026-10-23)