Short answer: Title 24 is the California Building Standards Code. On most permits, "Title 24" means Part 6 — the Building Energy Efficiency Standards set by the California Energy Commission (CEC). If you are building new, adding space or making certain alterations, you will usually need a Title 24 energy report showing the design complies before the building department issues your permit.
What Is Title 24 in California?
Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations contains the state's building standards. It is published by the California Building Standards Commission and has many parts, including the California Building Code (Part 2), the Energy Code (Part 6) and CALGreen (Part 11). When contractors, designers and plan checkers talk about "CA Title 24" or "Cal Title 24" on a residential project, they almost always mean the energy code.
California has had energy standards since 1978, and the CEC updates them about every three years. The 2025 Standards apply to permit applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026; the 2022 Standards applied before that. Our Title 24 code guide explains how the code is organized, and what a Title 24 report is covers the document itself.
California Title 24 Requirements
The energy code sets requirements for the parts of a building that use or lose energy:
- Envelope — insulation in walls, roofs and floors, and air sealing
- Windows and doors — glazing area and performance ratings
- HVAC — heating and cooling equipment, ducts and ventilation
- Water heating — equipment type and efficiency
- Lighting — mandatory residential lighting measures and nonresidential lighting
- Solar and electric-ready measures — solar PV for most new single-family homes, plus a growing emphasis on heat pumps in recent code cycles
Many of these requirements change with location. California is divided into 16 climate zones, assigned by address or ZIP code, and each zone has its own energy budget and prescriptive values. See Title 24 requirements for a detailed breakdown.
Title 24 Compliance in California
There are two ways to show Title 24 compliance:
- Prescriptive — the project meets each listed requirement for its climate zone, component by component.
- Performance — the design is modeled in CEC-approved software and compared with a code-defined "standard design" of the same building in the same climate zone. If the proposed design uses no more energy, it complies. Most new homes, ADUs and additions use this method because it allows trade-offs, such as better windows offsetting a less efficient wall.
Mandatory measures apply either way. The result is a set of compliance forms — the CF1R for single-family homes and ADUs, the LMCC for low-rise multifamily, and NRCC forms for nonresidential buildings. The modeling step is explained in Title 24 calculations.
Compliance does not end at the permit. During construction, installers complete installation certificates, and for items flagged in the report a HERS rater performs field verification (called ECC verification under the 2025 code). See Title 24 vs HERS for how the stages fit together.
When Is a Title 24 Report Required?
A report is usually required for new construction, ADUs, additions and many alterations, including HVAC changeouts, window replacements and water heater replacements. Cosmetic work and like-for-like repairs generally are not affected, and the building department makes the final call. See when Title 24 is required for the full list of triggers and exceptions.
How Much Does a Title 24 Report Cost?
At Title24Comply, reports start at $199 for ADUs, $245 for single-family residential and $345 per building for multifamily, with the final price based on the square footage and unit count on your plans. Standard turnaround is 2–3 business days, with rush options. See Title 24 report cost for what affects the price.
How Title24Comply Can Help
Title24Comply prepares Title 24 reports 100% online for projects in all 16 California climate zones. Choose your report type, enter project details, upload your plans as a PDF and pay securely — it takes under five minutes. We model the project in CEC-approved software, register the report with CHEERS where the project requires it, and email a permit-ready PDF. Two revisions are included. See all Title 24 services or order your report.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Title 24 only about energy?
No. Title 24 is California's whole building standards code, but on most home permits the term refers to Part 6, the energy code. Wildfire construction rules (Chapter 7A) and CALGreen sit in other parts of Title 24.
Does Title 24 apply everywhere in California?
Yes. The energy code is statewide, but requirements vary by climate zone, and some cities adopt additional local rules. Your building department decides what your permit needs.
Which code cycle applies to my project?
Generally the one in effect when you submit your permit application. Applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026 fall under the 2025 Standards.
Browse every topic below for detailed answers on documents, turnaround, climate zones, project types and HERS verification.
