Permits and Title 24 When You Replace an AC in Sacramento
Updated 2026-10 · Sacramento, CA
Yes, a replacement needs a permit
In California, swapping an air conditioner, heat pump or furnace for a new one is an alteration under the building and energy codes, and it needs a mechanical permit even when the new unit is the same size in the same spot. Repairs that replace a part, such as a capacitor or a fan motor, generally do not. This is general information, not a determination for your house; check with the building department that covers your address.
Which building department
- Inside the City of Sacramento (Natomas, Land Park, East Sacramento, the Pocket, Midtown and so on): the City of Sacramento Community Development Department.
- Unincorporated county (Arden-Arcade, Carmichael, Fair Oaks and others): Sacramento County, which says residential heating and cooling replacement permits can be issued automatically online.
- Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights and Folsom: each city's own building department.
A Sacramento mailing address does not tell you which one. Arden-Arcade addresses read Sacramento and are county land.
What Title 24 adds
Title 24 Part 6 is California's energy code. The 2025 edition took effect on January 1, 2026. When an air conditioner or furnace is replaced, the code generally requires paperwork and verification on top of the installation:
- A compliance form filed with the permit describing the new system (the CF1R)
- An installation certificate from the contractor once the work is done (the CF2R)
- Field verification by an independent HERS rater, who tests items such as duct leakage and records the result (the CF3R)
Sacramento sits in a climate zone where duct leakage testing has long been part of an HVAC change-out. If the ducts fail, they are sealed and retested before the permit can be finalled. That step is where older houses cost more.
Why a quote without a permit is a worse deal
Leaving the permit out can make a quote look cheaper by the cost of the permit, the HERS visit and any duct sealing. It also leaves you with unpermitted work that can surface when you sell, and an installation nobody independent has checked. CSLB has written to C-20 licensees about pulling permits for change-outs, which tells you how common skipping it has been.
What to ask for
Ask the company to name the permit on the quote, include the HERS verification, and say how duct sealing will be priced if the test fails. Ask for copies of the final permit and the registered HERS forms when the job is done. They are the proof the work was inspected.
Planning a replacement? Call or send a request and ask for a quote that includes the permit and testing, and a local heating and air company will call you back.
Where to go next
Common questions
How much does an HVAC permit cost in Sacramento?
Fees vary by jurisdiction and change; third-party guides cite figures in the low hundreds of dollars for a residential change-out. The installing company usually includes it in the quote.
What is a HERS rater?
An independent inspector certified under California's Home Energy Rating System who verifies energy-code items such as duct leakage after the installation. The rater is not employed by the installer.
Can I pull the permit myself?
A homeowner can sometimes pull an owner-builder permit, but that makes you responsible for the work. For an HVAC replacement, the licensed company normally pulls it.