Upcoming Program Changes
- The 2025 Energy Code becomes effective on January 1, 2026. These regulations introduce the new Energy Code Compliance (ECC) Program.
- The ECC-Program replaces the field verification and diagnostic testing (FV&DT) for code compliance provisions of the HERS program.
- As of January 1, 2026, all HERS Providers will be recognized as ECC-Providers. Likewise, HERS raters will be recognized as ECC-Raters. ECC-Providers, Raters, and Rater Companies must comply with program requirements of California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 1, Section 10-103.3.
- Compliance documentation under past Energy Code cycles will continue to display “HERS” when referring to providers, raters, and FV&DT. 2025 Energy Code documentation will display “ECC” in this regard.
- The HERS Program regulations that become operative upon implementation of the ECC-Program regulations will have a new scope limited to whole house ratings and home energy audits. The remaining services do not support Title 24 compliance. Refer to California Code of Regulations, Title 20, Section 1670.
Other Updates
- On November 12, 2025, the CEC approved HERS provider California Home Energy Efficiency Rating Services (CHEERS) as an Energy Code Compliance (ECC) Provider for the 2025 Energy Code.
- HERS provider Golden State Registry has submitted an ECC-Provider application to docket log 25-BSTD-01. The application is under staff’s review.
To apply to become an ECC-Provider, please visit ECC-Providers.
HERS Providers listed below were approved by the CEC to offer specific services, as described:
Approved HERS Providers
CHEERS was approved by the CEC on November 12, 2025, to certify and oversee ECC-Raters who conduct field verification and diagnostic testing to demonstrate 2025 Energy Code compliance for projects in:
- Newly constructed single-family and multifamily buildings.
- Additions to existing single-family homes and multifamily dwelling units.
- Alterations of single-family homes and multifamily dwelling units.
- Efficiency measures in dwelling units and mechanical systems in nonresidential buildings.
CHEERS was also approved to train and certify ECC-Rater Companies and to provide its external digital data source (EDDS).
CHEERS operates a residential data registry for generating 2025 Energy Code compliance documentation. The registry is also approved for 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2022 Energy Code documentation registration.
- Exclusions: 2022 and 2025 low-rise multifamily (LRMF) certificates of compliance (LMCC) for prescriptive new construction, additions, and alterations, plus the associated certificate of installation (LMCI) for prescriptive new construction mechanical systems.
Report a concern about a CHEERS-certified rater on CHEERS.
GSR may certify and oversee raters that conduct field verification and diagnostic testing to demonstrate prescriptive 2022 Energy Code compliance for space conditioning alterations and replacements in existing single-family homes.
GSR operates a residential data registry for generating Energy Code compliance documentation as listed in the Executive Director Recommendation, Attachment A.
Report a concern about a GSR-certified rater on GSR.
To contact HERS Program staff, please email SCO@energy.ca.gov.