Central air conditioner replacement cost in Las Vegas, NV
Installed, 3 ton (outdoor unit + matching coil)
A typical central AC (3 ton (outdoor unit + matching coil)) costs about $4,650 installed in the Las Vegas area, about the same as the national figure, because HVAC technicians here earn a median $29 an hour against $29 nationally.
Prices by size in Las Vegas
| Size | Low | Typical | High | National typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 ton (outdoor unit + matching coil) | $3,150 | $3,500 | $4,600 | $3,500 |
| 3 ton (outdoor unit + matching coil) | $4,100 | $4,650 | $6,150 | $4,650 |
| 4 ton (outdoor unit + matching coil) | $5,450 | $5,950 | $7,700 | $6,000 |
| 5 ton (outdoor unit + matching coil) | $6,650 | $7,400 | $8,950 | $7,400 |
Local labor: what HVAC technicians earn here
| Hourly wage | Las Vegas metro | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $23 | $23 |
| Median | $29 | $29 |
| 75th percentile | $37 | $37 |
The Las Vegas market
The City of Las Vegas issues water heater and HVAC replacement permits online without plans. Its permit list includes "Water Heater (Same for same only including Tankless)" and "HVAC exact change outs/repairs," and the permit is issued at the end of the online submission. Either a licensed building contractor or a residential owner-builder can apply, and inspections are booked at LasVegasNevada.gov/ScheduleInspection. Fees were not published in the pages reviewed, so check the city's fee schedule. Henderson, North Las Vegas and unincorporated Clark County each run their own building departments. DOE's Building America guide puts Clark County in hot-dry climate zone 3B, and EIA's 2020 survey found 78% of Nevada homes have central air, 68% heat with natural gas and 67% heat water with gas.
Cooling drives the budget in Las Vegas, and the cooling season is long. Upsizing or relocating equipment makes the job bigger, so ask any bidder who proposes a larger unit to show why. Ask for a load calculation, since the old tonnage may have been a guess. Dry desert air leaves little moisture to remove, so the system's capacity goes mostly to dropping the temperature. Get the SEER2 rating and warranty in writing.
Permits in Las Vegas
| Permit for this job | Yes (source) |
|---|---|
| Fee | Not stated on the city pages we checked |
| Who can pull it | Homeowner (Residential Owner Builder) or licensed contractor |
| Inspection | Yes (inspection scheduling provided for these permits) |
Rebates in Nevada
HEAR: announced, not open yet. HOMES: announced, not open yet. Source: Nevada Governor's Office of Energy, checked October 13, 2026.
What these programs cover, and other states
Other systems in Las Vegas
- Gas tank water heater
- Gas tankless water heater
- Gas furnace
- Heat pump (ducted, outdoor unit + air handler)
Central air conditioner cost in other metros
Sources
- Las Vegas, NV permit source (water heater permit)
- Las Vegas, NV permit source (who can pull)
- Las Vegas, NV permit source: Building fee table effective July 1, 2021; no MEP line
- Las Vegas, NV permit source: Fee schedule documents and Tankless Water Heater
- DOE Building America: Guide to Determining Climate Regions by County
- Nevada Governor's Office of Energy: funding opportunities
- EIA RECS 2020: Highlights for space heating fuel in U.S. homes by state
- EIA RECS 2020: Highlights for space heating in U.S. homes by state
- EIA RECS 2020: Highlights for air conditioning in U.S. homes by state
- EIA RECS 2020: Highlights for water heating in U.S. homes by state
- BLS OEWS May 2025, Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV (49-9021 HVAC mechanics and installers)
- DOE Residential CAC & Heat Pumps Direct Final Rule TSD (Dec 2016), Table 8.2.30, split AC coil-only (2015$; 4-ton interpolated)