Dallas–Fort Worth · independent publisher, not a contractor
What a new system costs in DFW this year, how to check a contractor's TDLR license in a minute, and the rules that move the number on your quote.
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The short answer
AC installation in Dallas–Fort Worth is quoted between about $5,000 and $20,000 installed in 2026.
A mid-tier AC-only replacement on existing ducts typically lands between $7,000 and $13,000. A full system with a new furnace or air handler costs more, and new ductwork adds $3,000 to $8,000. All are published ranges from 4 named DFW sources, not our quotes.
Sources and retrieval dates are listed in full under the cost section and in our editorial policy. Page last reviewed .
Why use this site
Six things this page does that a quote form on a contractor's website does not.
Every range names its DFW source and the date we read it.
Contractors are matched against the TDLR register first.
Sanity-check a quote against your own square footage.
The nine line items a DFW quote should contain.
We publish no testimonials, ratings or staff we cannot verify.
Written for a metro with about 20 days a year over 100 °F.
What it costs
The ranges below are what DFW contractors and cost publishers put in print this year, each with the date we read it. Size, efficiency tier and whether the furnace and ducts are replaced too drive the spread.
None of it is our price. We publish a figure of our own only once we hold twelve dated quotes for that size. Our editorial policy explains the method.
| System size | Typical home | Published range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 ton | under ~1,500 sq ft | $7,500–$15,000 | 1 |
| 3 ton | ~1,500–2,000 sq ft | $5,500–$16,500 | 3 |
| 4 ton | ~2,000–2,500 sq ft | $7,500–$18,500 | 3 |
| 5 ton | over ~2,500 sq ft | $7,500–$20,000 | 3 |
The spread in each row is efficiency tier: an entry 14.3 SEER2 system on existing ducts at the low end, a premium variable-speed system at the high end. The 2-ton row has a single source, so treat it as the least settled.
| Replacing the furnace or air handler too | +$1,000–$4,000 |
| New or major ductwork | +$3,000–$8,000 |
| Stepping up to 16+ SEER2 | +$1,000–$3,000 |
| A2L refrigerant equipment vs older stock | +$500–$1,000 |
| Electrical panel work | +$500–$2,000 |
Adders as published by HVAC Services Pro (DFW, 2026-03-06 and 2026-04-13), Cold Factor Heating & Air (Flower Mound, 2026) and HVACProjectCost.com (Dallas, 2026-08-02).
| Source | Page dated | Range published | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Factor Heating & Air (Flower Mound, TX) retrieved 2026-09-23 | 2026 | $7,000–$16,000 | Most homeowners: $9,000–$13,000 for a mid-tier system on existing ducts. Puts the A2L refrigerant change at about $700 on unit cost. |
| HVAC Services Pro (DFW) retrieved 2026-09-23 | 2026-04-13 | $7,000–$13,000 | Standard central AC replacement on existing ducts, "$7,000 to $13,000+". Adds $14,000–$20,000 for an 1,800 sq ft home that also needs new ductwork. |
| HVAC Services Pro, DFW installation guide retrieved 2026-09-23 | 2026-03-06 | $5,000–$16,000 | AC only $5,000–$10,000; heat pump $7,000–$12,000; full system $8,000–$16,000. New ductwork $3,000–$7,000. |
| HVACProjectCost.com, Dallas page retrieved 2026-09-23 | 2026-08-02 | $5,500–$13,800 | AC only, 3 ton $5,500–$9,500; 4–5 ton $7,500–$11,500; AC + gas furnace $6,000–$13,800; heat pump $6,500–$14,500. Ductwork replacement adds $3,500–$8,000. |
A DFW rule of thumb for sanity-checking quotes: roughly one ton of cooling per 550–650 square feet of conditioned space in this climate, adjusted for stories and sun exposure. It is not a load calculation. Dallas requires a Manual J from the contractor before the system is sized; use this to spot a quote that is far off.
Published-range sources by tonnage: Cold Factor Heating & Air (Flower Mound, TX); HVAC Services Pro (DFW); HVACProjectCost.com, Dallas page. Full-system and ductwork adders from HVAC Services Pro (2026-03-06) and HVACProjectCost.com (2026-08-02).
