Quick answer · as of
How much does Tier 2 compliance cost?
Having a Tier 2 filing done for you costs $4,500 to $12,000 for a 30,000 sq ft building in October 2026, depending on who you hire. Easy BPS charges $5,500 per building, Vert charges $12,000 flat, and Tier Two Partners charges $0.15 per eligible square foot or less, all in: we handle everything, including the Qualified Energy Manager. Which is cheapest depends on your building: if your own staff already run Portfolio Manager and you have a QEM, doing it yourself can cost less. The $0.30 per square foot incentive can cover the cost.
How much does Tier 2 compliance cost? · 1:14 · Transcript
What does Tier 2 compliance cost? Less than you'd think.
You're paying for your energy data, two plans, and a Qualified Energy Manager's signature.
Some firms charge a flat fee per building, as high as 12,000 dollars.
Tier Two Partners charges 10 to 15 cents per square foot, and that includes the Qualified Energy Manager.
On a 30,000 square foot building, that's about 4,500 dollars, all in.
Now the good part. File early, and the state's incentive pays 30 cents per square foot. That's up to 9,000 dollars.
After our price, that leaves up to about 4,500 dollars.
Your utility pays it after the state approves your filing. First come, first served. So file early.
And we're the fastest. Some firms take six to ten weeks. We usually file in two to four.
Plus, our dashboard comes free, for life. It tracks every deadline, and every dollar of incentive coming your way.
Check yours today. Get a free quote, or book a call with us to learn more, at tiertwopartners.com.
What do Tier 2 filing services charge?
Here are the published prices, as each company's site showed them on October 19, 2026, worked out for a 30,000 sq ft building with all space heated:
| Provider | Published price | When you pay | 30,000 sq ft building |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier Two Partners | $0.15 per eligible sq ft for one building, down to $0.10 at 20+ buildings, with the QEM included | Half once your building's information is in and your price is confirmed (before the engineer's review), half when we submit the filing to Commerce (or 3 weeks after the plans go to your own QEM, if you use one); or all up front at $0.02 less per sq ft | $4,500, or $3,900 paid in full up front |
| Easy BPS (Pilotlight) | $5,500 per building, more for missing records or complex filings (easybps.com) | Half at signing, half when the application is submitted | $5,500 or more |
| Vert | $12,000 flat for 20,001 to 50,000 sq ft (washingtoncbps.com/pricing) | Set by their proposal | $12,000 |
Engineering firms that quote building by building usually don't publish a price. All the options ranked: Best Tier 2 compliance companies in Washington. Ask what's included: the benchmark, the Energy Management Plan, the Operations and Maintenance program, the Qualified Energy Manager's signature, and the incentive application.
What does the incentive pay against those costs?
The Tier 2 early adopter incentive is $0.30 per eligible square foot, so a 30,000 sq ft building can get up to $9,000 (Tier 2 Incentive Guidebook). Your utility pays it after Commerce approves your filing. The money comes from a $150 million state fund that pays first come, first served.
| Building size (eligible sq ft) | Incentive at $0.30 | Our fee for one building at $0.15, QEM included |
|---|---|---|
| 22,000 | $6,600 | $3,300 |
| 30,000 | $9,000 | $4,500 |
| 45,000 | $13,500 | $6,750 |
The utility can pay less than the calculated amount, or nothing, if it has used up the tax credit that funds the payment. Every provider's fee is owed whether or not the incentive is paid, including ours, because the fee pays for the compliance filing itself. More on how payment works: Tier 2 early adopter incentive. How to file the claim: How to claim the Tier 2 incentive, step by step.
How much does Tier 2 cost for a 25,000 sq ft building in Seattle?
$3,750 with Tier Two Partners, QEM included, against an incentive of up to $7,500. Tier 2 prices don't change by city, so a Seattle building pays the statewide rates, as of October 2026:
| 25,000 sq ft building | Fee | Incentive at $0.30 | Left after the fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier Two Partners | $3,750 ($0.15 per sq ft, QEM included) | up to $7,500 | up to $3,750 |
| Tier Two Partners, paid in full up front | $3,250 ($0.13 per sq ft, QEM included) | up to $7,500 | up to $4,250 |
| Easy BPS | $5,500 or more | up to $7,500 | up to $2,000 |
| Vert | $12,000 | up to $7,500 | $4,500 short |
The incentive is figured on eligible square feet, so parking and unheated space come off first. Large utilities, those with more than 25,000 Washington customers, must take part in the incentive program (Tier 2 Incentive Guidebook). Apartment buildings price the same way: Who files Tier 2 for apartment buildings?
Why does price per square foot matter?
A flat fee costs smaller buildings more for every square foot. On a 22,000 sq ft building, Easy BPS's $5,500 works out to $0.25 per square foot, most of the $0.30 incentive. Our $0.15 per square foot fee, QEM included, scales with the building, so the incentive covers it at every Tier 2 size.
When is the fee due, and is there a discount for paying up front?
Most done-for-you services split the fee in two, with the second half due when the application goes to Commerce.
- Easy BPS collects half at signing and half when the application is submitted.
- Tier Two Partners collects half once your building's information is in and your price is confirmed, and half when we submit the filing to Commerce, usually about 2 to 4 weeks later (EST.), or 3 weeks after the plans go to your QEM if you use your own. Either way, we submit the filing for you. If Commerce asks questions after that, we answer them until it decides.
- Paying in full up front saves $0.02 per square foot with Tier Two Partners, at every volume rate: $0.15 becomes $0.13, and $0.10 becomes $0.08. On a 30,000 sq ft building that's $3,900 instead of $4,500.
Either way, the filing has to be done right to protect you from the fine of up to $0.30 per square foot for missing the July 1, 2027 deadline (What Tier 2 owners must file).
What else goes into the cost?
- The Qualified Energy Manager. Every Tier 2 filing needs one to review and sign it. Some providers include the fee and some charge it separately. Ours is included: there's no separate QEM fee.
- A site visit, if your building needs one. We work from your bills, records and photos. If no one on site can photograph the equipment, or the building needs basic maintenance set up, we can send a local technician. That visit costs extra, and we tell you the price before booking it.
- Missing records. Easy BPS says it may charge more when building or utility records are missing or the filing is complex. Ask for that number before you sign.
- Your own time. Collecting 12 months of utility data, maintenance records and equipment lists takes hours. A good provider does most of it from your bills and your HVAC service report.
Can you do it yourself?
Yes. Commerce publishes the forms, an Energy Management Plan template and the Operations and Maintenance tools, and you file through its Clean Buildings Portal. You still need a Qualified Energy Manager to sign.
How do you get a price for your building?
Enter your address and we show your fee, the estimated incentive and what you'd keep, with no call and no sales meeting. Tier Two Partners prepares the benchmark, Energy Management Plan and Operations and Maintenance program, has a Qualified Energy Manager review and sign, and files the compliance and incentive application together.