Do I need a Title 24 Report?

In almost every case, yes — if you are building a new ADU or converting existing space into a dwelling, California's energy code (Title 24, Part 6) applies, and the permit package needs a registered CF1R (Certificate of Compliance). The few exceptions are narrow and jurisdiction-specific, so the safest assumption for any ADU project is that a Title 24 report is required.

Why an ADU triggers the requirement

An ADU is legally a dwelling unit — it has living, sleeping, cooking, and sanitation facilities — so it is treated like a residence for energy-code purposes, not like a shed or accessory structure. California's Building Energy Efficiency Standards apply to new dwelling units and to many alterations, which means the building department generally cannot issue your permit without the energy documentation in the submittal. The report is reviewed during plan check, alongside your architectural and MEP sheets, so it is a design-stage deliverable — needed before you submit, not produced during construction.

Which projects need it

A quick self-check

1. Are you adding new conditioned floor area? → Report needed.
2. Are you converting an unconditioned space such as a garage or basement into living space? → Needed, under alteration rules.
3. Are you installing or replacing HVAC, a water heater, or substantial lighting? → Likely needed.
4. Is the work purely cosmetic — paint, flooring, cabinetry — with no energy systems touched? → Often not needed.

What the report actually demonstrates

The CF1R is not a formality — it documents that your design meets minimum requirements across the building envelope (insulation R-values, window U-factor and SHGC), HVAC efficiency (heat pumps are the current prescriptive baseline for new construction), water heating (a heat-pump water heater baseline for most new dwelling units), high-efficacy LED lighting with required controls, and, where applicable, solar PV. You reach compliance through either the prescriptive path (every component meets a fixed minimum) or the performance path (energy modeling proves the whole building meets or beats a code baseline), and the chosen path is recorded in the report.

One detail trips people up: the report must be registered with an approved data registry, not just printed from the compliance software. An unregistered PDF printout is frequently rejected at intake even when the numbers are correct.

Because the edge cases (like-for-like swaps, very small JADU scopes) are sensitive to your jurisdiction, the applicable code cycle and local amendments vary — confirm with your local building department; the 2022 and 2025 code cycles are the ones most ADU owners deal with today, with the 2025 code applying to permit applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026. When a report is required, we prepare the registered CF1R as a +$240 Title 24 add-on alongside your MEP plans, so the energy documentation is ready at the same time as the rest of your permit set. See Title 24 Reports or review the full ADU Title 24 guide.