Yes, new homes in San Diego need solar panels under California Title 24 energy code. This guide explains the 2026 requirements, what changed, and how compliance is reviewed during plan check.
New Construction – San Diego
Do New Homes in San Diego Need Solar Panels in 2026?
Yes, and California’s energy code just changed again. Here is what the state’s Title 24 rules actually require for a newly built home, what changed with the 2025 code cycle, and how San Diego reviews a new home’s plans for compliance.
Key takeaways
- Solar is already required. California’s energy code has included a prescriptive requirement to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on newly constructed single-family, multifamily and nonresidential buildings since the 2019 code cycle.
- The rules just changed again. The 2025 Energy Code took effect for building permit applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026: if you’re planning a new home now, this is the code your plans get checked against.
- Battery storage is part of the picture. The prior code cycle, the 2022 Energy Code (effective January 1, 2023), expanded the state’s solar and battery storage standards beyond the original PV-only requirement.
- The 2025 cycle leans into electrification. It increases the use of heat pump technology, encourages electric-readiness, and strengthens ventilation standards for newly built homes.
- San Diego reviews new-home plans in three stages. The City’s Development Services Department processes applications through Intake, Review and Permit Issuance, and the City is explicit that timelines depend on submittal completeness and current volume, not a fixed number of weeks.
In this guide
Do new homes really need solar panels?
Yes. The California Energy Commission is direct about this: the Building Energy Efficiency Standards “includes prescriptive requirements to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems as a part of newly constructed nonresidential, single-family and multifamily building.” This isn’t a local San Diego ordinance. It’s a statewide requirement built into Title 24, Part 6 of the California Code of Regulations, and it applies to the plans you submit for a new single-family home anywhere in the state. For homeowners and builders, the practical effect is that solar sizing and placement need to be part of the design conversation from the start, not an add-on decided after the roof is framed. Orientation, roof pitch, shading from neighboring structures and trees, and available roof area all affect how a system is sized to meet the code’s compliance calculation.
How California’s energy code has changed since 2020
Title 24’s energy standards are on a roughly three-year update cycle, and each cycle has moved new-construction requirements further. The table below covers only what the California Energy Commission has published for each cycle. We haven’t estimated or filled in gaps.
| Code cycle | Effective date | What it introduced for new homes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Energy Code | January 1, 2020 | Prescriptive solar PV requirement for newly constructed homes |
| 2022 Energy Code | January 1, 2023 | Expanded solar photovoltaic and battery storage standards |
| 2025 Energy Code | January 1, 2026 | Increased heat pump technology use, electric-readiness, stronger ventilation standards |
What the 2025 Energy Code adds
The current code cycle doesn’t replace the solar requirement. It builds on it. The California Energy Commission describes the 2025 standards as expanding several energy efficiency requirements for newly constructed residential buildings, with three themes showing up repeatedly for single-family homes: heat pump technology, electric-readiness, and ventilation. None of this means every new home has to be all-electric today. It means the compliance path increasingly rewards designs that are ready for electric heating, cooling and water heating equipment, whether or not gas appliances are also installed. For a design-build team, that’s a conversation to have during schematic design, not a change order after the mechanical rough-in.
| 2025 code theme | What it generally means for planning |
|---|---|
| Heat pump technology | Mechanical and plumbing plans should account for heat-pump-based HVAC and water heating as a compliance path, not an afterthought |
| Electric-readiness | Electrical panel capacity and circuit routing should leave room for electric appliances and equipment even if gas is also installed |
| Ventilation standards | Mechanical ventilation strategy needs to be resolved early, since it interacts with the home’s insulation and air-sealing approach |
One caveatEverything above describes requirements for newly constructed buildings. Additions and remodels of existing homes fall under the energy code’s separate provisions for existing buildings, which can trigger different requirements depending on the scope of work. Don’t assume a new-construction rule does or doesn’t apply to a remodel or addition. Confirm the scope with your design team before you budget around it.
