Do Pre-Approved ADU Plans Come With Title 24?
No. Pre-approved plans settle the building design, but the energy documents depend on the lot, so the owner supplies them. Los Angeles County says site-specific Title 24 energy calculations are still required, and Beaumont says an energy designer prepares them from the standard plans and the ADU’s location on the property.
- Choose your report
- Upload your plans
- Pay securely
- Permit-ready report by email
What pre-approval settles
Under AB 1332, HCD’s handbook says a local agency must run a preapproval program and must approve or deny a detached ADU application that uses a preapproved plan within 30 days, provided the plan is valid within the current triennial code cycle. Building your first ADU covers the program itself.
What stays site-specific
- Climate zone. Zones are defined by ZIP code, and the energy budget and prescriptive package change with them (Section 100.1).
- Solar. A new detached ADU needs PV unless an exception applies, and the size depends on roof area with at least 70 percent annual solar access (Section 150.1(c)14). Beaumont asks for a solar design professional’s plans. See ADU solar.
- Orientation. Los Angeles County lets the ADU face any direction and the plan be mirrored. A CF1R can show compliance in all four orientations, but only within one climate zone.
- The certificate itself. It must name the project and location consistent with the plans (Section 10-103(a)1A), and each unit still needs its own installation and verification certificates.
The drawings cannot move
Beaumont says modifications are not allowed, however minor, and that a modified plan loses its pre-approval. So pick windows and equipment to suit the set before you apply, and ask the city which energy choices keep it valid.
What to ask and send
Ask the city what energy documents it expects with the application. Then send the standard plans, the site plan with a north arrow and any chosen equipment to your consultant; what plans an ADU report needs lists them, and the ADU CF1R explains the certificate. A factory-built unit follows different rules.
Common Title 24 Questions
- Do ADUs need Title 24 in California?
- What plans are needed for an ADU Title 24 report?
- How much does an ADU Title 24 report cost?
- How long does an ADU Title 24 report take?
- Does a garage conversion ADU need Title 24?
- Does a JADU need a Title 24 report?
Frequently Asked Questions
Do not assume so. A CF1R names one project and location, so ask the publisher what exists and your building department what it will accept for your lot.
Beaumont says no change is allowed without losing pre-approval. Ask your city before altering anything.
Explore ADU and JADU
- Does a Prefab ADU Need Title 24?
- Prefab and Factory-Built ADU Title 24 Requirements
- Two-Story ADU Title 24 Requirements
- Title 24 for ADU Builders
- Title 24 for an ADU Above a Garage
View all ADU and JADU guides → · Permits and Compliance · Title 24 guide