SEER2 requirements in Texas

The numbers that apply in Dallas

DOE puts Texas in the hot-humid Southeast region. Split-system central ACs installed there on or after 1 January 2023 must be at least 14.3 SEER2 below 45,000 Btu/h and 13.8 SEER2 at or above it. The Southeast has no EER2 minimum; that applies only in the Southwest.

Split heat pumps need 14.3 SEER2 and 7.5 HSPF2 nationwide.

45,000 Btu/h is 3.75 tons. A typical 2- to 3.5-ton Dallas replacement falls under the 14.3 line; a 4- or 5-ton system falls under the 13.8 line.

Why the installation date matters here

In the Southeast the split-AC standard is enforced by installation date, not manufacture date, and DOE defines installation as connecting the refrigerant lines or electrical systems to make the system operational. It calls installing a non-compliant split AC there illegal.

In the northern states, a unit built before 2023 to the old standard could still be installed until stock ran out. In Texas it could not: from 1 January 2023 the question is whether the system meets the regional standard on the day it is connected. That is why a Dallas homeowner never needs to accept “it was in the warehouse” as a reason for a low rating.

SEER vs SEER2: why the old numbers do not translate

DOE says SEER2, EER2 and HSPF2 are similar to the old SEER, EER and HSPF but not directly comparable, because the 2023 test procedure changed.

The new test runs the equipment against higher external static pressure, closer to what real duct systems impose, so the same machine usually posts a lower SEER2 number than its old SEER number. A quote that mixes the two metrics, or a sales sheet that quotes only “SEER”, is not wrong by itself, but it does not tell you whether the system clears the 2023 floor.

• SEER2: seasonal cooling efficiency, the headline number for the regional minimum.
• EER2: efficiency at a hot 95 °F test point. No Southeast minimum, but rebate programs and ENERGY STAR use it.
• HSPF2: seasonal heating efficiency for a heat pump. 7.5 is the national floor for a split heat pump.

Legal floor, ENERGY STAR and program thresholds

The minimum is only the first rung. Utility programs and ENERGY STAR set their own, higher thresholds, and a rebate depends on clearing the program’s number, not the federal one.

ENERGY STAR’s central AC level for split systems is 15.2 SEER2 and 12.0 EER2. ENERGY STAR certifies split air-source heat pumps at 7.8 HSPF2, 15.2 SEER2 and 11.0 EER2 or better.

The City of Garland’s central air conditioning and heat pump program required a total system change-out at 15.3 SEER2 or better and was listed as ending 30 September 2026 or when funds ran out. The page gives no rebate amount. Oncor’s 2026 program sets its own floor for split systems (11.6 EER) and pays through participating contractors; see Dallas AC rebates by utility.

How to check a quote in five minutes

1. Find the model numbers for the outdoor unit and the indoor coil or air handler (and the furnace, if the coil sits on one).
2. Ask for the AHRI certificate of that exact combination. The AHRI number is on it, with the certified SEER2, EER2 and, for heat pumps, HSPF2.
3. Check the capacity on the certificate: under or over 45,000 Btu/h decides whether 14.3 or 13.8 applies.
4. Compare against the program you want (ENERGY STAR, Oncor through the contractor, a city utility). Ask the contractor in writing whether the combination qualifies.
5. Keep the certificate with the invoice. Oncor’s program requires it for HVAC projects, and it is the proof if the rating is ever questioned. HVAC projects are documented with an AHRI certificate, a Manual J load calculation where the unit requires it, before-and-after nameplate photos, and a signed customer agreement.

SEER2 and the refrigerant change are separate questions

Equipment made or imported since 1 January 2025 uses lower-GWP A2L refrigerants (R-454B or R-32) instead of R-410A. An EPA rule finalized in May 2026, effective 27 July 2026, removed the 1 January 2026 cutoff, so contractors may install pre-2025 R-410A systems until that stock runs out.

A system can meet SEER2 on either refrigerant. Whether you are quoted R-410A stock or an R-454B or R-32 system is a cost and service question, covered in R-410A vs the new refrigerants. Do not let one stand in for the other on a quote.

Choosing a level above the floor

With about 20 days a year at 100 °F or hotter, cooling efficiency matters more in Dallas than in most of the country. That argues for looking above the floor, but it does not make the most efficient system the right one. Two-stage and variable-speed equipment costs more, and on the published DFW ranges, stepping up to 16+ SEER2 adds roughly $1,000–$3,000.

1. Get the floor price and one step-up price from the same contractor, on the same scope.
2. Ask whether the step-up qualifies for a program you can actually use (your utility, ENERGY STAR).
3. Ask what the step-up changes besides the rating: stages, humidity control, sound.
4. Check the ducts first. ENERGY STAR estimates that about 20 to 30 percent of the air moving through a typical duct system is lost to leaks, holes and poorly connected ducts.
5. Compare the quotes line by line in the quote comparison tool.

Common mistakes

• Reading the outdoor unit’s brochure rating. The certified rating belongs to the matched combination.
• Replacing only the outdoor unit on an old coil. The pair may not be a certified combination at all; see the coil-only guide.
• Counting a federal tax credit. The federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) applied to qualifying property placed in service before 31 December 2025. It is not available for a system installed in 2026.
• Assuming a rebate. Program thresholds are higher than the legal floor and funding runs out.
• Comparing SEER to SEER2. They are measured differently.

For the bigger picture of what a matched system costs, see the Dallas AC installation cost guide; the national explainer on regional standards lives on our sister site, HyreHVAC.

Sources

• U.S. DOE, 2023 Central Air Conditioner Standards FAQ (retrieved 2026-10-20)
• U.S. DOE, CAC regional standards guidance (16 December 2022) (retrieved 2026-10-20)
• AHRI, "2023 Energy Efficiency Standards"; DOE regional standards (retrieved 2026-09-23)
• ENERGY STAR, Air-Source Heat Pumps key product criteria (retrieved 2026-10-20)
• ENERGY STAR central air conditioner criteria (read via search listing; confirm on energystar.gov) (retrieved 2026-10-20) — verify before relying on it
• Garland Economic Development, Central Air Conditioning & Heat Pump Program (links to GP&L EnergySaver) (retrieved 2026-10-20)
• Oncor, 2026 HEE SOP Program Manual, §2.3, §4 and measure table (retrieved 2026-10-20)
• NAHB summary of the EPA final rule (May 2026); EPA AIM Act Technology Transitions program (retrieved 2026-09-23)
• IRS, Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (retrieved 2026-09-23)
• ENERGY STAR, "Duct Sealing" (retrieved 2026-10-20)
• NWS Fort Worth, "1991–2020 Normals" (retrieved 2026-10-20)
• U.S. DOE, 2023 Central Air Conditioner Standards FAQ (retrieved 2026-10-20)

Questions

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