How to Apply for the CleanBC Heat Pump Rebate: A Step-by-Step Guide

We're not going to sugarcoat this: the CleanBC heat pump rebate process is complicated. Two different programs, income verification, pre-registration with wait times, specific contractor requirements, a stack of documents, and multiple deadlines — some of which will disqualify you entirely if you miss them.

The pattern is predictable: homeowners find out about the rebates, get excited about the numbers, then get lost in the logistics. Miss one step and you could lose thousands of dollars.

So here's the full process, both paths, step by step. Bookmark this one.

Before You Start: Which Program Are You In?

Before you do anything else, you need to figure out which of BC's two rebate programs applies to you. They have different rules, different application processes, and different timelines.

The Energy Savings Program (ESP) is for homeowners switching from gas, oil, or propane heating to a heat pump. It's income-qualified, meaning your rebate amount depends on your household income. Electric heating homeowners who meet the income thresholds can also qualify. ESP rebates go up to $16,000 for the lowest income tier — and the contractor deducts the rebate from your invoice, so you never pay the full amount out of pocket.

The Home Renovation Rebate (HRR) is for homeowners switching from electric heating (baseboard, electric furnace) who don't qualify for ESP or whose income is above the ESP thresholds. No income qualification needed. The rebate is $4,000 for a whole-home (ducted) system or $2,000 for a partial (ductless) system.

Quick rules of thumb:

• Gas, oil, or propane heating → ESP
• Electric heating + income-qualified → probably ESP
• Electric heating + higher income → HRR

For a detailed comparison, see our ESP vs. HRR breakdown. Or just run our calculator — it figures out which program you're in automatically.

The ESP Path (Step by Step)

If you're going through the Energy Savings Program, here's exactly what happens, in order. The order matters — step 4 is where most people get disqualified.

Step 1: Register with HomeSave (If You're in the RDCK)

If you live in the Regional District of Central Kootenay — Nelson, Castlegar, Trail, Rossland, or surrounding areas — start by registering with HomeSave Central Kootenays. This performance-based rebate program stacks up to $5,000 on top of your ESP rebate. For the full details on how this stacking works, see our HomeSave stacking guide.

HomeSave needs to establish your home's pre-retrofit energy baseline before any work starts. Skip this step and install the heat pump first, and you lose HomeSave eligibility entirely.

Registration takes about 10 minutes. Do it first.

Step 2: Gather Your Documents

Before you pre-register for ESP, pull together:

• CRA Notice of Assessment (NOA) — most recent tax year, for every adult in the household. This determines your income tier.
• Utility account number — for Nelson Hydro customers, this is your Nelson Hydro account number.
• BC Assessment property value — your most recent assessed value. ESP Levels 1 and 2 require a property value at or below $1,230,000.

For the full breakdown of how income tiers work and what each level gets you, see our income requirements guide.

Step 3: Pre-Register at BCEnergySavingsProgram.ca

Go to BCEnergySavingsProgram.ca and complete the pre-registration form. You'll enter your household income, property value, utility info, and household size. The system uses this to determine your income tier (Level 1, 2, or 3) and your rebate amount.

This takes about 20 minutes. Be accurate — if the numbers on your NOA don't match what you enter, it will delay your approval.

Step 4: Wait for Your Eligibility Code

After pre-registration, you'll receive a unique eligibility code. This typically takes 7 to 20 days.

DO NOT let any contractor start work — or even order equipment — before your eligibility code arrives.

This is the number one reason people get disqualified from ESP. The program requires that your code is issued before any work begins or equipment is purchased. No exceptions. No appeals process. If a contractor tells you "it'll be fine, we can start while you wait" — find a different contractor.

Your eligibility code is valid for 6 months from the date it's issued.

Step 5: Find an ESP Registered Contractor

Your contractor must be specifically registered with the ESP program — not just HPCN-registered. How to find a rebate-approved installer → These are different registrations. An ESP-registered contractor has been trained on the program's requirements and submits the rebate on your behalf.

The contractor will do a site visit, perform an F280 heat load calculation (this determines the right size of heat pump for your home), and provide a detailed quote.

Step 6: Approve the Quote and Schedule Installation

Once you've reviewed the quote and approved the work, the contractor schedules and completes the installation. All work must be finished within 12 months of your eligibility code being issued.

Step 7: Contractor Submits the Rebate

Do NOT let any contractor start work before your ESP eligibility code arrives. This is the number one disqualification reason.

ESP differs from HRR here: you don't submit the rebate yourself. Your ESP-registered contractor submits the claim through the ClearResult portal on your behalf. They deduct the rebate amount directly from your invoice — so you only pay the net amount at the time of service.

