SAMPLE: Directory preview. Listings checked against each company’s own website on October 17, 2026. Not an endorsement.

South SoundHVAC & heat pump contractors

Hiring questions

Questions to ask an HVAC contractor before a heat pump install

Most heat pump rebates here pay only when a participating contractor does the install. So the first question decides which money you can get.

Licenses

  1. What is your L&I contractor registration number? HVAC is one of the specialties that require it. (L&I)
  2. Who on the crew holds the 06A or 06B electrical certificate, and does your company hold an electrical contractor license? (WAC 296-46B-920) (RCW 19.28.041)
  3. Who handles the refrigerant, and do they hold EPA 608 certification? (EPA)
  4. If the job needs a new circuit or a panel change, who does that wiring? Those are outside the 06A and 06B scope. (WAC 296-46B-920)

Permits

  1. Who pulls the permit, and for which office? In Tacoma and unincorporated Pierce County, the mechanical exemptions cover only portable units, minor parts and small self-contained systems, so a real install needs a permit. (Tacoma) (Pierce County)
  2. In Olympia, every mechanical job needs a permit, furnace replacement included. (Olympia)
  3. In Lacey, HVAC permits are filed online and are issued within 24 to 48 hours in most cases. From July 1, 2026 a mechanical permit is $82, plus $27 per fixture over three. (Lacey) (Lacey fees)
  4. In unincorporated King County, a mechanical permit covers installing, replacing or relocating a furnace, heat pump or AC; the 2026 mechanical-only permit is $183. The electrical permit comes from L&I. (King County) (King County fees)
  5. Is the thermostat wiring on an L&I electrical permit? The first Class 2 thermostat is $59.50. (WAC 296-46B-906)

Rebates: are you on the list?

  • Tacoma Power pays heat pump incentives only through its Participating Contractors, and it advises getting at least three bids. (Tacoma Power)
  • PSE requires a Recommended Energy Professional or Trade Ally, and DIY installs do not qualify. (PSE)
  • HEAR, the state program, helps households at or below 150% of area median income through local administrators, who set the amounts. Pierce County and Tacoma each have one. (WA Commerce)

The amounts are on our heat pump rebate guide.

Next

Read what each HVAC license covers and the HVAC red flags, then pick a contractor from the list.

Sources

We read each source on October 18, 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the linked page before you rely on a number.

  1. L&I: Register as a contractor
  2. WAC 296-46B-920, electrical specialties
  3. RCW 19.28.041, electrical contractor license and bond
  4. EPA: Section 608 technician certification requirements
  5. Tacoma Permits: What requires a permit
  6. Pierce County: Guide to work exempt from permit (PDF)
  7. City of Olympia: When do I need a permit? (PDF)
  8. City of Lacey: Permitting
  9. City of Lacey fee schedule, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF)
  10. King County: Residential mechanical permits (PDF)
  11. King County 2026 Fee Guide 02, single-family residential (PDF)
  12. WAC 296-46B-906, L&I electrical permit fees
  13. Tacoma Power: Heat pump incentives
  14. Puget Sound Energy: Electric resistance to air-source heat pump rebate
  15. WA Commerce: Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR)

Written by the South Sound HVAC team. We list businesses; we do not employ, bond or insure them. Spot a mistake? Use the claim page to tell us.