---
title: "Title 24 Before Permit Submittal: A Practical Readiness Checklist"
description: "A permit-focused checklist for starting California Title 24 energy compliance before plan check, with the drawings and assumptions to gather first."
date: "2026-06-18"
---


# Title 24 Before Permit Submittal: A Practical Readiness Checklist

A permit-focused checklist for starting California Title 24 energy compliance before plan check, with the drawings and assumptions to gather first.

Category: Title 24

Tags: Title 24, Permit Submittal, Energy Compliance

Starting Title 24 after the permit set is assembled can turn a coordination item into a redesign problem. A cleaner approach is to run the energy compliance review while the team can still adjust assemblies, glazing assumptions, HVAC selections, and water-heating details without reopening every sheet.

Use this checklist before permit submittal so the Title 24 report supports the drawings instead of chasing them.

## 1. Confirm the permit scope

Start with the scope the jurisdiction will actually review: new construction, addition, alteration, tenant improvement, HVAC replacement, water-heater replacement, or a combination. The compliance path changes when the permit scope changes, so avoid sending a generic project summary that leaves out energy-related work.

If you are still defining the scope, compare it with Strata's [Title 24 compliance](/services/title-24-compliance) service page and the [Title 24 permit checklist](/resources/title-24-permit-checklist) before the submittal deadline.

## 2. Gather the drawings that affect energy modeling

A useful first package usually includes:

- Floor plans and reflected ceiling plans where relevant
- Elevations and sections showing conditioned boundaries
- Window, door, and skylight schedules
- Wall, roof, floor, and slab assembly notes
- Mechanical plans or equipment assumptions
- Water-heating details and fixture assumptions when applicable

The drawings do not need to be final, but they should be current enough that the report will not be rebuilt from scratch a week later.

## 3. Identify unresolved assumptions early

Do not hide unknowns. Mark them clearly: final window product, duct location, heat-pump model, insulation value, or water-heater type. A Title 24 reviewer can often model a reasonable placeholder, but the team should know which assumptions must be confirmed before permit issuance or field installation.

This is especially important for local projects where the authority having jurisdiction expects the forms, notes, and plan sheets to align. Current local pages cover [Title 24 compliance in Sacramento](/services/title-24-compliance/sacramento), [Seattle](/services/title-24-compliance/seattle), and [Brentwood](/services/title-24-compliance/brentwood).

## 4. Coordinate forms with plan notes

Energy forms are not a standalone attachment. Before submittal, check that plan notes do not conflict with the report on insulation, fenestration, mechanical efficiency, ventilation, duct location, and HERS measures. Conflicts create easy plan check comments because the reviewer has to decide which document controls.

## 5. Decide who will respond to plan check comments

Before filing, assign responsibility for energy comments. Some comments belong to the architect, some to the mechanical designer, and some to the energy documentation team. A clear handoff reduces the risk of partial responses or resubmittals that fix the forms but not the drawings.

If the permit date is close, send the current set through the [contact page](/contact) and flag the submittal deadline, jurisdiction, and known open items.