Rebates and tax credits in New Jersey

Money toward an HRV or ERV

Programs that pay toward the unit itself. Some take the money off at the distributor, so ask whether an installer’s price already includes it.

We didn’t find a program in New Jersey that names HRVs or ERVs. Your electric and gas utilities are still worth asking: search “[utility] HRV rebate” and “[utility] ERV rebate”.

Federal home energy rebates

Federal money that New Jersey runs. HEAR has a category for “insulation, air sealing, and ventilation” worth up to $1,600 for households under 150% of area median income; each state decides what counts as ventilation. ENERGY STAR’s table for HEAR says this category requires ENERGY STAR certification, and ENERGY STAR’s U.S. criteria for ventilation cover fans, not HRVs or ERVs, so ask the program whether an HRV or ERV counts before relying on it. HOMES pays toward whole-home upgrades modeled to save energy.

Air sealing and insulation

These programs are more common than ventilation rebates, and sealing a house is often what makes it need planned fresh air. If a program is sealing yours, ask whether it requires ventilation afterward and whether it pays for it.

• JCP&L Home Performance with ENERGY STAR

  Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) · JCP&L customers; customers without a natural gas utility can get weatherization and electric measures only. Gas partners named: NJ Natural Gas, Elizabethtown Gas and PSE&G.

  $2,000, plus $150 for each percentage point of modeled savings above 5%, up to $5,000 and no more than 50% of project costs. Projects must show at least 5% modeled savings. Work is done by a BPI-certified participating contractor. Financing is mentioned without terms. Ventilation is not mentioned.

  Ventilation not mentioned in what we readProgram page: FAQ describes the July 1, 2021 launch; no newer date shown

• PSE&G Home Performance with ENERGY STAR

  PSE&G · Residential PSE&G customers who own the house; existing 1 to 4 family homes and low-rise multifamily buildings

  Rebate amounts are not stated in the document we read. Every project must include at least attic air sealing, plus attic insulation if needed. The audit is done by a BPI-certified participating contractor with blower door, infrared and combustion tests. The remaining cost can be repaid on the bill, "typically between seven and ten years." Ventilation is not mentioned.

  Ventilation not mentioned in what we readProgram page: Document describes the July 1, 2021 launch; no newer date shown

• Comfort Partners

  New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (New Jersey's Clean Energy Program) · Income-eligible customers statewide

  Free efficiency measures to lower utility bills. Measures and income limits are not stated on the page we read.

  Ventilation not mentioned in what we readProgram page: Page revised 11/10/2022

State tax credits

We didn’t find a New Jersey tax credit for ventilation, air sealing or insulation, and couldn’t confirm there is none.

Low-income help

The federal Weatherization Assistance Program can pay for air sealing, insulation and, where needed, ventilation at no cost to households that qualify by income. In New Jersey it’s run by New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), delivered by a local WAP agency in each county..

Before you sign

1. Don’t start work yet. Many programs need pre-approval, a participating contractor or a test first, and work begun early often can’t qualify.
2. Write down your electric and gas utilities. Rebates usually follow the utility, not the town.
3. Read the conditions: a listed contractor, a qualifying model, your heating fuel, income limits, and install and claim deadlines.
4. Ask each installer whether any discount is already in their price, and who files the paperwork.
5. Get it in writing: each rebate, who applies for it, and what happens to the price if it’s denied.

More on costs and how to check: What drives the cost of ventilation and How to compare quotes.

Worth knowing

• The JCP&L and PSE&G documents describe the programs as launched in July 2021 and show no newer date. Terms may have changed since; confirm with the utility before work starts. (sources s20, s21)
• We found no New Jersey utility or state rebate that names HRVs or ERVs.
• DOE changed the federal HEAR rules in May 2026 (Program Notice 26-2, effective May 29, 2026): HEAR can no longer pay to replace gas, oil or propane equipment with electric, homes generally must use rebates for insulation and air sealing before other upgrades, and ventilation is still a HEAR project type. Programs that had not launched must follow the new rules. (source s9)