What is acceptance testing?
Acceptance testing is the field verification that installed nonresidential lighting controls actually operate the way California's Energy Code requires. A certified technician runs a defined set of functional tests and documents that each one performs correctly before a project can pass inspection.
California's Title 24, Part 6 (the Building Energy Efficiency Standards) requires this testing for nonresidential lighting controls. It exists to make sure the energy-saving features a building was designed with — sensors, dimming, automatic shut-off — are genuinely working on day one, not just drawn on the plans.
In short: if a nonresidential project in California installs lighting controls, a certified technician must field-test them before it passes inspection. No certified testing, no sign-off.
Why Title 24 requires it
Acceptance testing is a compliance step, not an optional extra. Local building departments need the completed acceptance-test documentation to approve nonresidential lighting-controls work — without it, the project can't be signed off.
That documentation is how the state verifies that the controls specified for energy savings were installed and actually function as designed on the finished job.
Who performs it
The testing can only be performed and signed off by a certified Acceptance Test Technician (ATT) employed by a certified Acceptance Test Employer (ATE). NLCAA is a CEC-approved ATTCP that trains, certifies, and lists both.
Not sure which credential applies to you? Read ATT vs ATE: which certification do you need?
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What gets tested
Acceptance testing covers the lighting-control functions the Energy Code relies on to save energy. On a typical nonresidential project, a certified ATT verifies that:
- Occupancy and vacancy controls turn lighting on and off based on presence in the space.
- Automatic shut-off shuts lighting down during unoccupied periods, via schedule or occupancy.
- Daylighting controls dim or switch electric light in response to available daylight.
- Multi-level and dimming controls let lighting operate at more than one light level.
- Demand responsive controls reduce lighting power in response to a utility demand-response signal.
Each function has a defined test procedure and a pass/fail result that gets documented on the compliance forms. New to the terminology? The lighting controls glossary defines every term you'll meet on site.
The 2025 Energy Code
The 2025 Energy Code took effect January 1, 2026, updating the requirements for lighting-controls acceptance testing. Testing on projects permitted under the new code must be performed by technicians certified against the current standard.
If your team is already certified, a 1.5-hour recertification course covers the changes. If you're not certified yet, complete training before your next project under the new code so it keeps passing inspection.