Not for systems installed in 2026. The federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, which covered qualifying heat pumps including mini splits, applied only to property placed in service from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2025.
For those years, the IRS allowed a credit of 30% of qualified costs, capped at $2,000 per year for heat pumps, and installation labor could be included. To qualify, the heat pump had to be new and meet or exceed the Consortium for Energy Efficiency’s highest efficiency tier (not counting any advanced tier) in effect when it was installed. It also had to go in an existing main home in the United States, not a new build or a rental you don’t live in. For 2025 installations, the item had to come from a qualified manufacturer and you must report its Qualified Manufacturer Identification Number (QMID). The credit is claimed on Form 5695 for the tax year the system was installed, and it is nonrefundable, so it can only reduce tax you owe. Utility subsidies and certain rebates must be subtracted from your costs.
Source: IRS, Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit
Image: Carrier Outdoor Split Air Conditioner Heat Pump System, by Tony Webster, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.