How San Diego reviews a new home’s plans
New single-family home permits in the City of San Diego go through the Development Services Department, and applications are submitted through the City’s online DSD portal. The City’s own permit-timeline page breaks the process into three phases, described in the City’s own words:
| Phase | What the City says it covers |
|---|---|
| Intake | The queue time it takes to process each application from the first upload to the pre-screen phase |
| Review | The time from the start to the finish of the project review |
| Permit Issuance | The queue time after the project has been reviewed and the time it takes staff to verify that all requirements have been met |
The City is upfront that it won’t commit to a fixed number of weeks: “the actual length of time to process applications will vary depending on the number of applications received and the completeness of the documents submitted.” A complete, energy-code-compliant submittal on the first pass is the single biggest lever a homeowner has over that timeline. For how San Diego calculates the fees tied to your permit valuation, see our guide to San Diego building permit fees.
- Confirm your project type first. A ground-up new single-family home is reviewed differently than an addition or a remodel, know which path your project is on before you submit.
- Build energy compliance into the plan set, not around it. Title 24 documentation (solar sizing, insulation values, HVAC equipment, ventilation) is part of the plan check submittal, not a separate approval.
- A complete submittal moves faster than a fast one. The City’s own guidance ties review speed to completeness of documents, not to how quickly you file.
- Check current status before you plan around a date. The City publishes a live Permitting Center Dashboard rather than a fixed promise. Use it instead of a rule of thumb.
Why this belongs in the design phase, not after
Every energy code requirement above (solar sizing, electric-readiness, ventilation) is a design decision before it’s a construction task. Roof geometry has to leave room for the solar array the compliance calculation assumes. Panel capacity has to anticipate electric-ready circuits. Duct and ventilation layouts have to match the mechanical strategy the energy model was built around. That’s why energy code compliance sits with design and engineering, not with the framing crew. When it’s handled early (as part of the same design and engineering process that produces your permit set), it’s a line item in the plans. When it’s discovered late, it’s a redesign, a resubmittal, and a delay you didn’t budget for.
Do all new homes in California need solar panels?
Yes, for newly constructed single-family, multifamily and nonresidential buildings, California’s Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards include a prescriptive requirement to install solar photovoltaic systems, per the California Energy Commission.
What is the 2025 Energy Code and when does it apply?
The 2025 Energy Code is the current cycle of California’s Title 24 energy standards. Per the California Energy Commission, buildings whose permit applications are submitted on or after January 1, 2026 must comply with it.
Does the energy code require a home battery too?
The 2022 Energy Code, effective January 1, 2023, expanded the state’s solar photovoltaic and battery storage standards beyond the original solar-only requirement. Talk to your design team about how battery storage fits your specific project’s compliance path.
Does this apply to a remodel or addition, not just a brand-new home?
The requirements described here apply to newly constructed buildings. Additions and remodels of existing homes are evaluated under the energy code’s separate existing-buildings provisions, which can differ by scope. Confirm with your design team what applies to your specific project.
How does San Diego review the plans for a new home?
The City of San Diego’s Development Services Department processes new-construction permit applications through three phases (Intake, Review and Permit Issuance) submitted through the City’s online DSD portal.
How long does it take to get a permit for a new home in San Diego?
The City does not publish a fixed timeline. It states that processing time varies with the number of applications received and how complete the submitted documents are, and it publishes a live Permitting Center Dashboard rather than a set number of weeks.
What does “electric-readiness” mean under the 2025 code?
It’s one of the themes the California Energy Commission highlights in the 2025 Energy Code for newly constructed residential buildings, alongside increased use of heat pump technology and strengthened ventilation standards. It points designs toward being ready for electric equipment even where gas appliances are still installed.
Planning a new home in San Diego?
Eco Home Builders handles design, engineering, permits and construction for new homes across San Diego and Orange County. Talk to our team before your plans are drawn so energy code compliance is built in from the first sketch, not added after. Schedule a Consultation
Sources
- California Energy Commission – Solar Assessment Tools (solar PV requirement for newly constructed buildings)
- California Energy Commission – 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards
- California Energy Commission – 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards
- California Energy Commission – 2025 Building Energy Efficiency Standards
- City of San Diego Development Services Department – Permit Review Timeline
- City of San Diego Development Services Department – Permits
Code effective dates and program descriptions above are drawn directly from California Energy Commission and City of San Diego sources as of September 2026 and are provided for general education. This article contains no Eco Home Builders pricing or quotes; energy code and permit requirements can vary by project scope and should be confirmed with your design team and the City before you finalize plans or budget.
