WA
Perth and WA air conditioning rebates 2026
Short answer
Western Australia has no government rebate on buying or installing a household reverse cycle air conditioner in 2026. The WA Air-Conditioning Rebate is a running-cost subsidy for eligible card holders north of the 26th parallel, so in Perth the saving comes from sizing and the quote.
Prices are estimates, not quotes (how we estimate them). Rebate rules checked September 2026.
Compare 3 quotes for my houseWestern Australia does not copy Victoria's heating and cooling certificates for a normal household reverse cycle. Budget the full installed price.
Perth double brick holds afternoon heat. A correctly sized unit, run before the walls load up, is worth more than a certificate you do not have.
Ask about heating performance as well. July nights still exist, even if January is what you remember.
Is there an air conditioning rebate in WA in 2026?
Not for installing one. We checked the WA Government's household energy support page and the federal energy.gov.au rebate directory on 29 September 2026. Neither lists a WA scheme that discounts a new split or ducted reverse cycle for a typical household.
What WA does have is help with the bill for certain concession card holders, and one rebate with "air-conditioning" in its name that is often misunderstood.
| Program | Who it's for | What it does | Helps with the install? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air-Conditioning Rebate (Synergy / Horizon Power) | WA Seniors Card or eligible concession card holders, including those with dependent children, north of the 26th parallel or the 50-Day Relative Strain Index line | Subsidises the cost of running an air conditioner; amount depends on location | No |
| Energy Assistance Payment | Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, DVA Gold Card or DVA Pensioner Concession Card holders | Payment towards electricity costs | No |
| Hardship Utility Grant Scheme (HUGS) | Households in financial difficulty | Up to 85% of a current electricity, gas or water bill | No |
| Household Energy Upgrades Fund (federal) | Households via participating lenders | Discounted green finance for energy upgrades | Finance only |
So the number that matters in Perth is the installed price. Get up to three local quotes with every line itemised, and compare them side by side.
What is the WA Air-Conditioning Rebate?
It is a subsidy on the cost of running an air conditioner, paid through Synergy or Horizon Power, for eligible households in the hottest parts of the state. You need to live north of the 26th parallel or the 50-Day Relative Strain Index line, and hold a WA Seniors Card with an eligible concession card, or have dependent children listed on a qualifying card.
It does not pay anything towards buying or installing the unit, and it doesn't apply in Perth. If a Perth installer mentions it on a quote, ask them to take it off, and compare against a clean local quote.
How to save on a reverse cycle install in Perth without a rebate
- Get the size right. Perth double brick soaks up heat all afternoon, and an undersized unit runs flat out until midnight. Use the size calculator, then check the installer's heat load.
- Pay attention to the west wall. A west-facing living room with big glass needs more capacity or better shading, and shading is cheaper.
- Buy for efficiency. In a long cooling season the running cost adds up; the running cost calculator shows the gap between a cheap unit and a good one on your tariff.
- Get two itemised quotes. Double brick core holes, long pipe runs and switchboard work are where quotes differ most.
- Buy reverse cycle, not cooling-only. Perth winters are short, but a reverse cycle heats for a fraction of the cost of a plug-in heater.
Local pricing is on our Perth page. For a whole-home system, the ducted cost guide breaks it down by house size, and a local quote turns it into your number.
Refrigerated or evaporative in Perth?
In WA, "refrigerated" is what most people call reverse cycle. Evaporative is cheap to run and works well on dry days, but it struggles on humid ones and does nothing in winter. Refrigerated ducted costs more to install, typically estimated at $8,000 to $15,000 for a three-bedroom house, and gives you heating and cooling from one system.
Our reverse cycle vs evaporative guide goes through the trade-off in detail.
Sources
FAQ
Western Australia rebate questions
Who is eligible for the air conditioning rebate in Western Australia?
The WA Air-Conditioning Rebate is for households north of the 26th parallel or the 50-Day Relative Strain Index line who hold a WA Seniors Card with an eligible concession card, or who have dependent children on a qualifying card. It subsidises running costs, not the purchase.
What are the energy rebates available in WA for 2026?
For bills: the Energy Assistance Payment for concession card holders, the Air-Conditioning Rebate in the north, and HUGS for households in hardship. There is no WA rebate on installing a reverse cycle air conditioner.
How do I claim the $400 electricity rebate in WA?
You can't in 2026. The $400 Household Electricity Credit was a 2024 payment, applied automatically for Synergy and Horizon Power customers. It is not a current program.
What is the amount of the heat pump rebate in Western Australia?
There is no WA rebate on reverse cycle air conditioners, which are air-to-air heat pumps. WA does run separate hot water rebates, which are a different product.
Is there any finance help for air conditioning in WA?
The federal Household Energy Upgrades Fund works with participating lenders to offer discounted green loans for energy upgrades, including in WA. It is cheaper finance, not a rebate.
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