01Key facts / TL;DR
Yes, new conditioned dwelling construction under an SB 9 project typically needs applicable Part 6 documentation.
No, a lot-split map or planning entitlement is not a substitute for building-energy compliance.
It depends which building/form family applies to detached homes, attached units and altered existing space.
No, the earlier planning filing date does not automatically establish the building-permit Energy Code edition.
02Separate the land-use track from the building track
HCD’s SB 9 Fact Sheet describes housing development and urban lot-split provisions. Those are planning/subdivision subjects, not a replacement for demonstrating building-energy compliance when construction is proposed. “Approved under SB 9” does not mean a new dwelling has already received the required energy design review.
If the scope is only a map or entitlement with no building construction, do not automatically order a new-building CF1R simply because SB 9 appears on the application. Ask what is actually being submitted now and whether other work is included. This is not a guarantee that every map-only application needs no other technical documents.
If new conditioned units, additions or regulated alterations are part of the building application, identify those scopes individually. A parcel number and proposed maximum unit count do not describe the actual buildings, systems or compliance boundaries. The energy preparer needs the proposed construction, not just the development concept.
03Inventory buildings and units before choosing forms
Draw a simple inventory: existing house retained or altered, new detached building, attached unit arrangement, and any proposed ADU/JADU. Give each building/unit a consistent label across site plans, floor plans and schedules. Label which systems serve which spaces and identify work that is not yet part of this permit.
The appropriate form family follows classification and scope, not the planning statute used to obtain approval. A single-family CF1R may apply where that family is appropriate; multifamily documentation may be relevant to other configurations. Do not assign forms solely from property ownership, separate meters or the number of parcels.
An ADU is also not automatically identical to an SB 9 primary unit for planning or energy classification. The CEC and HCD materials address different subjects. Ask qualified designers and the AHJ to resolve the proposed building arrangement rather than borrowing a neighboring ADU’s paperwork.
04The SB 9 energy decision checklist
Use this alongside—not instead of—the planning consultant’s work:
- +Current action: distinguish urban lot split, housing entitlement and the actual building permit. Identify whether infrastructure, demolition, alterations or new dwellings are included.
- +Application record: obtain the AHJ-recorded building-permit application date for each applicable submission and keep it separate from earlier planning milestones.
- +Building inventory: show classifications, conditioned areas, units, retained structures and proposed new work with consistent labels and boundaries.
- +Design inputs: provide plans, opening schedules, assemblies and supported HVAC/hot-water/PV information for the proposed buildings rather than one undifferentiated lot total.
- +Open questions: list shared systems, classification uncertainties, later permit phases and any AHJ directions requiring confirmation before final modeling.
05Worked decision: entitlement first, two building scopes later
ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY: an owner pursues an SB 9 planning proposal, then prepares building documents for a retained house with alterations and a new dwelling. The planning date and the two building scopes are recorded separately. The applicant does not assume that approval of the map supplies the new dwelling’s energy certificate.
The project team identifies which existing components change and establishes the new dwelling’s classification and documentation approach. If the arrangement is attached rather than detached, they confirm the form-family consequences rather than copying the detached-home assumption. No lot-split eligibility, unit allowance or local approval outcome is promised by this example.
The preparer uses the recorded building application basis and supported design inputs for each agreed scope. A later phase or redesigned building can need a new review of dates and boundaries. A report prepared for a previous site configuration should not be repurposed without checking what actually changed.
For phased work, retain a small record for each proposed building: its plan revision, application reference, classification decision and documented scope. When a unit moves, attaches to another structure or changes systems, flag that change explicitly. This prevents a site-planning revision from being mistaken for an unchanged energy design. The agency should confirm whether the revised work belongs to the existing application or a new one; the preparer should not decide that question from a filename.
06A planning date is not a code-cycle shortcut
The 2025 California Energy Code applies to building-permit applications on or after January 1, 2026. An earlier SB 9 inquiry, planning filing or lot purchase does not by itself settle that building application date. Ask the AHJ to identify its recorded date and treatment of phased applications, amendments or refiling.
Use software/forms appropriate to the established edition. ECC is current residential field-verification terminology; HERS can remain in older-cycle records. Neither a program name nor an older planning packet authorizes switching the building’s governing code cycle. Keep those decisions traceable to the actual record.
Local energy provisions may add requirements for particular work. This guide does not describe local SB 9 eligibility, setbacks, occupancy limits, fees or exemptions. HCD’s planning materials and the relevant agency are the appropriate starting points for entitlement questions; energy preparation is not legal or land-use advice.
07What to send and which service to request
Send the planning/site context plus actual building plans, not the entitlement packet alone. Include the building inventory, conditioned areas, dwelling count, component schedules, system relationships and application records. Clearly separate proposed future work from the current permit. Identify unknowns before a preparer produces final output.
Use new-construction report support for agreed new-building documentation and additions/remodels support for actual existing-building work. Field testing, acceptance testing, registry fees, CALGreen and permit fees remain separate. Preparation does not subdivide the property, establish SB 9 eligibility or guarantee permits; it addresses the defined energy-document scope.
New-construction serviceAdditions/remodels serviceCF1R documentation service
08Six SB 9 energy decisions
Does SB 9 approval waive energy compliance for a new dwelling?
No. Land-use/subdivision approval is distinct from the building-permit energy requirements for the actual new conditioned construction. Identify the proposed buildings and applicable documentation.
Do I order a CF1R for a map-only request?
Do not assume a new-building certificate is needed merely because SB 9 is involved. Clarify the current application and any included construction with the AHJ; other technical records may still be required.
Does an early SB 9 filing lock in the 2022 Energy Code?
Not by itself. Confirm the recorded building-permit application date and any applicable agency direction. Planning milestones and building applications are different records.
Can I use one area total for all proposed dwellings?
Provide building/unit boundaries, classifications and systems served rather than only a lot-wide total. The preparer needs the actual agreed scopes to establish appropriate documents and model boundaries.
Are attached SB 9 units always documented like detached houses?
No universal form assignment is made here. Classification and configuration matter; consult the appropriate single-family or multifamily resources and confirm with the design team/AHJ.
Does energy-report preparation determine SB 9 eligibility?
No. Entitlement and legal eligibility are separate from the energy-document scope. Consult HCD and qualified planning/legal resources and verify the current local process with the agency.
09Choose 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 new construction?Do I need Title 24 for multifamily?Do I need Title 24 for adu?Confirm the application’s code editionWhat to send for an energy reviewCF1R versus installation/verification recordsSee published PricingGet a Quote / upload plans
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