DC deadlines
- Dec 31, 2026
Ending DC BEPS Cycle 1 ends
The first compliance cycle of the DC Building Energy Performance Standards ends Dec 31, 2026. Date: Dec 31, 2026.
- Ended
Ended Federal heat pump tax credits (25C and 25D)
The federal 25C and 25D credits ended Dec 31, 2025. They are not available for a 2026 install.
How DC rebates work
DC homes do not go through a utility rebate program the way Maryland homes do. Heat pump rebates in the District run through the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU). Income-qualified households can also get electrification at no cost through the Affordable Home Electrification Program (AHEP).
DCSEU heat pump rebates
Up to $5,000 DCSEU rebate for switching from gas to a heat pump, Most Efficient tier
$750 to $1,600 DCSEU heat pump water heater rebate
$2,000 DCSEU electrical panel heavy-up rebate
A heat pump often needs more electrical capacity than a gas furnace did. Ask your installer whether your panel needs a heavy-up before you sign, because that rebate is separate from the equipment rebate.
AHEP: no-cost electrification for qualifying households
No cost Affordable Home Electrification Program, for qualifying households
AHEP is income-qualified. If your household qualifies, start there before paying for any equipment, then use DCSEU rebates for anything AHEP does not cover.
Federal tax credits ended Dec 31, 2025
The federal 25C and 25D credits ended Dec 31, 2025. They are not available for a heat pump installed in 2026. DC money for a 2026 install comes from DCSEU and AHEP.
Ended Dec 31, 2025 Federal 25C and 25D credits
Fix the house first. Then size the heat pump.
Most bad heat pump installs skip the first three steps and sell the biggest unit that fits the slab. The house stays leaky, the oversized unit short-cycles, rooms stay uneven and the bill stays high. Follow the order and the heat pump can be smaller, cheaper and quieter, and in DC the largest rebates are built around this same order.
Measure: blower door test and energy audit
A fan sealed into the front door measures how much air the house leaks. The audit also checks insulation, ducts and equipment. No blower door test, no baseline. No baseline, no honest quote.
Seal: air sealing
Seal what the test found: attic hatches, plumbing and wiring holes, duct joints, rim joists. Seal before you insulate, because insulation does not stop moving air.
Insulate
With the leaks closed, top up attic and wall insulation. The envelope sets the load the heat pump has to meet.
Size, then install: Manual J
Only now can a Manual J load calculation say how much heating and cooling each room needs. Size to the measured house, not to the old furnace's nameplate.
Want the long version? Read why air sealing comes before insulation and how a Manual J load calculation sizes a heat pump.
DC BEPS: Cycle 1 ends Dec 31, 2026
The DC Building Energy Performance Standards apply to large buildings, not single-family homes. Owners and managers of covered buildings must meet the standard for their building type each cycle or complete the energy actions DOEE accepts.
Dec 31, 2026 DC BEPS Cycle 1 ends
Where to go next
Not sure which of these programs fits your house? The 60-Second Rebate Finder asks four questions and returns your utility's programs with the deadline that applies to you.
Live near a line? Rebates follow the utility, so a home across the border plays by different rules: see Maryland heat pump rebates and Northern Virginia heat pump rebates, or compare all three on the DMV rebate hub with every deadline counted down.
Ready to find someone who measures before they quote? Browse Washington, DC heat pump installers in the directory, part of the DMV heat pump directory that starts with a blower door test, not a sales pitch.