Do I Need Title 24 for Condo Windows? Forms, Ratings and HOA Scope

02Start with the building, then the individual opening

A condominium is an ownership arrangement, not enough information to select an Energy Code form. A unit in a multifamily building, a townhouse configuration and a mixed-use building can present different classification questions. Ask the reviewing agency and project designer to establish the applicable building category before selecting certificates.

Then describe the work at the opening level. Are frames and glazing replaced, only glass changed, openings enlarged or additional windows created? Which exterior walls are affected? A proposal saying “replace five windows” may conceal important differences in size, orientation and retained construction.

The owner should also establish who is responsible for the exterior envelope under the property’s governing documents. That private authorization question is separate from energy compliance. This article does not interpret CC&Rs, decide ownership or authorize work on common property; consult the appropriate property representatives or legal adviser where needed.

03Three approvals that should not be confused

HOA or association consent may address appearance, ownership and permission to change the envelope. Building-permit review addresses applicable public requirements. Energy certificates document the relevant compliance scope. Having one does not automatically satisfy the other two.

Ask the association what product appearance or installation restrictions have actually been approved and provide that direction to the designer. Ask the AHJ which plans and energy evidence the proposed replacement needs. Ask the preparer which rated inputs and form family are appropriate. Keep those answers linked to the same proposed product.

An energy report is not a warranty that a window is structurally suitable, waterproofed correctly or approved by the association. Installation detailing and related professional services remain separate. Avoid selecting the final order solely from an energy label without coordinating those other disciplines.

04U-factor and SHGC: use the actual rated assembly

U-factor describes heat transfer through the rated assembly; a lower number indicates less transfer under the rating conditions. SHGC describes the fraction of incident solar heat admitted. These are different characteristics, and “double pane” or a brand name does not supply either value.

Use supported whole-product ratings, such as the applicable NFRC information, rather than an unsupported center-of-glass value. Match the manufacturer, product series and configuration to the schedule. An operable window and a fixed panel from the same product family can require different entries.

Climate zone and the addition-versus-alteration pathway affect the applicable criteria. Confirm the exact project location with the CEC map and AHJ; neither a city name nor a ZIP reference conclusively establishes a parcel’s zone. The separate window guide explains 2025 single-family changes, but do not transfer single-family limits wholesale to a multifamily condo.

U-factor and SHGC for additions and alterationsCEC climate reference lookup

05Which forms might be needed?

Where the building is properly within the single-family family, an applicable CF1R alteration approach may be relevant. Multifamily projects have their own current document families and instructions. A nonresidential portion of a mixed-use building can instead involve NRCC documentation. Do not choose the shortest form from an unrelated project.

Design compliance, installer certification and required field verification remain distinct stages. ECC is the current 2025-cycle terminology where that program applies; older HERS language can remain on earlier-cycle records. Window work does not automatically create the same testing obligations as an HVAC changeout.

Use the current CEC catalog and the AHJ’s requested scope to identify the missing record. If a plan-check letter names a certificate, send the complete comment and reviewed drawings. The exact request is more useful than asking for a generic “condo Title 24 report.”

Choose the form familyMultifamily decision guide

06Before you order: unit-level intake checklist

An organized packet lets the preparer distinguish a focused replacement from a larger building-envelope alteration. Identify uncertainties instead of supplying convenient assumed dimensions.

• +Property and record: address, unit, AHJ, recorded application date and any existing permit or energy comment.
• +Building classification: number of units, relevant occupancy information and whether commercial spaces or shared systems are part of the scope.
• +Opening schedule: unique window IDs, existing/proposed dimensions, wall orientation, operation type and whether each opening is retained, replaced, enlarged or new.
• +Product evidence: whole-product U-factor and SHGC, applicable NFRC information, product configuration and the current selection date.
• +Permission and constraints: written association direction, relevant exterior-detail restrictions and the party responsible for envelope work.
• +Related work: HVAC, additions, wall insulation or interior alterations under the same permit, with existing and proposed sheets clearly separated.

07Illustrative example: a unit owner changes the window order

ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY: a condo owner proposes six replacements with no planned enlargement. The first schedule lists one rating for every unit, but the supplier later substitutes two operable windows with different supported values. Association approval addresses color and appearance, not the energy input discrepancy.

Before final ordering, the designer updates the schedule by opening ID and asks the preparer to review the actual ratings under the confirmed building classification and application edition. If a performance package is used, the model must reflect the proposed products; a previous passing result does not approve arbitrary substitutions.

If the AHJ requests revised energy evidence, the owner uploads the comment, reviewed set, updated schedule and change summary. The preparer can then distinguish an original report error from an owner-driven product revision. This avoids treating association consent as proof that no energy update is required.

08Application date, exclusions and the next step

For applications on or after January 1, 2026, use the 2025 Energy Code. A valid earlier application may use an earlier edition. The AHJ-recorded application date matters—not the supplier’s quote, installation appointment or association meeting. Ask the agency how amendments or a new application are handled.

Title 24 Lab can review the scoped design-document request but does not interpret HOA contracts, design waterproofing, install windows or guarantee permit approval. Field testing, acceptance testing, registry fees, CALGreen documentation and AHJ fees are excluded from the report offer. Use the shared residential/commercial pricing menu only after the document scope is clear.

Upload the current schedule and plans even if the product order is not final; identify preliminary selections plainly. A scoped question about which records are needed is preferable to purchasing a whole-building model merely because an installer used the phrase “Title 24.” Educational information is not legal advice; verify project-specific requirements with the AHJ.

Published report pricingUpload the window packet for a quote

09Six condo-window questions

10Choose the next documentation step

Use the published residential/commercial square-footage menu to understand report pricing, then send a scoped request rather than assuming a full model is necessary. Field testing, acceptance testing, registry fees, CALGreen and AHJ permit fees are separate. Intake is not payment, production acceptance or permit approval. This is educational information, not legal advice; confirm the applicable requirements and documentation with the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).

Start with the Title 24 decision hubDo I need Title 24 for windows?Do I need Title 24 for multifamily?Do I need Title 24 for remodel?Confirm the application’s code editionWhat to send for an energy reviewCF1R versus installation/verification recordsSee published PricingGet a Quote / upload plans