Wood-burning stove North Rhine-Westphalia
Key points at a glance
North Rhine-Westphalia offers a modernisation loan from 5.000 to 220.000 EUR via NRW.BANK, with 0,0 % interest in the first 5 Jahre years. State grant funding specifically for pellet stoves has no longer been available since February 2026. The Bauordnung NRW (BauO NRW) regulates the construction of new chimneys.
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Funding in North Rhine-Westphalia
Federal funding
Nationwide funding for pellet stoves remains unchanged. Details: Wood-burning stove Germany
NRW state funding
| Programme | Type of funding | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NRW.BANK.Eigentumsförderung Modernisierung | Loan | 5.000 to 220.000 EUR |
Until early 2026, progres.nrw funded pellet boilers and water-bearing pellet stoves combined with solar thermal or PV systems. This funding was discontinued under the new guideline of 30 January 2026, in force since 18.02.2026. progres.nrw has since focused on geothermal energy, façade PV, ventilation systems and commercial projects. Pellet stoves are no longer eligible for funding under it.
The NRW.BANK loan for owner-occupied homes remains available: 0,0 % interest in the first 5 Jahre years, then 0,5 % p.a. for the remaining term (20, 25 or 30 Jahre). These conditions apply to applications approved by the application deadline of 2026. It supplements KfW financing and is applied for through the applicant's bank.
Tax bonus § 35c EStG
Alternative to KfW funding: 20 % of costs deductible, maximum 40.000 EUR per property, only for water-bearing systems.
Legal obligations
Bauordnung NRW (BauO NRW)
Connecting a wood-burning stove to an existing, suitable chimney does not require a procedure under § 62 BauO NRW.
Construction and alteration of chimneys nevertheless require a certificate under § 66 BauO NRW: the authorised district chimney sweep confirms that the chimney is compliant and suitable for the connected combustion system. Before commissioning, a specialist contractor's declaration and this chimney sweep's certificate must also be obtained.
For construction of a new chimney outside cases exempt from procedure, planning permission from the municipal building control office is required. The procedure takes around 4 to 8 W weeks.
1. BImSchV, KÜO and GEG
Nationwide rules on deadlines, limit values and obligations: Wood-burning stove Germany
Chimney sweeps in NRW
How to find the district chimney sweep responsible for you: enter your postcode on schornsteinfeger.de . Regional guilds: schornsteinfeger-nrw.de and, for Ostwestfalen-Lippe, schornsteinfeger-owl.de.
Air quality in NRW
The Ruhr area, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Aachen have air quality plans. There is no blanket ban on wood burning. During fine-particle alerts, authorities in these urban areas recommend not operating wood-burning stoves. The recommendation is not legally binding.
Relevant bodies
| Body | Contact | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Schornsteinfeger-Innung NRW | schornsteinfeger-nrw.de | Chimney sweep district allocation |
| NRW.BANK | nrwbank.de | Eigentumsförderung Modernisierung |
| KfW | kfw.de/meine-kfw | Funding application for pellet stove |
| Municipal building control office | Service number 115 | BauO NRW, new chimney construction |
Frequently asked questions
Does progres.nrw still fund pellet stoves?
No. Since the guideline change of 30 January 2026, progres.nrw has no longer funded pellet boilers or pellet stoves for private residential buildings. Federal funding through KfW and the tax bonus under § 35c EStG continue to apply.
Can I combine the NRW.BANK loan with KfW?
Yes. The loan supplements KfW financing and is applied for through the applicant's bank.