Confirm the permit uses the 2025 California Residential Code, effective January 1, 2026, then trace structural, egress, fire separation, wildland-urban interface, energy, and CALGreen items through the plans, sections, and compliance documents. Check that energy and green building forms cite the same edition as the plans. AI can flag conflicts; the designer and building official decide compliance.
What does the California Residential Code cover?
The California Residential Code is Part 2.5 of the California Building Standards Code, Title 24, and applies to one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses. Energy and green building requirements are in Parts 6 and 11, which a dwelling submittal must satisfy alongside it.
The California Building Standards Commission states that the 2025 Title 24 was published July 1, 2025 with an effective date of January 1, 2026, and lists Part 2.5 among its parts. HCD also gives January 1, 2026 as the effective date. HCD’s rulemaking statement for Part 2.5 says the 2025 CRC is based on the 2024 International Residential Code. Checked October 15, 2026. Cities and counties may adopt local amendments.
Model code checks are in the IRC guide. Energy is in the California Energy Code guide, green building in the CALGreen guide, and nonresidential work in the California Building Code guide.
Gather the house plans and Title 24 documents
Collect the floor plans, elevations, sections, foundation and framing plans, structural notes and calculations summary, window and door schedules, the energy compliance documents (CF1R), the CALGreen checklist, the fire sprinkler information, and any fire hazard severity zone determination for the lot.
Note which Title 24 edition each document cites. Forms from an earlier design often keep the 2022 edition.
Trace CRC items through the house plans
| Review question | Sources to compare | Decision to record |
|---|---|---|
| Edition | Cover sheet, general notes, CF1R, CALGreen checklist | Confirm the 2025 Title 24 edition across plans and forms. |
| Structural and lateral | Foundation and framing plans, shear wall schedule, sections | Match shear walls, holdowns, and beams across sheets. |
| Emergency escape openings | Floor plans, window schedule, elevations | Check sleeping rooms have escape openings drawn consistently. |
| Garage and unit separation | Plans, wall types, door schedule | Confirm separations and openings are detailed and continuous. |
| Wildland-urban interface | Site plan, hazard zone determination, exterior details | Record whether wildfire provisions apply and where exterior materials are shown. |
| Energy and CALGreen | CF1R, sections, schedules, CALGreen checklist | Match insulation, windows, equipment, and green items to the forms. |
The residential projects page covers house plan review workflows, and the California page lists Title 24 parts and official sources.
Example: an energy form from the earlier design
Hypothetical example. A new house submittal cites the 2025 CRC on the cover sheet. The CF1R in the set lists a different window performance and a heat pump water heater, while the window schedule and plumbing plan show other products.
The CF1R lists window performance and a water heater that differ from the window schedule and plumbing plan. Confirm the selected products and update the energy compliance documents or the drawings.
The designer and energy consultant align the forms with the current design. The building official decides compliance.
Review California house plans with Groundbook
Upload the current drawings and specifications to Groundbook, and state the edition, amendments, and review scope in your instructions. Add the California Residential Code edition the project uses from a copy you are licensed to use, where the license permits uploading it, and the jurisdiction’s published amendments. See how Groundbook works with local and licensed codes.
Compare the cover sheet, floor plans, elevations, sections, foundation and framing plans, shear wall schedule, window schedule, CF1R, CALGreen checklist, and site plan. Flag mixed Title 24 editions, structural elements that differ between sheets, sleeping rooms without consistent escape openings, and energy or green items that disagree with the drawings. Use the supplied CRC and cite both sources.
Groundbook links each potential finding to the sheets and forms involved.
Document review does not perform structural or energy calculations or approve a permit. Those remain with the designer and the building official.