Pre-approval is the single most common procedural mistake in HEAR applications — and unlike documentation errors, skipping required pre-approval usually results in a denial that cannot be appealed. Know your state's rules before you schedule installation.
Installing before required pre-approval = permanent denial in most cases. In states that require pre-approval, completing work before the pre-approval is issued is a hard denial. Unlike missing an AHRI certificate or an expired income document (which can be corrected), pre-approval bypasses cannot be reversed after installation. Check your state's requirements before any work begins.
| State | Pre-Approval Required? | Which Measures | Where to Apply | Typical Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Required — major measures | Heat pump HVAC, panel upgrade, and projects above $5,000 in scope require NYSERDA pre-approval. Minor measures (smart thermostat, appliances) may be post-installation. | nyserda.ny.gov/HEAR portal | 4–8 weeks; longer during high volume |
| Massachusetts | Not required | MA HEAR is post-installation application; income pre-qualification available optionally but not required before installation | masssave.com/HEAR | N/A — submit after installation |
| Maryland | Required — some measures | Heat pump HVAC ($8,000) and panel upgrade ($4,000) require MEA pre-approval. HPWH and smaller measures are post-installation. | energy.maryland.gov/HEAR | 3–6 weeks for heat pump pre-approval |
| Colorado | Required — all measures | Energy Outreach Colorado requires pre-approval for all HEAR measures before work begins; income verification is the first step | energyoutreachcolorado.org | 2–4 weeks income verification + concurrent equipment review |
| Michigan | Conditional | MiHER requires income pre-qualification before scheduling installation; contractor must have an approved application in the system before the installation date | michigan.gov/energyrebates | 2–3 weeks for income pre-qualification |
| Illinois | Not required | IL DCEO HEAR accepts post-installation applications; income documentation submitted after work is complete | dceo.illinois.gov/HEAR | N/A — submit after installation |
| Wisconsin | Not required | Focus on Energy HEAR accepts post-installation applications | focusonenergy.com/HEAR | N/A — submit after installation |
| Indiana | Not required | IndianaEnergySaver.com accepts post-installation applications | IndianaEnergySaver.com | N/A — submit after installation |
| North Carolina | Not required | Everblue-administered NC HEAR is post-installation; income verification can begin pre-installation as an optional step | energysavernc.org | N/A — submit after installation |
| Georgia | Not required | GEFA HEAR is post-installation | energyrebates.georgia.gov | N/A — submit after installation |
| Washington | Conditional | WA Commerce HEAR requires pre-qualification for income; equipment and installation can proceed after income pre-qualification is issued | commerce.wa.gov/HEAR | 2–4 weeks for income pre-qualification |
| Arizona | Not required | Efficiency Arizona HEAR is post-installation application | efficiencyarizona.com | N/A — submit after installation |
| New Mexico | Required — POS model | NM uses a point-of-sale model — the "pre-approval" is built into the POS process; contractor must initiate the application in RebateBridge before installation begins; income is verified at point of sale by Franklin Energy | RebateBridge (NM POS portal) | Same-day (POS) to 1–2 days for income verification |
| Rhode Island | Required — intake process | RI HEAR LMI track requires CAP agency intake before contractor engagement; income is verified by the CAP agency as the first step | CAP agency intake → Energy.HEAR@energy.ri.gov | Varies by CAP agency; typically 1–4 weeks |
Colorado has the most rigorous pre-approval process of any HEAR state. Energy Outreach Colorado requires:
CO Front Range urgency: Colorado's heat pump allocation for the Front Range is running near capacity as of April 2026. Pre-approvals issued before the allocation is exhausted may or may not result in funded applications depending on processing timing. Energy Outreach Colorado is processing applications on a first-come-first-served basis — do not delay starting the pre-approval process in CO.
NYSERDA requires pre-approval for heat pump HVAC projects and panel upgrades above certain cost thresholds. The NY pre-approval process:
MEA requires pre-approval for the two highest-cost HEAR measures — heat pump HVAC ($8,000) and electrical panel upgrade ($4,000). The process:
New Mexico's point-of-sale model is unique: the "pre-approval" happens in real time at the point of contractor engagement. The contractor initiates a RebateBridge application at the beginning of the client intake process. Franklin Energy verifies income in real time or within 24-48 hours. The contractor receives authorization before proceeding with installation — making NM's pre-approval the fastest and most contractor-friendly of any HEAR state.
A pre-approval letter from a state HEAR program confirms that, based on submitted information:
Pre-approval does not guarantee:
The pre-approval waiting period (2-8 weeks) is a common point of client friction. Customers who expect to start installation immediately are frustrated by the wait. Contractors who manage this expectation upfront have better outcomes:
"The great news is you qualify for the HEAR rebate, which will cover [X]% of this project. There's one step we need to complete first: [state program] requires that we get pre-approval before we begin installation. I'll submit that application today, and we typically hear back in [timeline]. Once we have the pre-approval letter in hand, we'll schedule your installation — we can get you on the calendar now and hold a tentative date. Is that workable?"
Contractors who put clients on a tentative installation schedule during the pre-approval wait have significantly lower drop-off rates than those who leave the schedule open-ended. The client's primary fear is the "rebate falling through" — a pre-approval letter, when it arrives, removes that fear.
As of 2026: Colorado (all measures), New York (major measures), Maryland (heat pump and panel), New Mexico (POS model — pre-approval is built into the intake), and Rhode Island (CAP agency intake). Michigan and Washington require income pre-qualification but are less strict on equipment pre-approval. Most other live states (MA, IL, WI, IN, NC, GA, AZ) are post-installation.
In states that require pre-approval, installing without it is a hard denial. Unlike documentation errors (missing AHRI certificate, wrong income document), a pre-approval bypass cannot be corrected after the fact. The application will be denied and the rebate will not be paid regardless of whether everything else is correct. Always check and comply with your state's pre-approval requirements before scheduling installation.
2-8 weeks depending on state and volume. Colorado: 2-4 weeks. Maryland: 3-6 weeks for major measures. New York: 4-8 weeks. New Mexico POS: same-day to 48 hours. Michigan and Washington income pre-qualification: 2-3 weeks. Plan for longer timelines during spring and fall peak season.
Pre-approval is necessary but not sufficient. A pre-approval confirms income and equipment eligibility — but the final payment requires correct post-installation documentation and available program funding. Pre-approval does not lock in or reserve program funds in most states. CO and NY are close to funding limits for some measure tiers; a pre-approval in these states does not guarantee payment if the allocation is exhausted before processing.
Substituting equipment after pre-approval is issued is risky. If supply chain issues force a substitution, contact the state program before installation and ask whether the replacement model can be approved under the existing application. Some states will issue an amended pre-approval; others require a new application. Installing a different model than was pre-approved without notification is a common cause of post-installation denial.