HERS Rater or ECC Rater? Same Role, New Name
HERS raters and ECC raters are the same role under two names — the 2025 California Energy Code renamed the program. Here is which term applies to your project, and the distinction that does matter.
One Program, Renamed in 2025
They are the same person doing the same job. If you are searching for one and not the other, you are cutting your options in half for no reason.
California's 2025 Energy Code, effective January 1, 2026, renamed the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) program to Energy Code Compliance (ECC). The certification changed name; the work did not. A rater who was certified under HERS is the same rater you hire under ECC.
What the Rater Actually Does
Whichever name is on the certificate, this is a certified independent field verifier. They come to the site, test and inspect the installed energy measures called out on your CF1R — duct leakage, refrigerant charge, airflow, insulation quality, whole-house ventilation — and sign the CF3R that lets the building department close out the permit.
Independent is the operative word. The rater cannot be the contractor who installed the work, which is exactly why the verification carries weight.
Which Term Applies to Your Project
It follows the code cycle your permit was pulled under:
- Permitted under the 2022 Energy Code — the paperwork says HERS verification. - Permitted under the 2025 Energy Code — the paperwork says ECC verification.
Either way you are looking for the same professional, and most active raters carry both. Ask which certification they hold for your code cycle rather than screening on the name.
The Distinction That Does Matter: Writer vs. Rater
The confusing pair is not HERS versus ECC. It is the person who **writes** the compliance report versus the person who **verifies** it in the field.
- The **ECC Writer**, usually called the Title 24 energy consultant, models your building in approved compliance software and produces the CF1R. This happens before permit, at the design stage. - The **HERS / ECC Rater** shows up after installation, tests what was built, and signs the CF3R.
Two different people, two different points in the project, and on most California projects you need both. Hiring a rater does not get you a CF1R, and hiring a consultant does not get your permit signed off.
Finding One
Browse the directory under the **HERS / ECC Rater** service type to see certified verifiers serving your city or county. The listing covers both names, because it is one role.