Short answer: hire someone who is licensed where you live, registered for every rebate you want, and willing to show you a load calculation. In Colorado the rebate registrations matter as much as the license. Your Xcel rebate, the state tax credit and Power Ahead each require the contractor to be on a specific list. A contractor missing one of them can cost you real money.
Licensing in Colorado
Colorado doesn't have a statewide HVAC license. A DRCOG presentation on the topic notes Colorado "is one of 17 states that does not implement a statewide HVAC licensure program." Instead:
- Mechanical (HVAC) contractors are licensed by cities and counties. Denver, for example, issues its own contractor licenses and mechanical supervisor certificates. Check the license with your local building department.
- Electricians are licensed by the state through the State Electrical Board, part of the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations. The 240-volt circuit for a heat pump is electrical work.
- Plumbers are state-licensed too, which matters for water heaters and gas line work.
- Refrigerant handling requires EPA Section 608 certification for technicians who service or install equipment that could release refrigerant.
A statewide HVAC licensing proposal has been discussed, but we found no enacted 2026 law.
Program registrations to check
These are separate from licensing, and each program publishes its own lookup.
| Program | What the contractor needs | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Xcel Energy heat pump rebates | Membership in Xcel's Trade Partner Network | Xcel says your contractor must be in the network and will submit the rebate for you. |
| Colorado heat pump tax credit | Registration with the Colorado Energy Office | Only a registered contractor can claim the credit and pass the discount to you. |
| Power Ahead Colorado | Power Ahead verification | Only verified contractors can request preapproval. |
| Efficiency Works and other municipal programs | Participating service provider status | Required for rebates in Fort Collins, Loveland, Longmont and Estes Park. |
Ask the contractor which lists they're on, then check the official lookups yourself. It takes five minutes.
Certifications that are nice to have
- NATE certification for technicians. NATE is a voluntary, nonprofit certification. It shows training, but it isn't required in Colorado.
- Manufacturer training or dealer status. Some manufacturers offer longer warranties when a certified dealer installs and registers the equipment. Ask what applies to the brand being quoted.
Questions to ask
About sizing and cold weather
- Will you do a room-by-room load calculation, and what design temperature and altitude correction will you use? The state credit already requires the Colorado Energy Office heat load calculator for 2026 installs.
- What's the heating capacity of this model at 5°F, and at our design temperature?
- Where is the balance point, and what backup heat are you planning?
- Is the outdoor unit going to sit above snow, and where does defrost water go?
See will a heat pump keep me warm for what good answers look like.
About rebates
- Which rebates will you file, and which do I file?
- Will you get Power Ahead preapproval before starting? (Required, if you're in the DRCOG region.)
- Will the "State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount" appear on my invoice, and for how much?
- What's the AHRI certificate number for the exact match you're quoting?
About the work
- Who pulls the permits, mechanical and electrical, and when is the final inspection?
- Did you do a load calculation for the electrical panel? See do I need a bigger panel.
- Who does the electrical work, and are they state-licensed?
- What's the labor warranty, and do you register the manufacturer warranty?
Red flags
- No load calculation. "You have a 3-ton AC, so you get a 3-ton heat pump" isn't sizing.
- A federal tax credit subtracted from the price. The federal heat pump credits ended for 2026 installs. See what happened to the federal credits.
- Work starts before preapproval on a program that requires it.
- One lump-sum price with no equipment model numbers or line items.
- Rebates "guaranteed" without saying which ones, how much and who files.
- Pressure to sign today. Rebate deadlines are real, but Xcel's 2026 install deadline is December 31 and Power Ahead runs through 2029.
About us
Electrify Colorado is run by UniColorado, a Denver heating and cooling company that installs heat pumps. We'd like to be on your list, but the checklist above works for any contractor, and we'd rather you use it than skip it.