When to Start a Title 24 Report Before Permit Submittal

A Title 24 report is easiest to handle before the project has locked in the decisions that affect energy performance. Waiting until the permit package is almost ready can still work, but it often turns energy compliance into a late-stage correction instead of a coordinated design input.

Start before these decisions harden

The best time to start is when the team is still able to adjust envelope, glazing, equipment, water heating, and ventilation assumptions without reopening the whole drawing set. That usually means starting before final permit assembly, not after plan check comments arrive.

What to send first

A useful first package usually includes floor plans, elevations, window and door schedules, project location, construction type, and any known HVAC or water-heating assumptions. The information does not need to be perfect; it needs to be clear enough to identify the compliance path.

Why early review helps

Early Title 24 review helps the team catch conflicts while there is still room to solve them cleanly. It can also make later HERS coordination easier because the field requirements are tied to approved assumptions from the beginning.

Practical rule

If the project is close enough that the permit package is being assembled, it is close enough to start the Title 24 conversation. Earlier is better when the design is unusual, the glazing area is high, or the mechanical system is still being selected. For the service scope, see Title 24 compliance.