Title 24 for a Project With No Existing Plans
No plans does not stop a Title 24 report, but the building has to be measured. The Energy Code asks for plans only when the building department requires them, while the compliance model needs scaled drawings of what exists, what changes and what is new.
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- Upload your plans
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Ask whether the department wants plans
Section 10-103(a)2A ties the certificate to plans only when the department requires plans with the application. For an alteration that needs field verification and has no plans, the certificate is approved before final inspection instead of before the permit. For alterations needing no field verification, and additions under 300 square feet, the department may waive the certificate or accept its own simplified form (Section 10-103(a)1C). The department decides which applies to your scope.
What a measured set has to give the model
The compliance manual's method for an existing house starts with accurate envelope and mechanical information from scaled plans, sections and elevations. Each modeled feature is then labeled existing, altered or new, and walls or windows that are removed are ignored. The standard design assumes the same geometry and orientation as the proposed design, so a sketch with the wrong north arrow gives the wrong answer.
Numbers worth measuring on site
- New or replacement duct over 25 feet triggers duct sealing and testing (Section 150.2(b)1D).
- A duct system under 40 linear feet by visual inspection is excepted from the equipment-change duct test.
- Replacing more than 50 percent of a roof brings in the roofing requirements.
- Replacing up to 75 square feet of windows gets relaxed limits, and adding up to 16 square feet of glass skips the glazing-area limits.
What a tape cannot show
Insulation behind finishes is the usual gap. Without verification, the model assumes code-level values for what you alter; an older home with unknown insulation explains the option to verify.
Our residential plans page lists the drawings we work from, and ADU plans does the same for ADUs. Scope questions are in remodel Title 24. We prepare residential Title 24 reports from a dimensioned sketch if that is all that exists.
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
It can for the energy model if it is dimensioned and legible. Whether the permit itself accepts a sketch is the department's call.
The documentation author and the person eligible under Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code to take responsibility for the design (Section 10-103(a)1). Who that is for your project is a question for the department.
Explore Permit-Ready Reports
- What Must the Plan Set Show for Title 24?
- What Does "Permit-Ready" Mean for a Title 24 Report, and What Does It Not Promise?
- Why Does the Plan Checker Say Title 24 Does Not Match the Plans?
- 2025 Residential Mandatory Measures: A Section 150.0 Checklist
- 12 Things to Know Before Ordering a Title 24 Report
View all Permit-Ready Reports guides → · Reports and Calculations · Title 24 guide