Texas Appliance Mail-In Rebate Program

• Program Launch Date: December 20, 2010
• Program End Date: When funds are depleted (closed to new applications on March 9, 2011)
• Total Funding: $18,500,000

The Texas Appliance Mail-In Rebate Program is designed to offer Texas residential consumers the opportunity to receive a rebate when replacing a residential appliance with a qualifying ENERGY STAR^® appliance of the same type. The new ENERGY STAR^® appliance must be purchased in person at a Texas retail location or from a Texas contractor during the eligible program period (online purchases are not eligible). The program will launch December 20, 2010. Funding for the program is limited and will be available to Texas residential consumers on a first-received, first-issued basis according to the application's postmark date until funds are depleted. Due to low fund availability, the program closed to new applications on Wednesday, March 9, 2011.

Eligible ENERGY STAR^® Appliances

* NOTE: Only ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers meeting these criteria will be eligible for the Texas Appliance Mail-In Rebate Program. Please check with your retailer before purchasing an ENERGY STAR clothes washer as the rebate program criteria may be more efficient than the current ENERGY STAR criteria (through December 31, 2010). After January 1, 2011, all ENERGY STAR clothes washers will have a Modified Energy Factor 2.0 or greater and Water Factor 6.0 or less and will be eligible for the rebate.

** NOTE: As of Sept. 1, 2010, qualifying ENERGY STAR criteria for high-efficiency gas storage water heaters was upgraded; only those appliances that meet this current standard will be eligible for this program.

NOTE: The characters at the end of appliance model numbers, such as "#", "+", or "*" tend to indicate color or other non-efficiency related special features in the select cases. ENERGY STAR lists base model numbers on its Web site exactly as they are submitted to the Federal Trade Commission

Rebate Eligibility Program Rules:

1. Rebates will be awarded on a first-received, first-issued basis until the allocated program funds are depleted. First-received, first-issued status will be determined by the application's postmark date. If there is no postmark date, then the status will be determined by the date the application arrives at the rebate fulfillment center.
2. Only Texas residents supplying a physical address in the State of Texas for the installation of the qualifying replacement appliance are eligible.
3. Only appliances purchased by and for the use of a Texas residential consumer are eligible. Rebates are not provided for appliances bought/used in a business or commercial capacity or for new construction. In addition, a landlord purchasing appliances for his/her rental properties is a commercial/business consumer, not a residential consumer, and would not qualify for a rebate.
4. A residential consumer may only receive one rebate for each appliance category, for a maximum of two rebates total. A family unit living in a household is considered a residential consumer, i.e., the household is collectively entitled to two rebates total; each family member is NOT entitled to two rebates each. For example, a husband and wife with two children living in a household are entitled to only two rebates, not eight rebates(two for each family member), not four rebates (two for each adult), just two for the household.
5. A residential consumer may receive a maximum of two rebates between the Comptroller's April 2010 (Spring) and December 2010 (Winter) programs combined. A consumer who received one rebate during the Spring program is eligible for one rebate from a different appliance category during the Winter program.

   A consumer may split the two allowable rebates between two Texas residences, provided that neither property is used for commercial purposes (such as a rental property), and that the appliances purchased are from two different categories. For example, a consumer may purchase a qualifying dishwasher for installation in his/her primary residence, and also purchase a qualifying room air conditioner for installation in a secondary Texas residence.

6. Only ENERGY STAR^®-rated air-source heat pumps, central air conditioners, clothes washers, dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, room air conditioners and water heaters are eligible. Qualifying units must be listed on the ENERGY STAR^® website: www.ENERGYSTAR.gov.
7. Purchases must be made in person by a residential consumer at a physical Texas retail location or from a Texas contractor (online purchases will not be accepted).
8. Residential consumers must provide proof of purchase for a qualifying appliance from a Texas retailer or contractor. Proof of purchase (a copy of the original sales receipt or invoice) must indicate the retailer/contractor name and address, purchase price, method of payment, date of purchase, and product make and model. For central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps, the proof of purchase must be on the final bill; bids will not be accepted.
9. Residential consumers must replace the old appliance with a qualifying appliance of the same type AND the old appliance must be removed from the home in order to receive a rebate. Documentation must be submitted with the rebate application to prove that the old appliance was properly disposed of or recycled.
   • If a consumer chooses to recycle the old appliance, he/she may be eligible for an additional $75 recycling rebate as long as proof of recycling is included with the rebate application.
   • Proof of recycling must come from either a Comptroller "Recycling Partner" (an entity that has signed a certificate prepared by the Comptroller ensuring proper appliance recycling and disposal of hazardous waste); or retailer or third-party recycling facility or utility provider who meets all state and federal requirements for appliance recycling methods and who is willing and does sign the rebate application form or provide proof of receipt of old appliance.
10. A residential consumer may qualify for up to only two appliance recycling rebates in conjunction with approved rebate applications. Recycling rebates will not be paid if an appliance rebate is denied.
11. For central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps, a complete system must be replaced and the old unit must be disposed of or recycled properly to qualify for a rebate. Replacing just a part of the system, such as a condenser or coils, does not qualify.
12. Central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps must be installed by an Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (ACR) contractor licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The ACR contractor must provide an Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) certificate and sign the rebate application at the time of installation.
13. Pick-up of the old appliance and installation of the new appliance must occur within the same residence listed on the rebate application.
14. To apply for a rebate, residential consumers must submit all the qualifying paperwork by mail (faxed or e mailed applications will not be accepted), including but not limited to completed rebate application(s), proof of purchase (legible sales receipt/invoice), payment verification, disposal or recycling certification, model number of appliance, and the AHRI certificate, if applicable.
15. Appliance purchases, disposal or recycling, and rebate application submissions must be made on or after December 20, 2010, and before funds are depleted.
16. Rebate applications must be completely and accurately filled out to be processed, and each rebate application must be submitted individually in a separate mailing.