California Energy and Water Rules for Kitchen and Bathroom Remodels

By ProRock Remodeling · CSLB #1154078 · Updated October 8, 2026

A kitchen or bathroom remodel in California isn't only about tile and cabinets. Once a permit is pulled, state energy and water rules come along for the ride, and they affect which lights, fans, toilets and faucets you can install. The good news: most of these rules point toward lower PG&E bills and less water use, habits many Bay Area households picked up during past droughts anyway.

Which code cycle applies to a remodel in 2026?

California's Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24, Part 6, often called the Energy Code) are updated every three years by the California Energy Commission. The 2022 standards took effect January 1, 2023, and the 2025 standards took effect January 1, 2026. Water-efficiency rules come from CALGreen (Title 24, Part 11) and from the California Civil Code. Your city's building department applies the edition in force when your permit is filed, so confirm with the plan reviewer. For the permit process itself, see our San Jose remodel permit guide.

What lighting does Title 24 require in a remodeled kitchen or bath?

Under the residential mandatory lighting measures (Section 150.0(k)), installed luminaires and light sources must comply with Joint Appendix JA8, which in practice means certified, high-efficacy products. Key points for kitchens and baths:

• Recessed downlights may not have screw-base sockets, must carry a JA8 marking, and in insulated ceilings generally need an airtight, insulation-contact (ICAT) housing sealed at the ceiling.
• Bathrooms need at least one luminaire on a vacancy or occupancy sensor with automatic shut-off.
• Dimmers: lighting in habitable spaces needs accessible wall dimming controls unless an exception applies, such as using auto-off sensors.
• Under-cabinet lighting must be switched separately from the ceiling lights.

For remodels, only the work done under the permit has to meet these rules. Swapping a bulb doesn't trigger them, but altering lighting controls does.

What are the bathroom and kitchen ventilation rules?

CALGreen Section 4.506.1 calls for each bathroom fan to be ENERGY STAR rated and ducted to the outside, controlled by a humidity control (adjustable within a range of 50% or less up to 80%) or operating as part of a whole-house ventilation system. Bay Area building departments such as Menlo Park list these items on their bathroom remodel checklists, along with a minimum of 50 cfm for intermittent fans. Our bathroom ventilation and mold guide explains how to size and duct the fan. For kitchens, Section 150.0(o) of the Energy Code ties ventilation to ASHRAE Standard 62.2; state compliance forms require range hoods listed in the HVI or AHAM directory and meeting airflow or capture-efficiency targets based on home size and fuel type. How much of this a remodel triggers depends on scope, so it belongs in the plan review conversation.

What flow rates do new toilets, showers and faucets need?

What is the pre-1994 plumbing fixture rule?

Senate Bill 407 (2009) added Civil Code Sections 1101.1 and following. For homes built and available for use on or before January 1, 1994, a "noncompliant" fixture is a toilet using more than 1.6 gallons per flush, a showerhead over 2.5 gpm, or an interior faucet over 2.2 gpm. Since January 1, 2014, when a single-family home undergoes a permitted alteration or improvement, the applicant must replace noncompliant fixtures as a condition of final permit approval. Since 2017, sellers of single-family homes must also disclose these requirements. That covers a large share of Bay Area houses, so plan for it in your bathroom remodel plan and kitchen budget.

Are there local water rebates?

As of this update, Valley Water, which serves Santa Clara County, lists landscape, graywater and submeter rebates on its rebates page rather than indoor fixture rebates. A graywater system can pair well with a laundry or bath project. Program details change, so check your water agency's site before you buy.

Remodel compliance checklist

1. Confirm which code edition applies when the permit is filed.
2. Choose JA8-certified light sources and ICAT, non-screw-base downlights.
3. Put at least one bathroom light on a vacancy sensor; plan dimmers and separate under-cabinet switching.
4. Specify an ENERGY STAR bath fan with humidity control, ducted outdoors.
5. Verify the range hood is HVI or AHAM listed and sized for your kitchen.
6. Check every toilet, showerhead and faucet in a pre-1994 home against the noncompliant limits.
7. Keep spec sheets handy for inspection.

How ProRock handles code compliance

ProRock Remodeling is a licensed general contractor (California CSLB #1154078) with more than 20 years in business, $1M general liability insurance and a 2-year workmanship warranty. We focus on kitchen and bathroom remodels from San Jose to South San Francisco, pull the permits and handle inspections. You can see finished kitchens and baths in our project gallery. Call (408) 991-4744 or request a free estimate.