What SEER2 Does California Require for a Home AC or Heat Pump?
The Energy Code writes no SEER2 figure for homes. Section 150.1(c)7 sends the equipment to the appliance efficiency rules, and those set the floor: 14.3 SEER2 for a split-system air conditioner under 45,000 Btu/h and for a split-system heat pump. Title 24 pays for efficiency above that floor on the performance path, but does not demand it.
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Where the number comes from
Section 110.1 allows an appliance only if it meets the Appliance Efficiency Regulations, and Table 150.1-A lists SEER2 and HSPF2 as the minimum in all 16 climate zones. Part 6’s own tables for air-cooled air conditioners and heat pumps start at 65,000 Btu/h, above the equipment a house normally has, so the residential figures sit in federal and Title 20 rules. The compliance manual adds that the regulations in effect when the permit is applied for set the minimum, and the building department sets that date. A rating is checked against the Energy Commission’s appliance database, a federal directory or an approved trade directory (Section 110.1(b)).
The floors for single-phase equipment under 65,000 Btu/h
- Split-system air conditioner under 45,000 Btu/h: 14.3 SEER2 and 11.7 EER2.
- Split-system air conditioner of 45,000 Btu/h or more: 13.8 SEER2 and 11.2 EER2.
- Single-package air conditioner: 13.4 SEER2 and 10.6 EER2.
- Split-system heat pump: 14.3 SEER2 and 7.5 HSPF2.
- Single-package heat pump: 13.4 SEER2 and 6.7 HSPF2.
The compliance manual’s Table 4-6 and the federal standard at 10 CFR 430.32(c) agree on these figures.
SEER2 is not SEER
Section 100.1 defines SEER2 and HSPF2 as the metrics for residential central equipment from 1 January 2023, measured under a revised test procedure. An older brochure’s SEER figure is on a different scale, so compare the SEER2 on the certified rating.
What beats the floor
Prescriptive compliance does not require cooling at all, but any cooling installed must meet the minimum. On the performance path, a higher SEER2 or EER2 earns credit against less efficient features, and the rating must then be verified by an ECC-Rater (the field-verification role that carried the HERS-rater name until 1 January 2026). EER2 matters in the hot zones, because two units with the same SEER2 can differ at full load.
What the rating does not guarantee
A high-SEER2 unit with the wrong charge or too little airflow loses its advantage, which is why refrigerant charge verification and duct leakage testing exist. Plug-in room units have no Energy Code efficiency rule beyond the same appliance standards. Related pages: heat pump requirements, adding central air, HVAC replacement and Title 24 versus Title 20.
Common Title 24 Questions
- When is Title 24 required for a home?
- Does a remodel need Title 24?
- Does a room addition need Title 24?
- What plans are needed for a residential Title 24 report?
- How much does a residential Title 24 report cost?
- How long does a residential Title 24 report take?
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Section 150.1(c)7 requires equipment to meet the minimum appliance efficiency regulations, and Table 150.1-A lists SEER2 as the minimum. The numbers are in the federal and Title 20 appliance standards.
Only on the performance path, where credit for efficiency above the minimum can offset other features. The rating is then verified by an ECC-Rater. Prescriptive compliance asks for the minimum.
The Energy Commission says there are no direct Energy Code efficiency requirements for plug-in room air conditioners and room heat pumps beyond the state and federal appliance standards in Sections 110.0 and 110.1.
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