12 Things to Know Before Ordering a Title 24 Report

Placing an order for a Title 24 report takes a few minutes. The delays people run into usually come from choices made, or not made, before the order: the wrong report type, a design that is still moving, or an assumption that the report covers work it does not. These are the twelve things worth settling first. The documents to gather are a separate list, in the Title 24 checklist.

1. Whether you need a report at all

The Energy Code covers new buildings, additions and alterations, but not repairs. Some small jobs are left to the building department's discretion: where no field verification is needed, it may waive the certificate of compliance or accept a simplified form. A two-minute question to the department can save you an order. Do I need a Title 24 report? covers the usual cases.

2. Which report type fits your building

The building type decides the forms. Single-family homes and ADUs use the CF1R family, low-rise multifamily buildings use LMCC certificates, and nonresidential buildings use NRCC certificates. For an ADU, the classification matters as well: a new detached ADU is new construction, a garage conversion is an addition, and turning existing conditioned space into an ADU is an alteration. Each is documented differently, so describe the project accurately when you order.

3. The code edition is set by your application date

A building department checks a project against the Energy Code that was in force when the permit application was made. Applications submitted on or after 1 January 2026 fall under the 2025 code. If a permit expires with no construction under it, a new application is assessed against the code in force on the new date. A report prepared under an earlier edition cannot support a new application, so mention any existing report when you order. See How long is a Title 24 report valid?

4. How settled your design is

The best moment to order is when the floor plan, window sizes and equipment are decided but the permit set is not yet final. The report can change the design, and a change on paper costs far less than a change on site. Ordering against a design that is still moving means rework; ordering after the drawings are complete means any change the report needs has to be drawn again.

5. Your climate zone

California has 16 building climate zones, and the requirements differ between them. The zone comes from the project location; the Energy Commission's search tool finds it by address. Where a ZIP code contains more than one climate region, the local jurisdiction may designate a single zone for the whole ZIP code, so give the full street address, not just the city. See California climate zones.

6. Prescriptive or performance

There are two ways to show compliance. The prescriptive approach meets a fixed set of requirements, component by component. The performance approach models the whole building in CEC-approved software and compares it with a standard design of the same size built to the prescriptive requirements, so a weaker component can be offset by a stronger one. Additions and alterations generally use the prescriptive forms, with performance as an option. You do not have to choose, but it helps to know which approach your report uses, because it decides which features are fixed and which can be traded. Prescriptive vs performance explains the difference.

7. Equipment choices carry more weight than they look

For new single-family homes, the 2025 prescriptive requirements call for heat pump space heating in every climate zone, and for refrigerant charge verification on heat pumps in all zones. A different system can be modelled under the performance approach, but its extra energy use has to be offset elsewhere. Modelling equipment above the minimum efficiency has a consequence too: an ECC-Rater then has to verify the higher SEER2, EER2 or HSPF2 rating in the field. Decide the equipment before the report and use the same model data on the drawings.

8. ECC field verification is a separate step

If your project needs field verification, the CF1R lists what must be tested. The testing is done later, during construction, by an independent ECC-Rater whom the builder or owner hires, and it is not part of the report. The rater must work through the same registry the CF1R was registered in. Plan time for it before the final inspection. What is an ECC-Rater?

9. Who signs, and the CHEERS signature choice

Every CF1R carries two declarations: the documentation author's, confirming the documents are accurate and complete, and the responsible person's, from whoever can legally take responsibility for the design. Where field verification is required, the CF1R must be registered with an ECC-Provider data registry, and both signatures are electronic. The Title24.Pro order form asks whether you want to add your own CHEERS signature. Designers, architects, engineers and contractors with an active CHEERS account often do, and receive an invite to sign. Choose no and Title24.Pro handles the CHEERS signing and registration. If you do sign yourself, sign soon after the invite arrives: an unsigned invite is the one thing that can hold up delivery. Are reports CHEERS registered?

10. What happens when plans change

Plans change between the first model and the permit, and plan checkers ask questions. Title24.Pro revisions are unlimited until the project complies. Changes during construction are a different matter: anything that affects compliance has to go back through the building department as revised plans and energy documents. Tell your consultant before a different window or heat pump is installed, not after. The answer on changing plans covers the detail.

11. Turnaround, and what holds it up

Standard turnaround at Title24.Pro is 2–3 business days, and a 24-hour rush is $95. With any preparer, the time that matters is the time from complete information: a missing window schedule or an unreadable elevation turns into questions before the work can finish. If a permit deadline is close, check that your PDFs are legible and complete before you pay for speed. How long does a Title 24 report take?

12. What the price covers, and what it does not

Title24.Pro prices by project type and size. ADU reports start at $199 for up to 1,000 sq ft, then $9 per additional 100 sq ft. Residential reports start at $245 for up to 3,500 sq ft, then $49 per additional 500 sq ft. Multi-family reports start at $345 for up to 4 units and 4,000 sq ft, then $95 per additional unit and $25 per additional 500 sq ft. Commercial projects are quoted. The price includes the permit-ready PDF by email, CHEERS registration where required, and unlimited revisions until the project complies.

It does not include work that belongs to other people: the ECC-Rater's field testing, the installers' CF2R certificates, or the building department's own fees. Whoever you order from, ask the same question: what is in the price, and what will I pay someone else for later? How much does a Title 24 report cost?

Comparing providers? How to choose a Title 24 consultant lists the questions worth asking any of them.

More Title 24 Guides

1. What Every California Homeowner Should Know About Title 24
2. Title 24 Checklist: What to Have Ready Before You Order
3. How to Read Your CF1R, Page by Page
4. 15 Title 24 Mistakes That Trigger Plan Check Corrections
5. How to Choose a Title 24 Consultant

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I order before my plans are finished?

Does a Title 24 report include the ECC testing?

Which code applies if I applied for my permit before 1 January 2026?

Do I need to know my climate zone before ordering?