Do I Need Title 24 for a Kitchen or Bathroom Remodel?

02A room label can hide several different scopes

A homeowner may call both new cabinet fronts and a complete kitchen reconstruction a “kitchen remodel.” The second proposal might change lighting, controls, ventilation, glazing and hot-water distribution. A bathroom-only project can similarly affect more than finishes. The room name does not tell the reviewer or preparer what systems change.

The useful first decision is which regulated components are affected and what documents the actual permit needs. That can be a focused alteration task rather than a full-house performance model. Do not order the largest report by default, but also do not assume that a small room or unchanged floor area removes applicable requirements.

This page complements the broader remodel guide by separating common room-level decisions. It does not decide local permit exemptions, prescribe fixtures or substitute for the architect’s and installers’ responsibilities. Verify the actual application and required evidence with the AHJ.

Broader remodel intent guide

03Room-by-room component checklist

Write retained, replaced, relocated or new next to each applicable item, then give the list to the project team.

• +Cabinets, paint, flooring and tile: identify genuinely finish-only work separately. Do not let a cosmetic description conceal changes shown elsewhere on the plans.
• +Lighting and controls: show affected luminaires, switches/control functions and locations. An LED label alone does not describe the applicable lighting/controls design.
• +Ventilation and HVAC: identify exhaust equipment, ducts, wall/roof penetrations and space-conditioning changes. Do not assume ventilation is unchanged just because the room stays the same size.
• +Water heating/distribution: distinguish fixture replacement from changes to hot-water production, piping, recirculation or controls. A plumbing scope is not automatically one identical energy-document task.
• +Envelope: mark changed windows, glazed doors, walls/ceilings or insulation. Identify resized versus retained openings and supported window U-factor/SHGC where affected.
• +Application basis: give the reviewing agency, recorded date, building classification, current revision and any prior accepted energy documents or complete comments.

04Cosmetic work: a careful no, not a permit exemption

A request consisting only of finishes does not automatically require a full energy model. But do not convert that observation into a universal statement that no permit or energy evidence is required. The AHJ reviews the actual work, and other code disciplines can matter independently of Part 6.

A useful question is: “These components remain unchanged; only these finishes change—what, if any, energy documentation belongs in this submission?” Include the drawing scope and any related trade work. That is more precise than asking whether all bathroom permits need Title 24.

If the scope expands after that answer, revisit the decision. A later window replacement or equipment change may alter the relevant energy question even if the project retains its original room-remodel title. Keep the scope record current rather than relying on direction about an earlier, narrower proposal.

05Lighting, ventilation and hot water need their own evidence

The CEC single-family lighting chapter addresses residential lighting requirements. Provide actual fixture/control information for affected work rather than assuming an efficient lamp or product brochure completes the record. This article does not invent room-specific wattage limits, control exemptions or approved products.

For ventilation or HVAC changes, the responsible designer/installer should define the equipment, ductwork, served spaces and supported performance information. Energy-document preparation does not design exhaust routing, electrical circuits or heating/cooling systems. Clearly identify each discipline’s input before final documents are produced.

For hot water, distinguish an altered fixture from changes to the service water-heating system or distribution. If the heater or related components change, use the separate water-heater intent guide and the CEC resources it cites. Do not assume a new sink forces a new heater, or that a heater replacement is merely a cosmetic room improvement.

CEC residential lighting chapterWater-heater replacement decision

06Which forms should a room-only applicant ask about?

Where the single-family family applies, applicable CF1R alteration documentation records design compliance. Use the current CEC catalog and the actual pathway rather than selecting a form from the room name. A focused prescriptive scope may not need the same inputs or analysis as a broader performance package.

Installers complete applicable CF2R records, and qualified ECC-Raters complete required CF3R verification for relevant measures. ECC is current terminology; HERS remains relevant to older-cycle records. Do not schedule every possible test merely because the permit concerns energy, or assume no verification because the room is small.

For a kitchen/bath inside a multifamily building or a commercial project, confirm classification and form families first. Single-family CF1R is not universal to every residential room. The scope should also identify shared systems and the relationship to existing accepted building documents.

CEC single-family forms and instructionsCF1R documentation service

07Worked decision: one bathroom, two different requests

ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY: one owner requests paint, a vanity finish and replacement tile with no identified system or envelope work. The applicant asks the AHJ what evidence is needed for that actual scope instead of automatically purchasing a whole-house model.

A second owner uses the same “bathroom-only” label but proposes changed lighting/controls, ventilation ductwork and a replacement exterior window. The team lists those altered components, gathers schedules and supported glazing information, and identifies applicable documentation. Equal room size does not make the energy tasks equal.

If the second proposal later changes the water-heating system as well, the installer/designer supplies that separate scope. No exemption, form count or passing result is invented. The final records should agree with the selected plans, not the earlier description of a finish-only job.

08Confirm the edition and assemble a proportionate request

The 2025 California Energy Code applies to permit applications on or after January 1, 2026. Confirm the AHJ-recorded date; demolition start, a cabinet order or an older title block does not settle the edition. Ask about amendments or a new application if the work has changed.

Send existing/proposed plans for affected areas, the component checklist, relevant schedules and prior documentation. Include complete comments and the reviewed set for corrections. Tell the preparer what remains unknown instead of supplying invented equipment or assembly values to make a package appear complete.

Use the published report-pricing menu only after defining the task. A small room does not prove one fixed report scope, and a quote request does not include installation, field testing, acceptance testing or permit approval. The goal is the right documentation for the actual work—not paperwork for its own sake.

Additions/remodel service scopePlan-check and revision support

09Six kitchen/bath decisions

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