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Title 24 California LED Lighting Requirements: 2026 Compliance Guide

Complete guide to California Title 24 lighting requirements. LPD limits, controls, and compliant LED fixtures for new construction and retrofits.

February 28, 2026Auvolar Engineering Team9 min read

California Title 24 Lighting Requirements

California's Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards set the strictest lighting requirements in the US. Here's what you need to know for 2026 compliance.

Lighting Power Density (LPD) Limits

Title 24 limits the maximum watts per square foot (W/sf) for lighting:

Space TypeMax LPD (W/sf)Auvolar Solution
Office (open)0.75[LED Troffer 2x4 40W](/p/panel-light-a-sfpl)
Office (private)0.85LED Flat Panel 30W
Retail1.10LED Troffer + Downlights
Warehouse0.55[UFO High Bay 150W](/p/ufo-high-bay-light-hba-series)
Manufacturing0.85UFO High Bay 200W
Classroom0.85LED Troffer 2x4 40W
Healthcare0.85LED Flat Panel (flicker-free)
Parking garage0.19[Garage Light 60W](/p/garage-canopy-light-an-cn)
Parking lot0.10[OT Series Area Light](/p/75w-145w-aera-lighting-shoebox-ot-series-s)

Required Lighting Controls

Title 24 requires the following controls in most commercial spaces:

  • Occupancy/vacancy sensors: Required in offices, conference rooms, restrooms, warehouses
  • Daylight responsive controls: Required within 15ft of windows/skylights
  • Automatic time-switch controls: All spaces must have scheduled shut-off
  • Multi-level switching: Lights must have at least 2 control steps (typically 0-10V dimming)
  • Partial-off controls: In daylight zones, lights must be independently switchable
  • Outdoor Lighting Requirements

    • Lighting zones: California uses Lighting Zone 1 (rural) through LZ4 (urban)
    • Backlight/Uplight/Glare (BUG) ratings required
    • All outdoor fixtures must be full cutoff (no uplight)
    • Auvolar area lights and wall packs are all BUG-rated and Title 24 compliant

    How to Comply

  • Choose high-efficacy fixtures: 130+ lm/W to stay under LPD limits
  • Install required controls: Occupancy sensors, dimmers, daylight sensors
  • Document everything: NRCC-LTI-E forms for new construction, NRCA-LTI-E for additions/alterations
  • Use DLC-certified products: Simplifies compliance documentation
  • Auvolar Title 24-Compliant Fixtures

    All Auvolar commercial LED fixtures meet or exceed Title 24 efficacy requirements:

    • High bays: 150+ lm/W (Title 24 requires ~100 lm/W minimum)
    • Troffers/panels: 130+ lm/W with 0-10V dimming standard
    • Area lights: 140+ lm/W with photocell compatibility
    • Wall packs: 130+ lm/W with integral photocell

    Need Help With Title 24 Compliance?

    We help California contractors select compliant fixtures and provide documentation for Title 24 submittals.

    [Contact us →](mailto:sales@auvolar.com) | Based in California: [(626) 342-8856](tel:6263428856)
    Title 24 lighting requirementsCalifornia LED requirementsTitle 24 LPDCalifornia building code lighting

    Need Help With Your Lighting Project?

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