Is California Banning Gas Water Heaters? What Title 24 and Air Districts Say
The Energy Standards do not ban a gas or propane replacement water heater in an existing home. They do steer new homes and additions toward heat pumps, and some air districts set zero-NOx appliance rules that begin in 2027 in the Bay Area. Your project type and your district decide.
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Replacing a heater in an existing home
Section 150.2(b)1H lets an altered or replacement water heating system be natural gas or propane, a single heat pump water heater, one meeting NEEA Tier 3, or a consumer electric heater if the existing one is electric resistance. Gas stays on the list. New and accessible existing hot water pipes must also be insulated.
New homes and additions are different
None of the prescriptive options for a newly constructed home is gas (Section 150.1(c)8), so gas there goes through the performance path. When an addition adds a water heater, it must be a heat pump water heater or, for additions of 500 square feet or less, an electric one with point-of-use distribution (Section 150.2(a)1D). The compliance manual's Example 9-32 says a gas tankless unit for a 600 square foot addition does not qualify prescriptively.
What gas triggers
Where a gas or propane water heater is installed in a new building or an addition, the home needs a 2.5 foot by 2.5 foot by 7 foot space for a future heat pump unit, a 30-amp 240-volt circuit or its convertible equivalent, a reserved breaker space and a condensate drain (Section 150.0(n)1). Alterations do not carry that rule.
Air district rules
- Bay Area. Rule 9-6 sets zero-NOx standards for water heaters, with dates beginning in 2027, 2029 and 2031 by size and equipment type. They apply when existing equipment burns out. Staff have proposed flexibility amendments for units under 75,000 Btu/h, and the district page said its board would consider changes on 4 November 2026, so read the current page before relying on a date.
- South Coast. The governing board voted 7 to 5 on 6 June 2025 not to approve amended Rules 1111 and 1121, so Rule 1111 as amended in 2023 and Rule 1121 as amended in 2004 stay in effect.
Air rules sit outside Title 24, so confirm with your district before you buy.
Where to read more
The water heater requirements, the permit question, electric-ready wiring and heat pump installs go deeper. Reports start on the residential page.
Common Title 24 Questions
- What is Title 24?
- Do I need a Title 24 report?
- How much does a Title 24 report cost?
- How long does a Title 24 report take?
- What is included in a Title 24 report?
- What plans do I need to upload?
Frequently Asked Questions
Under Title 24, yes, in an existing home. Check your air district first, since local appliance rules can be stricter than the Energy Standards.
No. The electric-ready rule applies to newly constructed buildings and additions, not to alterations such as a replacement.
Explore Water Heaters
- 120-Volt or 240-Volt Heat Pump Water Heater: What Title 24 Allows
- Adding a Second Water Heater for a Far Bathroom: Title 24 Rules
- Can an Existing Water Heater Serve a New Addition?
- Where Can You Install a Heat Pump Water Heater Under Title 24?
- Home Addition With a Heat Pump Water Heater: Title 24 Guide
View all Water Heaters guides → · HVAC and Water Heating · Title 24 guide