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Central air conditioner replacement cost in Riverside, CA

Installed, 3 ton (outdoor unit + matching coil)

Low$4,150
Typical$4,750
High$6,150

Metro area: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA. Wages: BLS, May 2025. Permit notes checked October 2026.

A typical central AC (3 ton (outdoor unit + matching coil)) costs about $4,750 installed in the Riverside area, 2% above the national figure, because HVAC technicians here earn a median $31 an hour against $29 nationally.

Central air conditioner (3 ton (outdoor unit + matching coil)), installed

Prices for: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

Low$4,150
Typical$4,750
High$6,150

Unit $2,782 (online list price, middle of 8 listings) plus installation about $1,950 for this area. Permit fees and code extras are listed below the table.

How this estimate is built

Prices by size in Riverside

SizeLowTypicalHighNational typical
2 ton (outdoor unit + matching coil)$3,200$3,550$4,600$3,500
3 ton (outdoor unit + matching coil)$4,150$4,750$6,150$4,650
4 ton (outdoor unit + matching coil)$5,550$6,050$7,750$6,000
5 ton (outdoor unit + matching coil)$6,800$7,550$9,000$7,400

Local labor: what HVAC technicians earn here

Hourly wageRiverside metroUnited States
25th percentile$25$23
Median$31$29
75th percentile$38$37

The Riverside market

The City of Riverside's Building and Safety Division issues same-day, over-the-counter permits for simple water heater change-outs. Its Bulletin 140 lists only replacement of a part as exempt, which implies furnace, AC and heat pump replacements need permits; the 2026 fee schedule prices all three. Fees include $18.50 for a water heater up to 100,000 Btu, $24.50 for a furnace or a 0 to 3 ton AC unit, $16.50 for an AC heat pump (electrical) and a $41.00 permit issuance fee. Permits may go to the owner or an authorized agent, and contractors must show their license and a city business license. The bulletin also states that a permit application must be submitted to the Building Official by the next working business day. Inspection details were not retrieved, so ask the city. San Bernardino, Ontario and county areas follow their own departments.

Summer heat in the Inland Empire runs well above the coast, so AC is often the system that fails first here. Ask for the condenser's tonnage on the quote and compare it with the unit you have now. A load calculation tells you whether the old size was right. Attic ducts in this heat lose cool air through every leak, so ask whether the ducts will be tested or sealed.

Permits in Riverside

Permit for this jobYes (inferred: only replacement of a part is exempt per Bulletin 140; fee schedule prices furnaces, AC units and heat pumps) (source)
Fee2026 schedule: water heater up to 100,000 BTU $18.50 each; furnace $24.50 each; AC unit 0-3 tons $24.50 each; AC heat pump (electrical) $16.50 each; plus permit issuance $41.00.
Who can pull itProperty owner (or authorized agent) or licensed contractor with City business license
InspectionUnclear (inspections page exists; not retrieved)

Rebates in California

HEAR: paused. HOMES: announced, not open yet. Source: California Energy Commission, checked October 13, 2026.

  • TECH Clean California: Statewide heat pump HVAC and heat pump water heater incentives via contractors; also administers HEEHRA (fully reserved)
  • Golden State Rebates: Instant rebates on efficient appliances at retailers

What these programs cover, and other states

Other systems in Riverside

Central air conditioner cost in other metros

Sources