Your band
Ask for the Manual J result; it should land near this.
These are published 2026 figures from DFW contractors and cost sites, with the dates shown below. They are not quotes from us and not a prediction of yours. A quote outside the band is not wrong; it should explain why.
Get quotes for a 3–3.5 ton systemThe July decision
Most people reach a new system through a repair quote, in a week when the house is already at 85 °F and the first appointment is three days out. That is the worst moment to compare equipment, so here is the short version.
Repair when the system is under about 10 years old, the fault is a capacitor, contactor, fan motor or minor leak, and the fix is a few hundred dollars.
Get replacement quotes when the compressor or coil has failed, the repair passes about a third of a new system's cost, or the unit is over 12 years old and still on R-410A. ENERGY STAR already puts replacement on the table at 10 years.
ENERGY STAR, "When is it time to replace?" — source, retrieved 2026-09-23.
Per year on the 1991–2020 normal, computed from the NWS Fort Worth record. The record is 71 days (2011); 2023 had 55. Average first 100 °F day: July 1. Average last: August 27.
An oversized unit short-cycles: it hits the setpoint fast, shuts off, and never runs long enough to pull humidity out. In a DFW August that reads as "cold but clammy".
Most single-story slab homes put the air handler and ducts in a 140 °F attic. Access, duct leakage and condensate routing drive a real part of the labor line.
Services
Eight things DFW contractors are asked for most, in the order homeowners actually meet them.
Replacing the outdoor condenser and the indoor coil, or a full matched system. In DFW this is the July decision: the repair quote arrives and the question becomes whether a 12-year-old R-410A system is worth the compressor.
Get installation quotesA matched cooling and heating system for a home that has both at end of life. Most DFW homes pair a split AC with a gas furnace in the attic; the quote should show both AHRI-matched model numbers.
Get system quotesOne outdoor unit that cools in summer and heats in a mild North Texas winter, with electric or gas backup for the cold snaps. Ask whether a dual-fuel setup makes sense for your gas service.
Get heat pump quotesUsually replaced together with the AC because the indoor coil sits on the furnace. 80% and 96% AFUE options; venting and attic access decide much of the labor.
Get furnace quotesFor a garage, a bonus room over the garage, a sunroom, an ADU or an addition where the existing ducts cannot reach. Priced per zone.
Get mini-split quotesCapacitors, contactors, fan motors, refrigerant leaks and compressors, in that order of likelihood. A good repair quote tells you the age of the system and whether the part is worth it; if it does not, ask.
Request a repairA pre-summer check that measures refrigerant charge, capacitor health, static pressure and drain flow. Worth doing in April, before the first 100 °F day.
Book a tune-upCleaning helps after construction dust or pests; sealing helps every attic duct system in a slab home. Leaky attic ducts are why one bedroom never cools.
Request duct quotesThe rules that change your quote
None of this is optional for the contractor, and all of it shows up in the price.
Texas is in the DOE Southeast region. Since 1 January 2023 a split-system central AC under 45,000 BTU (about 3.75 tons) must be at least 14.3 SEER2 on the date it is installed; larger systems need 13.8. Split heat pumps need 14.3 SEER2 and 7.5 HSPF2 nationwide.
The rule applies on the installation date, not the manufacture date, so a cut-price older unit can be illegal to install here.
AHRI, "2023 Energy Efficiency Standards"; DOE regional standards — source, retrieved 2026-09-23
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.
Both are legal. Older R-410A stock is often cheaper today, but its service refrigerant is expected to cost more later, so ask which you are being quoted and why.
NAHB summary of the EPA final rule (May 2026); EPA AIM Act Technology Transitions program — source, retrieved 2026-09-23
Texas licenses HVAC contractors through TDLR. Class A has no size limit; Class B covers cooling systems of 25 tons and under. Each license carries one endorsement; residential work is the Environmental Air endorsement. Contractors must hold liability insurance and renew with continuing education every year.
The license number belongs on their truck, their advertising and your quote. Search it before you sign: TDLR license search.
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration program — source, retrieved 2026-09-23
The City of Dallas requires a mechanical permit to replace a central air-conditioning system, even like-for-like, and the licensed contractor applies through Development Services and schedules the inspection.
