WASHINGTON

Washington Water Heater
Replacement

Licensing, rebates, running costs and local guides for 59 Washington communities.

Written by Victoria StewartTechnical review by Phil Montoya, licensed plumber, September 30, 2026Updated September 29, 2026How we research

Local guides in Washington

Seattle–Tacoma area

Place	Permit to replace	Fee	Electric	Companies
Seattle	Required	$137	Seattle City Light	13
Tacoma	Required	By job value (from $180)	Tacoma Power	12
Bellevue	Required	$50	Puget Sound Energy	14
Kent	Required	—	Puget Sound Energy	9
Everett	Required	$150	Snohomish County PUD	14
Renton	Required	$69	Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City Light	13
Federal Way	Required	—	Puget Sound Energy	13
Kirkland	Required	$121	Puget Sound Energy	16
Auburn	Required	$43	Puget Sound Energy	11
Redmond	Required	$140.71	Puget Sound Energy	15
Marysville	Required	$119	Snohomish County PUD	10
South Hill	Required (county)	$86	Puget Sound Energy	7
Sammamish	Required	$134	Puget Sound Energy	11
Lakewood	Required	$34	Lakeview Light & Power, Tacoma Power, Puget Sound Energy	11
Shoreline	Required	$267	Seattle City Light	11
Burien	Required	$98	Seattle City Light, Puget Sound Energy	10
Bothell	Required	$82	Puget Sound Energy, Snohomish County PUD	16
Puyallup	Required	$40	Puget Sound Energy	10
Edmonds	Required	$62	Snohomish County PUD	13
Lake Stevens	Required	$211	Snohomish County PUD	9
Lynnwood	Required	$257	Snohomish County PUD	14
Issaquah	Required	$62.88	Puget Sound Energy	11
Parkland	Required (county)	$58	Parkland Light & Water Company, Tacoma Power	6
Graham	Required (county)	$86	Tacoma Power, Puget Sound Energy, Ohop Mutual Light Company	8
University Place	Required	$32.40	Tacoma Power	10
Spanaway	Required (county)	$86	Tacoma Power, Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light	10
Des Moines	Required	$67.10	Puget Sound Energy	9
SeaTac	Required	$110	Seattle City Light, Puget Sound Energy	8
Maple Valley	Required	$125	Puget Sound Energy	8
Mercer Island	Required	$120	Puget Sound Energy	11
Kenmore	Required	$165	Puget Sound Energy	14
Mountlake Terrace	Required	$218	Snohomish County PUD	12
Cottage Lake	Required (county)	$137	Puget Sound Energy	16
Silver Firs	Required (county)	$157	Snohomish County PUD	1
Bonney Lake	Required	$100	Puget Sound Energy	9
Tukwila	Required	$37.81	Seattle City Light, Puget Sound Energy	10
Mukilteo	Required	$138.65	Snohomish County PUD	10
Covington	Required	$63	Puget Sound Energy	7
Arlington	Required	$25	Snohomish County PUD	9
Mill Creek	Required	$175	Snohomish County PUD	12
Monroe	Required	$32	Snohomish County PUD	10
Elk Plain	Required (county)	$86	Tacoma Power	1
Artondale	Required (county)	$86	Peninsula Light Company	1
Snoqualmie	Required	$48.29	Puget Sound Energy	6
Woodinville	Required	$119	Puget Sound Energy	15
Lake Forest Park	Required	$150	Seattle City Light	6
Newcastle	Required	$80	Puget Sound Energy	9
Enumclaw	Required	$35	Puget Sound Energy	7
Gig Harbor	Required	$34	Peninsula Light Company	9
Prairie Ridge	Required (county)	$86	Puget Sound Energy	1
Sumner	Required	$20	Puget Sound Energy	10
Alderwood Manor	Required (county)	$150	Snohomish County PUD	3
Snohomish	Required	$50	Snohomish County PUD	10

Licensing in Washington

Washington Labor & Industries (L&I) certifies plumbers statewide, and water heaters are explicitly part of the plumbing trade. Certificates include Journey Level (PL01), Residential (PL02) and Residential Service (PL04), plus supervised trainees.

The contracting business must also hold an L&I contractor registration; the same Verify tool checks both the company and the individual plumber.

