SB 222 signed: what California's heat pump permit law changes

If your furnace or water heater fails in winter, every day spent waiting on a permit or an inspection is a day without heat or hot water. California has roughly 600 local jurisdictions, each with its own heat pump permit process. SB 222, by Senator Scott Wiener, is meant to make that process faster and more predictable for heat pump swaps in existing homes.

Status. Governor Newsom signed SB 222 on September 28, 2026. It is Chapter 738, Statutes of 2026, and takes effect January 1, 2027. It covers heat pump space heating and cooling systems and heat pump water heaters in existing homes, and it does not apply to new construction. It applies to charter cities too.

What changes, and when. By July 1, 2027, cities and counties must offer asynchronous inspections for qualifying installations, so the contractor and the inspector do not have to be at your home at the same time. By July 1, 2028, they must offer an online process that issues permits in real time to qualifying licensed contractors. One condition is that the contractor certifies, under penalty of perjury, that a load calculation was done to size the new equipment. Local governments may require no more than one nondiscretionary permit for an installation that qualifies, and permit fees are limited.

Smaller units. Plug-in window air conditioners and window heat pumps rated at 120 volts or less that meet the law's other conditions need no permit or inspection.

HOAs. SB 222 adds rules to the Davis-Stirling Act, which governs most California HOAs. HOA rules that prevent replacing a gas appliance with an electric one become void and unenforceable. So do covenants and restrictions that effectively prohibit or restrict heat pump water heaters or heat pump HVAC systems, with limited exceptions.

What does not change yet. Until the new systems are running, your city or county's current permit rules still apply, and timing will vary by jurisdiction.

A small step for today: if you are planning a heat pump swap, ask your contractor whether the quote includes the permit and a written load calculation.