NH HEAR Rebates and Income Limits (Energy Saver NH)
New Hampshire's HEAR program is called Energy Saver NH. It is intended to provide upfront Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates for income-eligible households. Use the local income tables below to find the figures for your household size and location, then review rebate limits and launch updates.
Energy Saver NH is targeting a launch in Q4 2026 (October through December). That timing is not guaranteed. Rebates are not available yet, and no opening date has been confirmed.
Income limits depend on your household and location
Your household size and where you live determine which area median income (AMI) limit applies. Use the location groups below to find the figures for your town or county.
The tables show 2026 annual household-income limits, not rebate amounts. The 80% and 150% columns refer to area median income (AMI), not the share of project costs a rebate covers.
These are geographic income groups, not a list of towns where rebates are currently available. These groups cover all 10 New Hampshire counties. Figures are shown for two- and four-person households.
Two-person households
| Location group | 80% AMI | 150% AMI |
|---|---|---|
| Belknap County | $75,050 | $140,800 |
| Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton and Sullivan counties | Pending | $132,600 |
| Bedford, Manchester, Goffstown and Weare | $78,600 | $147,400 |
| Nashua-area towns listed below, including Merrimack | $83,400 | $176,200 |
| Other Hillsborough County municipalities | $77,650 | $145,600 |
| Merrimack County | $79,300 | $148,700 |
| Rockingham group A, including Derry, Salem and Windham | $83,400 | $169,600 |
| Rockingham group B, including Auburn and Londonderry | $83,400 | $182,400 |
| Seabrook and South Hampton | $105,850 | $198,500 |
| Other Rockingham County municipalities, including Portsmouth | $83,400 | $168,600 |
| Strafford County | $83,400 | $168,600 |
Four-person households
| Location group | 80% AMI | 150% AMI |
|---|---|---|
| Belknap County | $93,800 | $175,950 |
| Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton and Sullivan counties | $88,400 | $165,750 |
| Bedford, Manchester, Goffstown and Weare | $98,250 | $184,200 |
| Nashua-area towns listed below, including Merrimack | $104,200 | $220,200 |
| Other Hillsborough County municipalities | $97,050 | $181,950 |
| Merrimack County | $99,100 | $185,850 |
| Rockingham group A, including Derry, Salem and Windham | $104,200 | $211,950 |
| Rockingham group B, including Auburn and Londonderry | $104,200 | $228,000 |
| Seabrook and South Hampton | $132,300 | $248,100 |
| Other Rockingham County municipalities, including Portsmouth | $104,200 | $210,750 |
| Strafford County | $104,200 | $210,750 |
The Nashua-area group includes Amherst, Brookline, Greenville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Mason, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, New Ipswich, Pelham and Wilton.
Rockingham group A includes Atkinson, Chester, Danville, Derry, Fremont, Hampstead, Kingston, Newton, Plaistow, Raymond, Salem, Sandown and Windham. Group B includes Auburn, Candia, Deerfield, Londonderry, Northwood and Nottingham. These group labels are used here for readability, not as official program names.
Merrimack the town and Merrimack County use different rows. Also, a two-person household and a four-person household have different limits. For other household sizes, use the full program table rather than estimating between these examples.
Income eligibility is only one part of the process. The proposed equipment, existing system and final program requirements also need to be checked. Being below a listed threshold does not by itself establish eligibility or guarantee a rebate.
What is Energy Saver NH?
Energy Saver NH is New Hampshire's Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) program. The NH Department of Energy runs the program, and Everblue serves as its implementer. It is intended to provide upfront rebates for income-eligible households.
Energy Saver NH has more than $27 million allocated for household HEAR rebates and is expected to run through September 2031. Individual projects will still need to meet the program's eligibility, approval and funding requirements.
How the upfront rebate would work
Once the program opens and a project is approved, a qualified contractor would apply the approved rebate directly to the customer's invoice. The program would then reimburse the contractor. Confirm the required application, approval and installation sequence before scheduling work if the rebate is essential to your budget.
Maximum rebates by improvement
The maximum total rebate is $14,000 per household, across eligible improvements. Each product also has its own cap. Your approved amount will depend on household eligibility, eligible project costs and final program requirements.
| Eligible upgrade | Rebate cap | New build? |
|---|---|---|
| ENERGY STAR heat pump for space heating and cooling | Up to $8,000 | Yes |
| ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater | Up to $1,750 | Yes |
| Electrical panel (load service center) | Up to $4,000 | No |
| Electrical wiring | Up to $2,500 | No |
| Insulation, air sealing and ventilation | Up to $1,600 | No |
| ENERGY STAR heat pump clothes dryer or combination washer/dryer | Up to $840 | Yes |
| ENERGY STAR electric stove, cooktop or range | Up to $840 | Yes |
The new build column identifies product categories eligible in a newly built home. It does not establish that a particular household or project qualifies. ENERGY STAR qualification applies to the appliance rows shown above.
Can HEAR and NHSaves incentives be combined?
Yes, when the customer and project qualify for both programs. Follow these steps when combining the programs:
- Confirm contractor participation. The HEAR work must be through a contractor enrolled in the HEAR Qualified Contractor Network, or a subcontractor working for an enrolled general contractor. Confirm enrollment and project eligibility before scheduling work.
- Check the equipment and project scope. For a heat pump, check the NHSaves Heat Pump Qualified Product List and the applicable HEAR equipment requirements. The estimated NHSaves rebate must be included in the HEAR project scope.
- Use the correct incentive path. HEAR and the New England Heat Pump Accelerator cannot cover the same equipment. They may support different equipment in the same home, subject to program approval and the federal restriction against combining grants for the same qualified electrification project.
- Apply for NHSaves after installation. The customer can apply for the eligible NHSaves rebate after the installation, with contractor help as needed. The approved HEAR rebate would be applied directly to the contractor's invoice as described above.
Confirm eligibility for each incentive and the required approvals before committing to work. NHSaves point-of-sale and post-install rebates cannot both be claimed for the same equipment, and total incentives cannot exceed eligible project costs. HEAR network enrollment and project approval must be confirmed before work begins.
Can a household above 80% AMI receive the full $8,000?
Yes, potentially. For a qualifying household in the moderate-income tier, the rebate can cover up to 50% of approved eligible project costs, subject to the $8,000 heat pump cap. A $16,000 eligible heat pump installation could therefore qualify for an $8,000 rebate: $16,000 × 50% = $8,000. The 50% limit applies to eligible project costs, not to the $8,000 rebate cap.
This tier applies to households at or above 80% and below 150% of area median income. A larger contract total does not make unrelated work eligible. Household income, equipment, approved costs, remaining program limits, funding and project pre-approval still determine the award.
Should you wait for the program to open?
It depends on your situation. If your system is working reliably and your schedule is flexible, there may be time to review the program once final instructions are available. If your equipment has failed or needs expensive repairs, ask us to compare your options before putting a needed replacement on hold.
Do not assume work completed before the required approval can receive a rebate later. Confirm the application and installation sequence before proceeding if the rebate is essential to your budget.
Our guide to deciding whether to wait for NH HEAR rebates explains the questions to ask. You can also review our New Hampshire heating and cooling rebates page for other programs to discuss with our team.
Discuss your home and rebate options
A.J. LeBlanc Heating will be a qualified contractor for Energy Saver NH when the program launches. Our goal is to help you make a decision that fits your home, your equipment and your budget. We will explain what has been confirmed and what still needs approval, without treating a possible rebate as a guaranteed discount.
Learn about our heat pump installation services, or contact A.J. LeBlanc Heating at 603-623-0412 to discuss your project.