Dallas enforces the 2021 International Residential Code and 2021 IECC with Dallas amendments, effective 12 May 2023. The IRC requires equipment to be sized from a load calculation (ACCA Manual J) rather than a rule of thumb. Suburbs run their own permit offices, so the office depends on your address.
City of Dallas Development Services, mechanical permits (Dallas Mechanical Code, Chapter 55 amendments); process and fee: verify with the City before relying on it — City of Dallas, retrieved 2026-09-23
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.
Oncor, the wire-and-meter utility for most of DFW, pays residential efficiency incentives through participating service providers, not to homeowners. Amounts change by year; ask the contractor whether they participate and verify on the program site.
IRS, Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit — IRS; Oncor "Take A Load Off Texas" — program site. Retrieved 2026-09-23.
In Texas, labor to repair or remodel residential property is not taxable; the materials are. Your invoice can be lump-sum (tax built into the contractor's material cost) or separated (tax shown on the materials line). Both are normal. What matters is that the quote and the invoice agree, and that you can see what you are paying for.
Texas Comptroller, Publication 94-116, "Real Property Repair and Remodeling" — source, retrieved 2026-09-23
Before you sign
Read this off your phone while the salesperson is at the kitchen table. A quote missing three or more of these is not comparable to one that has them.
Open the TDLR license search and look up the company name or license number from the quote.
Confirm it is an active Air Conditioning and Refrigeration license (Class A or B, Environmental Air endorsement) and that the name matches the company on the contract.
What happens next
Service, ZIP, property and timing. About a minute. Nothing is shared until you submit.
We match your ZIP to a contractor whose TDLR license we have verified. If none covers your ZIP yet, we email you and say so.
A matched contractor calls to arrange a visit, and you choose who comes. If you tick "system is down", the request is sent marked urgent.
A real quote follows a Manual J and a look at your ducts, attic access and electrical, not a phone estimate.
The contractor pulls the city permit, installs, and the city inspects. Keep the permit number and AHRI certificate.
Service area
Fifteen DFW cities with real installation demand. What changes between them is the permit office and the utility, not the equipment. We are signing partner contractors city by city and confirm coverage by ZIP.
The form checks your ZIP (750–753, 760–762) and tells you if we cannot route it.
Questions
Published DFW ranges run from about $5,000 to $20,000 installed, depending on tonnage, efficiency and whether the furnace or air handler is replaced too. Most mid-tier AC-only replacements on existing ducts are quoted at roughly $7,000–$13,000, and new ductwork adds $3,000–$8,000. These are published ranges from named sources, not our prices.
ENERGY STAR advises considering replacement once a unit is more than 10 years old. DFW cools from roughly May to October, with about 20 days a year at 100 °F or hotter, so systems here tend to reach that point on schedule rather than late.
Only a load calculation (ACCA Manual J) can answer that, and the Dallas residential code requires one. The estimator on this page gives a rule-of-thumb band to check quotes against. A contractor who sizes by square footage alone, without looking at windows, insulation and ducts, is guessing.
Yes. The City of Dallas requires a mechanical permit for a system replacement, and the licensed contractor pulls it and schedules the inspection. Suburbs have their own offices (Plano, Frisco, Fort Worth and the rest). Ask for the permit number on the invoice.
The federal 25C credit covered qualifying equipment placed in service through 31 December 2025. A system installed in 2026 does not qualify. Utility incentives through Oncor participating service providers may still apply; amounts change, so verify before you count on one.
New equipment built since January 2025 uses R-454B or R-32. After EPA's May 2026 rule, contractors may still install pre-2025 R-410A stock until it runs out, and that stock can be cheaper. The trade-off: R-410A itself is being phased down, so future service refrigerant is expected to cost more. Either is legal; ask which you are being quoted and why.
Search the TDLR license database for the company or the license number on the quote. A residential installer holds a Class A or Class B Air Conditioning and Refrigeration license with the Environmental Air endorsement, and the license number must appear on their advertising and invoices.
No. This site is an independent lead-generation publisher. When you request quotes, your details go to one or more licensed DFW contractors who pay us for the introduction. We do not perform or warranty any work, and we say so under every button.
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