Current Title 24 standards favor heat pumps for both space and water heating across California, including Climate Zone 3.
Heat pumps and current code
The 2022 and 2025 standards set heat pumps as a baseline in many space- and water-heating scenarios statewide, reflecting California's push toward electrification. Title 24 is a statewide California energy code. Climate Zone 3 does not have its own separate rules — the same statewide standards apply, with the energy budget calibrated to this zone's climate. Your project's exact requirements are determined when your specific address is modeled in CEC-approved compliance software.
A heat pump often improves a project's compliance margin, but the compliant path always depends on the full design as modeled for your address. Related: what affects my Title 24 report?