Code Updates

Coming next

• ADU Law in 2026: Five Changes Every Homeowner Should Know
• The 2025 Energy Code and Your Remodel: What Applies to Additions
• LA Fire Rebuilds: What the Governor's Executive Orders Changed
• Rebuilding in Los Angeles City: EO 1, Self-Certification and Soils Rules
• Have an Unpermitted ADU? AB 2533 and the Los Angeles Process
• The 2025 Energy Code for a New Home: Heat Pumps, Solar, Battery-Ready
• Rebuilding in Altadena: LA County's Express Lane, Self-Certification and Fee Relief
• SB 9: What the State Rules Allow on a Single-Family Lot
• ADUs in Los Angeles: Pre-Approved Plans, Fees and Local Programs
• Los Angeles' All-Electric Ordinance Is Stayed: What It Means for Your Project
• Seismic Retrofit Programs and LADBS Updates Property Owners Should Know

Official sources we track

We re-check these sources every month and add a Code Updates article when a rule really changes. Last full check: October 23, 2026.

California (state)

• California Energy Commission - 2025 Building Energy Efficiency Standards
• CEC - 2025 Single-Family Residential Compliance Manual (CEC-400-2025-005), Ch. 1 'What's New for 2025'
• HCD - Accessory Dwelling Unit Handbook (March 2026), 'Solar Requirements'
• CEC - 2025 California Energy Code Fact Sheet (Sept 2024)
• Office of the Governor - Executive Order N-4-25 (signed PDF, issued Jan 12, 2025 per gov.ca.gov press release)
• Office of the Governor - Executive Order N-20-25 (signed PDF dated 13th day of February 2025)
• LA County Public Works / Recovery - Executive Order N-29-25 Implementation Sheet
• California HCD - SB 9 Fact Sheet (September 2024)
• California Energy Commission - What's New for Single-Family Residential (2025 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, revised 2/19/25)

City of Los Angeles

• LADBS - Green Building & Sustainability ('All Electric' section)
• LADBS / City Planning / LAHD / BOE - Implementation Guidelines for Emergency Executive Order No. 1 (v4.0), Applicable Building Code Edition
• Mayor Karen Bass - Emergency Executive Order No. 6, Self-Certification Pilot Program (hosted by LADBS)
• City Planning / LADBS / LAHD / BOE - Implementation Guidelines (Version 2.0) for Emergency Executive Order No. 8
• LADBS - Information Bulletin P/BC 2026-157, Compaction, Soils and Geological Reports for Rebuilding in the Palisades Fire Area
• LADBS - Information Bulletin P/GI 2026-036, Plan Submittal Requirements 2025 Wildfire Rebuild Projects
• LADBS Information Bulletin P/BC 2026-161 - Streamlined Permitting of Unpermitted Dwelling Unit as ADU/JADU Under AB 2533
• LADBS Information Bulletin P/BC 2026-150 - Accessory and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units

LA County

• LA County Public Works - Building Code Section 110.2.3.6 Interpretations for Eaton and Palisades Fire Rebuild Projects
• LA County Public Works Building and Safety Division - home/news

City of Pasadena

• City of Pasadena - Building and Safety Division (news: 2025 CBC Goes into Effect)

General information only, not legal, engineering or code advice. Rules differ by city and change over time, so confirm the details for your property with your local building and planning departments. Planning a project? Talk with Kevin Cohen, AIA.