Quick answer · as of
How long does Tier 2 compliance take?
Preparing a Tier 2 filing takes a few weeks once your utility data is in hand, and Commerce then takes up to 30 business days to review it, plus up to 14 more for the incentive (CBPS 043). With Tier Two Partners, the filing typically goes in about 2 to 4 weeks after your building's information is in (EST.). Easy BPS says most of its buildings take six to ten weeks from the first call to submission (easybps.com). The deadline is July 1, 2027, and the incentive fund pays in the order filings arrive.
The easy way to file Tier 2 · 1:03 · Transcript
Tier 2 sounds complicated. Energy data, benchmarks, plans, and a Qualified Energy Manager.
Filing it doesn't have to be. Tier Two Partners is the modern way to file. It works a lot like TurboTax.
Add your building in under a minute. You see your deadline, your incentive, and your price, right away.
Connect your utility account, and we pull your energy data for you. No spreadsheets. No digging for bills.
Answer a few simple questions, and sign once. That's your part done, in about ten minutes. You can even do it from your phone.
Then we do the rest. We build your plans, a Qualified Energy Manager signs them, and we file with the state and track it to approval.
Simple. Intuitive. Usually done in two to four weeks.
Check yours today. Get a free quote, or book a call with us to learn more, at tiertwopartners.com.
What are the steps, and how long does each take?
Here is each step with the time limit Commerce or state law sets, where one exists:
| Step | What happens | How long |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Portal access | Owner creates a Secure Access Washington account and links the building | Same day with identity questions; 1 to 2 business days if you skip them (Portal user guide) |
| 2. Energy data | Utilities send 12 consecutive months of use into Portfolio Manager | Large utilities upload it; others must send it within 60 days of your request (RCW 19.27A.170, subsection 7) |
| 3. Benchmark and target | The building is set up in ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager® and the QEM sets the energy target | Days, once data is in (EST.) |
| 4. Energy Management Plan and O&M program | The plans are written and the O&M program is put into practice | Days to a few weeks (EST.); the O&M program must be running before you submit (CBPS 023) |
| 5. Portal filing and signatures | Forms, reporting tools and the incentive application go in; the owner and QEM sign | As fast as each signer acts |
| 6. Commerce review | Commerce checks the compliance filing | Up to 30 business days (CBPS 043) |
| 7. Incentive processing | Commerce approves the incentive and notifies the utility | Up to 14 more business days (CBPS 043) |
Commerce says its review time "can vary depending on the volume of applications received" (CBPS 043). It reviews filings in the order they arrive.
What takes the longest?
Getting 12 months of energy data, especially for buildings where tenants pay their own utility bills. The benchmark needs at least 12 consecutive months of data from within the two years before the compliance date (CBPS 030, step 3). Utilities with more than 25,000 customers upload the data to Portfolio Manager for you. Smaller utilities have up to 60 days to send it (RCW 19.27A.170). For a building with tenants, the utility must give the owner whole-building monthly totals without asking the tenants first (RCW 19.27A.170(8)). How that works for apartments: Who files Tier 2 for apartment buildings?
Other common slowdowns:
- Finding a Qualified Energy Manager. Every filing needs one to set the target and sign Form A (CBPS 017).
- Missing maintenance records. The O&M program has to be in place, not just written, before you submit (CBPS 023).
- Signatures. Each required signer needs their own Portal account, and the filing can't be submitted until all of them sign (Portal user guide).
- Commerce questions. If something is missing, Commerce sends it back with what to fix and how to resubmit (CBPS 043).
When should you start?
Now. The deadline is July 1, 2027, and the $150 million incentive fund pays first come, first served, with over $138 million left as of September 24, 2026 (Commerce). Starting now leaves time for slow utility data and a full Commerce review cycle, and gets your incentive application in line ahead of the buildings that wait. As of October 15, 2026, about 1,313 of 17,398 Tier 2 buildings had filed (Tier 2 by the numbers).
Buildings that miss the deadline can be fined up to $0.30 per square foot, the same as the incentive (Missed the Tier 2 deadline or got a notice of violation?).
How long does it take if you do it yourself?
It depends on who on your staff does it. Commerce publishes the forms, an Energy Management Plan template and O&M tools, and Portfolio Manager is free. Easy BPS says someone who can "commit a few days" and is comfortable with a spreadsheet can do it (easybps.com). You still need a Qualified Energy Manager to set the target and sign. What you'd be filing: What Tier 2 owners must file by July 1, 2027.
How fast does Tier Two Partners file?
We typically submit about 2 to 4 weeks after your building's information is in (EST.), and we do the waiting for you. We request your utility data, build the benchmark, Energy Management Plan and Operations and Maintenance program from your bills and service records, have a Qualified Energy Manager review and sign, and file your compliance and incentive application together. You sign once at the end. If Commerce asks questions, we answer them until it decides.
Our fee is $0.15 per eligible square foot for one building, down to $0.10 at 20 or more, with the Qualified Energy Manager included: no separate QEM fee. Half is due once your building's information is in and your price is confirmed, and half when we submit the filing to Commerce. Every provider's fee, ours included, is owed whether or not the utility pays the incentive, because the fee pays for the filing itself. Prices compared: How much does Tier 2 compliance cost?