Will my 2025 report still be usable in 2029?

A report belongs to one permit application, and that application is judged under the code in force the day it was filed. A new application filed after the 2028 code takes effect is judged under that code.

Is "Title 24 2029" a different code from the 2028 code?

No. The Commission calls it the 2028 Energy Code, and its planned effective date is 1 January 2029.

Will the Energy Code Change Again? The 2028 Title 24 Code and What It Means for a 2026 Permit

Yes, another edition is planned. The Energy Commission says the 2028 Energy Code is to be adopted in 2027 with an effective date of 1 January 2029. Until then the 2025 Energy Code governs every permit application, so there is no reason to rush or to delay a project because of the next cycle.

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Where the 2028 code stands on 7 October 2026

It is still in pre-rulemaking, which the Commission describes as research and gathering the information needed for a formal rulemaking. The docket is 25-BSTD-03. Staff held workshops on 23, 24 and 25 June 2026 and stated that they were not part of a formal rulemaking. The 25 June agenda covered proposals on the verification weigh-in, rater photo verification, installation-certificate updates and acceptance-test technician programs. Those are ideas under discussion, so no figure circulating today is a requirement. The program page lists no upcoming events yet.

Why a 2026 permit is unaffected

Part 6 applies to a building when a permit application, or the renewal of an existing permit, is filed on or after the effective date (Section 100.0(a)2). If the planned date holds, every application filed before 1 January 2029 is judged under the 2025 Energy Code. The Commission updates the standards every three years, and the 2028 edition covers newly constructed buildings, additions and alterations.

The one way a delay moves you to a newer edition

If a permit expires with no construction under it, the building department may not issue a new one unless it determines in writing that the design meets the Part 6 requirements in effect on the new application date (Part 1, Section 10-103(d)1). A project parked for years could therefore meet a different edition on reapplying. Expired permits and Title 24 covers that case in full.

What to do with this

File when the project is ready. Waiting for the next cycle gains nothing, and filing early to beat it is unnecessary for a 2026 or 2027 start.
Keep your permit alive. An active permit protects the edition you applied under.

The application-date rule explains how editions are assigned. For what the current edition changed, see the 2025 Energy Code changes and how the 2025 calculation differs from 2022. The history of Title 24 shows the cycle in context, and our residential Title 24 reports follow the edition in force when you apply.

Common Title 24 Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore 2025 Energy Code and 2026 Permits

View all 2025 Energy Code and 2026 Permits guides → · Title 24 Guide · Title 24 guide