The contractor must submit within 6 months of the invoice date.

Step 8: HomeSave Post-Retrofit Evaluation

If you registered with HomeSave in Step 1, schedule your post-retrofit evaluation after the installation is complete. HomeSave will measure your actual energy reduction and calculate your performance-based rebate — up to $5,000.

The HRR Path (Step by Step)

The Home Renovation Rebate process is simpler than ESP — no income qualification, no pre-registration code, no waiting period. But specific requirements still trip people up.

Step 1: Register with HomeSave (If You're in the RDCK)

Same as the ESP path. If you're in the Regional District of Central Kootenay, register with HomeSave first to lock in your pre-retrofit baseline and qualify for up to $5,000 in additional stacking rebates.

Step 2: Find an HPCN-Registered Contractor

Your contractor needs to be registered with the Heat Pump Contractor Network (HPCN). You can verify their registration at registeredbccontractor.ca. Unlike ESP, they don't need a separate program-specific registration — HPCN is sufficient.

Step 3: Get a Quote and Approve

No pre-registration needed for HRR. Get your quote, review it, and give the green light.

Step 4: Installation

The contractor completes the heat pump installation. Make sure they pull all required permits.

Step 5: Collect Your Documents

After installation, gather the following from your contractor:

• Paid invoice that includes the make, model, and serial number of the heat pump, plus any permit numbers
• F280 heat load calculation — required for the whole-home (ducted) rebate of $4,000. Without it, you'll only get $2,000.

Step 6: Apply Online at rebates.fortisbc.com

A detail that catches Nelson homeowners: even though you're a Nelson Hydro customer, your HRR application goes through the FortisBC portal at rebates.fortisbc.com. Do NOT apply through BC Hydro — that's for BC Hydro customers only.

Submit your invoice, F280 report, utility account information, and proof of payment through the portal.

If someone is applying on your behalf (like a concierge service), you'll also need to provide a utility consent form.

Step 7: Wait for Processing

HRR applications take up to 90 days to process. For Nelson Hydro customers, the rebate arrives as a cheque — not a bill credit.

Step 8: HomeSave Post-Retrofit Evaluation

Same as the ESP path. Schedule your post-retrofit evaluation with HomeSave to claim your performance-based rebate.

The Deadlines That Matter

Deadline	Timeframe	What Happens If You Miss It
ESP eligibility code validity	6 months from issuance	Code expires. You'd need to re-apply and start over.
ESP project completion	12 months from code issuance	Work done after this date isn't covered by the rebate.
ESP rebate submission	6 months from invoice date	Contractor can't submit the claim. You eat the full cost.
HRR application	6 months from paid invoice date	Application rejected. No rebate.

These deadlines are firm. The programs don't grant extensions.

Documents You'll Need: The Full Checklist

For ESP Applications

• CRA Notice of Assessment (NOA) — all adults in household
• BC Assessment property value
• Utility account number (Nelson Hydro)
• ESP eligibility code (received after pre-registration)
• Contractor quote (from ESP-registered contractor)
• Installation invoice with rebate deducted
• F280 heat load calculation report
• Equipment details (make, model, serial number)
• Proof of fuel equipment removal (if switching from gas/oil/propane)
• Gas permit (if gas work was involved)

For HRR Applications

• Contractor quote
• Paid invoice including make, model, serial number, and permit numbers
• F280 heat load calculation (required for $4,000 whole-home rebate)
• Utility account information
• Proof of payment
• Utility consent form (if someone applies on your behalf)

What Can Go Wrong

Program data shows homeowners lose rebates for a handful of recurring reasons — starting work before the eligibility code arrives, using a contractor who isn't properly registered, submitting an invoice that's missing required fields, or running past a deadline they didn't know existed. Our 7 common rebate mistakes guide covers each one and how to avoid it.

This Is a Lot to Manage. That's Literally What We Do.

If you've made it this far, you've probably noticed that this process has a lot of moving parts. Two programs with different rules. Deadlines stacked on deadlines. Documents from three different sources. Contractors who need specific registrations. A HomeSave evaluation that has to happen before AND after installation.

We built this service because the process is complex and the stakes are high — miss a step and you lose thousands. We handle every step, every document, every deadline. You say "yes, I want a heat pump," and we take it from there — from figuring out which program gets you the most money, to submitting the final paperwork, to making sure HomeSave measures your post-retrofit performance.

That's the concierge model. You get the heat pump. We handle the process.

Ready to start? Book a free consultation.