Abstract Inheritance and selection of heat tolerance were investigated in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Parental, F1, backcross, and F2 populations from the crosses PI 271998 × BBL 47, PI 271998 × 80 BP-6 and 5BP-7 × BBL 47 were used in the inheritance study. Parental, F2, F3 and backcross populations of the cross PI 271998 × BBL 47 were used to estimate selection gain. Plants were evaluated for heat tolerance by the conductivity method after 32 days in the growth chamber at 20°/15°C (day/night) and acclimation at 37° for 24 hr. The joint scaling test indicated that the additive-dominance model was adequate to explain heat tolerance in crosses PI 271998 × BBL 47 and 5BP-7 × BBL 47. The major variation for tolerance for these 2 crosses may be controlled by a small number of genes. The additive-dominance model was inadequate for PI 271998 × 80BP-6, however, and epistasis was present. Narrow sense heritability estimates ranged from 2.9% to 24.0%, indicating relatively small additive effects. Broad sense heritability estimates ranged from 0.0% to 21.6%, suggesting sizable environmental effects. Realized heritability from selection for tolerant F2 plants was 7.9%. These estimates perhaps represent the lower limit of heritability for heat tolerance. The conductivity method could be considered for evaluating heat tolerance in a breeding program but should be more effective in screening F3 families than individual F2 plants.