Why Sign-Off is Required
Nearly all residential Title 24 reports — including single-family homes, ADUs, and low-rise multi-family projects — must be registered with a HERS registry before they can be submitted to the city. This requirement comes from the California Energy Commission and is enforced by local building departments.
During registration, your Title 24 report receives:
- A unique registration number
- A watermark confirming registration
Both are mandatory for city approval.
In addition, the Responsible Party must complete a digital sign-off as part of the registration process. This step is a mandatory requirement of the energy code and ensures that an accountable member of the project team accepts responsibility for the report. The Responsible Party can be the architect, designer, builder, contractor, professional engineer (PE), or homeowner-builder.
We use Cheers.org, one of the two CEC-approved HERS registries. Cheers is user-friendly, reliable, and supported by excellent customer service — making it our preferred platform for registering residential Title 24 reports.
Who Needs to Sign Off?
As the Title 24 consultant, we sign off as the Documentation Author on every report. In addition, the Responsible Party must complete their digital sign-off as required by the California Energy Code. The Responsible Party can be:
- Architect
- Designer
- Builder / Contractor
- Professional Engineer (PE)
- Homeowner-Builder
We collect this person’s details at the beginning of the project so that registration can proceed without delays.
Two Ways to Sign Off
There are two simple options for completing the sign-off on your Title 24 report:
- Via Email (fastest and easiest)
- By Logging into Cheers.org
Option 1: Signing Off via Email
This is the most common method:
- Once you approve the draft building specifications, we send a sign-off request via Cheers.org to the Responsible Person.
- The Responsible Person receives an email directly from Cheers.org.
- The email contains a “Sign” button. Clicking this button completes the sign-off instantly.
That’s it — once the button is clicked, the report is officially registered with the HERS registry.
Watch our video guide for a step-by-step walkthrough of the email sign-off process.
Option 2: Signing Off by Logging into Cheers.org
If the email sign-off option doesn’t work, the Responsible Person can log into Cheers.org directly:
- When we upload your Title 24 report, we also create a Cheers account for the Responsible Person.
- The username is the email address provided at project start.
- If login credentials are unknown, use the Password Reset option on Cheers.org.
- After logging in, the Responsible Person will see a list of assigned projects.
- Select the correct project to open the Project Details screen.
– Locate the orange PRF01 bar under the CF1R – Compliance section. - Click the pencil icon on this bar, then press Sign and Close.
- The bar will turn green, confirming the sign-off is complete.
We also provide a video guide showing how to sign off using Cheers.org.
New Requirement for Builder, Contractor, and Homeowner-Builder Accounts on Cheers.org
Beginning in March 2025, Cheers.org introduced a subscription requirement for Builder, Contractor, and Homeowner-Builder accounts. These account types must now pay an $8 monthly subscription fee to use the platform. As a result, Builder, Contractor, or Homeowner-Builder Responsible Parties will only be able to complete their Title 24 sign-off after making this subscription payment directly on the Cheers.org website.
This requirement applies only to Builder, Contractor, and Homeowner-Builder accounts. It does not apply to Designers, Architects, or standard Homeowners. If your account was mistakenly created under one of the charged categories, you can contact Cheers.org to request that it be converted to a Designer, Architect, or Homeowner-only account, which does not require a subscription. You can email Cheers.org on their support email address (help@cheers.org) for this.
What Happens After Sign-Off?
Once the Responsible Party has signed off:
- The report is successfully registered with the HERS registry.
- We compile the final registered Title 24 report.
- You will receive both 8×11 PDFs and plan-sized PDFs (24×36 or 30×42 or similar).
- These documents are certified, watermarked, and ready for city submission.
- Simply add the plan-sized PDF sheets to your plan set and update your sheet index before submitting to the city.
If revisions or corrections are required later, we are here to assist. We do not charge for plan check corrections and typically complete them within 2–3 business days.
Final Note
Completing the sign-off is a quick but essential step to ensure your Title 24 report is valid for city approval. With our guidance, the process is straightforward and stress-free.
