"Currently, California’s patchwork of rules across roughly 600 local jurisdictions drives up costs and creates long and unnecessary delays to install heat pumps. Inconsistent and complex local permitting requirements slow adoption." An estimated 75 to 90 percent of heat pump installations in California are currently completed without a permit at all, meaning no safety inspection or oversight.

The Heat Pump Access Act aims to establish a consistent, statewide permitting process for heat pumps and require jurisdictions to provide:

• Automated permitting for standard heat pump installations
• Reasonable, transparent permit fees with no surprise costs
• A single, unified permit type covering both heat pump HVAC systems and water heaters
• Limits on excessive HOA restrictions, documentation, or aesthetic requirements

"We thank Senator Wiener and the Legislature for prioritizing Californians who urgently need clean and affordable cooling as households face high costs of living,” said Madison Vander Klay, Government Affairs Manager at the Building Decarbonization Coalition. “Demand for highly efficient heat pumps is here, and the Heat Pump Access Act clears that path and cuts unnecessary red tape. Californians and the contractors who serve them deserve a simpler, faster, more predictable and affordable process for installing heat pumps."

Heat pumps are a critical solution for expanding access to clean and highly efficient cooling in California, and can protect households from heat waves and high power bills. Data from TECH Clean California shows that households can save an average of $304 a year by switching to a heat pump for space heating and cooling, and $97 annually when upgrading from a gas water heater to a more efficient heat pump water heater. For households without cooling, speeding affordable permitting for heat pumps can be life-saving, and the same data shows that adding cooling to homes without previous air conditioning adds a median of $3 a month to energy bills. A recent statewide survey of heat pump owners found that more than 90% of customers were satisfied with their heat pump water heaters and HVAC heat pumps.

"Heat pumps are one of our best tools for cutting pollution, lowering energy bills, and keeping people safe from extreme heat," said Colleen Corrigan, Sustainability and Resilience Policy Manager at SPUR. "But right now, inconsistent local permitting and avoidable soft costs are adding hundreds of dollars to every installation, pricing out the households who need this technology most. SB 222 fixes the parts of the permitting process that don't need to be broken––instant permits for standard installs, one permit instead of two, and fees homeowners can actually predict."

The Heat Pump Access Act supports California’s workforce by making it easier for contractors and technicians to install heat pumps. This allows contractors to more efficiently provide quality installations and grow their business and spend less time on complex and complicated restrictions and paperwork. The bill also supports California’s progress to meet Governor Gavin Newsom's goal of installing 6 million heat pumps by 2030 and creating 7 million climate-ready homes by 2035 in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. 

"Every gas furnace and water heater we replace with a heat pump means cleaner air in our neighborhoods and less pollution across the Bay Area," said Alan Abbs, Legislative Officer for the Bay Area Air District. "The Heat Pump Access Act removes the permitting barriers that keep too many families from making this switch and supports the transition to zero-emission buildings. We are proud to co-sponsor legislation that protects public health, lowers energy costs and helps the region meet its clean air and climate goals."

SB 222 is co-sponsored by the Building Decarbonization Coalition, the Bay Area Air District, and SPUR. The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk with a deadline of September 30 to sign or veto the bill.