Heat pump permitting currently varies drastically across California’s 600 jurisdictions, with a patchwork of local requirements that make the system unnecessarily slow, expensive, and complex. This can pose major challenges for contractors who have to navigate long wait times for inspection, multiple permit types, high fees, and new processes for each city or region that slow installation projects and drive up costs.

The Heat Pump Access Act will create a consistent statewide framework by establishing:

• A simplified process that prohibits jurisdictions or HOAs from imposing additional zoning and planning requirements on heat pump installations
• A faster process that mandates instant permit issuance for simple heat pump installations
• A maximum of one permit for heat pump installations
• Standardized permitting fees with caps to improve affordability

“The Heat Pump Access Act is a commonsense way to reform the permitting system so that more Californians can access highly efficient heat pump technology, which helps provide life-saving clean cooling and air filtration during extreme heat, wildfires, and poor air quality days,” said Sam Fishman, sustainability and resilience policy manager at San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR). “Standardizing the permitting process will simplify installations for homeowners and contractors and accelerate heat pump adoption to advance the state’s sustainability goals.”

“The Heat Pump Access Act removes permitting hurdles that have slowed the switch to cleaner, zero-NOx heat pumps,” said Dr. Philip Fine, executive officer of the Bay Area Air District. “By simplifying the process, we make it easier for households that are already burdened by poor air quality and extreme heat to install safer and more efficient systems. This is a practical step that delivers real benefits, including cleaner indoor air, reliable cooling during heat waves and a healthier future for Californians.”

Roughly a quarter of Californians still live in homes without air conditioning, and low-income households and communities of color are significantly less likely to have access to the cooling they need to stay safe during extreme heat events. Heat pumps provide clean cooling while also filtering indoor air rather than bringing polluted outside air into the home. The Heat Pump Access Act is critical to help households install these appliances more easily and help build climate resilience across the state.

Streamlining permitting for heat pumps will also support Governor Gavin Newsom’s goals of installing 6 million heat pumps by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. Heat pumps surpassed gas furnace shipments in 2024 and SB 222 can help support the state in scaling this clean energy technology at the rate needed.

The Heat Pump Access Act is co-sponsored by the Building Decarbonization Coalition, Bay Area Air District, and SPUR.