L&I Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business ↗ · L&I plumber certification ↗ · L&I Verify tool ↗

Rebates and credits in Washington

Washington HEAR (Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates)

Washington State Department of Commerce, via local third-party administrators · Active

State-run program covering heat pump water heaters, heat pumps, induction cooking and electrical upgrades for households at or below 150% of Area Median Income. Commerce awarded about $39.3 million to 40 local administrators; the state page does not list a per-appliance dollar amount.

Access is through your local administrator, not a central portal, and Commerce says administrators are still being added. Page last updated September 8, 2026.

Program details ↗

IRA Home Energy Rebates (HARP appliance rebates and HOMES)

Washington State Department of Commerce · Not launched

The federally funded appliance (HARP) and whole-house (HOMES) rebates for households up to 150% AMI had not launched statewide. Commerce's page places the program at the operation-preparation step.

Commerce says you must apply and be approved before buying; work done before launch is not guaranteed a rebate.

Program details ↗

PSE heat pump water heater rebate

Puget Sound Energy · Active

$1,000 back on a qualifying Tier 3 or Tier 4 heat pump water heater installed on or after January 1, 2026. Income-qualified customers in PSE's Efficiency Boost program get $1,100.

PSE electric customers in existing single-family homes only. Apply within 30 days of installation with the paid invoice and receipt; one rebate per residence.

Program details ↗

Seattle City Light heat pump water heater rebate

Seattle City Light · Active

$750 for an ENERGY STAR Tier 3 or 4 heat pump water heater: passed through participating distributors for contractor installs, or as a $750 instant coupon at Home Depot or Lowe's or a $750 mail-in rebate for DIY.

One incentive per customer. Mail-in rebates are due within 93 days of purchase. Program runs through December 31, 2026.

Program details ↗

Snohomish PUD heat pump water heater rebate

Snohomish County PUD · Active

Rebates of up to $1,000 for buying and installing a new qualifying heat pump water heater.

Must replace an existing water heater (no new construction). One rebate per account every five years, capped at the purchase price. Submit within 90 days of the invoice date.

Program details ↗

Tacoma Power hybrid water heater rebate

Tacoma Public Utilities · Active

$500 rebate when a Tacoma Power customer replaces a standard electric water heater with a BPA Tier 3 or 4 hybrid (heat pump) model, contractor or self-installed.

A permit is required. Tacoma Power also offers a 0% loan up to $5,000 through participating contractors, and income-qualified households can get $2,500 plus a deferred loan up to $2,500.

Program details ↗

Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C)

IRS · Ended

Covered improvements made through December 31, 2025. Not available for 2026 installations.

Program details ↗

Checked September 29, 2026. Utility rebates are only for that utility’s customers. Each city guide shows the rebates for its utilities.

What it costs to run in Washington

Estimated yearly energy cost at Washington’s average residential prices: 14.40¢ per kWh (year to date through July 2026) and $17.62 per thousand cubic feet of gas (2025 annual average).

Estimated yearly energy cost by water heater type in Washington
Type	Efficiency (UEF)	Energy per year	Est. cost per year
Gas storage tank	0.64	174 therms	$296
Gas tankless	0.93	120 therms	$204
Electric storage tank	0.92	3,556 kWh	$512
Heat-pump tank	3.5	935 kWh	$135

Assumes the Department of Energy’s medium-use test: 55 gallons a day heated 67°F, and typical efficiency ratings for each type. Colder incoming water, larger households and your utility’s actual rates change the result. Sources: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B ↗ · EIA Natural Gas Prices, residential ↗ · ENERGY STAR test conditions ↗.

Washington Water HeaterReplacement

Local guides in Washington

Seattle–Tacoma area

Licensing in Washington

Rebates and credits in Washington

Washington HEAR (Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates)

IRA Home Energy Rebates (HARP appliance rebates and HOMES)

PSE heat pump water heater rebate

Seattle City Light heat pump water heater rebate

Snohomish PUD heat pump water heater rebate

Tacoma Power hybrid water heater rebate

Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C)

What it costs to run in Washington

Start with a photoof your old heater.

Washington Water Heater
Replacement

Start with a photo
of your old heater.