Owner-builder Title 24: what you have to do after the permit

As an owner-builder, you take the general contractor's place in the Title 24 process. You make sure every installation form (CF2R) gets signed and registered, you hire the ECC rater, and you have the paperwork ready for final inspection. You can sign the CF2Rs yourself, but each trade you hire is still responsible for the forms for their own work.

This page covers what happens after your Title 24 report (the CF1R) is approved. Sources are the Energy Code's administrative rules (Section 10-103), Chapter 2 of the CEC's 2025 Single-Family Compliance Manual, Energy Code Ace and CHEERS.

Who signs the CF2R on an owner-builder project?

Section 10-103(a)3 says the person "in charge of the construction or installation," who is eligible under Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code to take responsibility for it, signs the Certificate of Installation (CF2R). If several people share the work, each signs for their part, or the person with chief responsibility signs for the whole scope.

Energy Code Ace, a California energy code training site, answers the owner-builder question directly: "A homeowner acting as the general contractor for a project is authorized to sign the CF2R."

But signing is not the same as being responsible. The compliance manual says a builder "may sign the CF2R on behalf of the specialty subcontractors they hire, but the preparation and signature responsibility reside with the specialty subcontractor who provided the installation services."

In practice:

  • Work you did yourself: you fill in and sign that form.
  • Work a licensed trade did: have the trade fill in and sign their form, or get the details from them before you sign.

For what each form is, see CF1R, CF2R and CF3R explained.

Do I need a CHEERS account?

Probably. When any ECC verification is required, the manual says "all CF2R forms must be registered with an approved ECC registry." CHEERS is a CEC-approved ECC-Provider. Forms are filled in and signed online, and each one gets a registration number.

CHEERS's Homeowners page says homeowners can use "a single Homeowner account with two levels of access":

  • CF1R sign-off (design documents): no project access fee.
  • CF2R sign-off (installation documents): a one-time project access fee of $50.

There is a conflict to know about. CHEERS's pricing FAQ says "Architects/Designers and homeowners signing 2Rs as builders or contractors will also require a subscription," and lists builder and contractor subscriptions at $20 per user per month. The two pages do not say which applies to an owner-builder. Ask CHEERS before you pay.

Trades you hire need their own CHEERS access to sign their forms. CHEERS says builders and contractors need subscriptions.

What does an owner-builder have to do?

The manual lists what the builder must do when documents must be registered. As an owner-builder, that is you:

  1. Make sure the approved CF1R is in the registry, so the rater can see it.
  2. Book a certified ECC rater if the CF1R lists any ECC verification. The rater must be independent of the builder.
  3. Get every CF2R completed and registered as each part of the work is installed.
  4. Give the rater access to the signed CF2Rs. The manual says the rater "shall not sign a CF3R for a house that does not have a registered CF2R that has been signed/certified by the installer."
  5. Post copies at the site. Registered CF2Rs and CF3Rs must be at the building for the inspector.
  6. Keep copies for the home. Copies go to the homeowner, which here is you.

What does the rater need from me?

  • The ECC list from your CF1R, when you ask for quotes.
  • Open walls for QII, if it is listed. See QII insulation inspection.
  • The mini-split install date, so the rater can watch the refrigerant weigh-in. See Mini-split Title 24 requirements.
  • Model numbers for the heat pump, range hood and fans, so ratings can be checked against directories.

A failed test is recorded in the registry. The problem gets fixed and the rater retests, which usually means another trip. For visit counts, see ECC (HERS) rater testing for an ADU.

What happens at final inspection?

The inspector checks the posted CF2R and CF3R forms against the approved plans. The manual says the building department "cannot issue the certificate of occupancy before receiving all required compliance documents, including the CF3Rs."

What are common owner-builder mistakes?

  • Waiting until the end. CF2Rs are signed as work is installed, not all at once before final.
  • Buying different equipment. If the water heater, heat pump or windows differ from the CF1R, the forms will not match. Ask for a revised report first.
  • Closing walls before QII. Once drywall is up, QII cannot be inspected.
  • Hiring a rater tied to a trade. The manual says raters must be independent from the builder or subcontractor.

Need your CF1R before you start? See our flat prices.

Frequently asked questions

Can an owner-builder sign the CF2R?

Yes. Energy Code Ace, a California energy code training site, says: 'A homeowner acting as the general contractor for a project is authorized to sign the CF2R.' Each specialty contractor you hire is still responsible for preparing and signing the forms for their own work.

Do I need a CHEERS account as an owner-builder?

If your project's forms are registered in CHEERS and you will sign any of them, yes. CHEERS offers a Homeowner account with two levels: CF1R sign-off with no project access fee, and CF2R sign-off with a one-time $50 project access fee.

Is the CHEERS homeowner fee $50 or a subscription?

CHEERS publishes both. Its Homeowners page lists a one-time $50 fee for CF2R sign-off. Its pricing FAQ says homeowners signing CF2Rs as builders or contractors also need a subscription, listed at $20 per user per month. Ask CHEERS which applies before you pay.

Who hires the ECC rater on an owner-builder job?

You do. The CEC's compliance manual says the builder must arrange a certified ECC rater when the CF1R calls for ECC verification. The rater must be independent of the builder.

What happens at final inspection?

The inspector looks for the signed CF2R forms posted at the site and the rater's registered CF3R forms. The CEC's manual says the building department cannot issue the certificate of occupancy before it receives all required compliance documents, including the CF3Rs.

Related

Sources

  1. energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2026-07/CEC-400-2025-010-F.pdf
  2. energy.ca.gov/filebrowser/download/8634?fid=8634
  3. energycodeace.com/content/24-roles-and-responsibilities
  4. cheers.org/getting-started/homeowners
  5. cheers.org/pricing/
  6. energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/energy-code-compliance-program/ecc-providers-energy-code-compliance