Third-Party Certification

To ensure consumer confidence in the ENERGY STAR label and to protect the investment of ENERGY STAR manufacturing partners, EPA requires all ENERGY STAR products to be third-party certified. This requirement includes product testing in an EPA-recognized laboratory that meets international standards for quality and competency, review of the product by an EPA-recognized certification body to determine ENERGY STAR eligibility, and ongoing testing to ensure that products continue to deliver superior energy efficiency and performance. The specific roles of these third-party organizations are described in the ENERGY STAR Process Flow Diagram (97KB).

In addition to the specific conditions and criteria for these organizations, EPA also publishes directives to clarify and elaborate on the responsibilities of EPA-recognized accreditation bodies (ABs), certification bodies (CBs), and laboratories.

ENERGY STAR manufacturing partners must have products tested in EPA-recognized laboratories and certified by an EPA-recognized CB prior to labeling. All certified products will also be subject to ongoing verification testing and challenge testing as described in the Conditions and Criteria for Recognition of Certification Bodies (60KB), as well as directives 2011-04 (80KB) and 2011-06 (52KB). As part of EPA's activities to maintain the integrity of ENERGY STAR, products that fail to meet ENERGY STAR requirements will be subject to EPA's disqualification procedures (59KB).

Manufacturers who label products as ENERGY STAR without obtaining third-party certification put the integrity of the program at risk and undermine the investment of those who honor their commitment. Companies found to be labeling products without obtaining the necessary certification will be required to remove the label from these products and institute other corrective actions as appropriate.

Information on the development of the ENERGY STAR third-party certification procedures have been archived.

EPA-recognized Organizations

Accreditation bodies provide accreditation for laboratories and certification bodies.

Laboratories conduct testing for products seeking ENERGY STAR qualification.

Certification bodies verify data and report products that meet the relevant ENERGY STAR specifications to EPA.

Additional Questions?

Visit the third-party certification Frequently Asked Questions.