Overview

Amazon requires sellers offering fuel-powered engines, fuel-powered equipment, and certain electric-powered vehicles to hold a valid EPA Certificate of Conformity (COC) before those products can be listed on the marketplace. This federal requirement stems from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's emissions standards, and failing to provide valid certification can result in listing removal. Sellers dealing in engines, outdoor power equipment, generators, marine motors, and motorized vehicles should understand these requirements to avoid compliance issues.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• EPA COC is federally mandated — The EPA requires that manufacturers or importers of fuel-powered engines and certain vehicles obtain a Certificate of Conformity demonstrating compliance with federal emissions standards before those products enter U.S. commerce.
• Sellers must provide valid COC numbers — When listing covered products on Amazon, sellers are required to submit the EPA COC number issued to the product or its component engine. Listings without a valid number may be removed.
• CARB Executive Orders are accepted as alternatives — In lieu of an EPA COC, Amazon also accepts a valid California Air Resources Board (CARB) Executive Order number that demonstrates compliance with California emissions requirements.
• COC numbers come from manufacturers — If you do not have the EPA COC number for a product, you must contact the product manufacturer or importer to obtain it. Amazon does not issue these numbers.
• Appeals are available — If you believe your listing has been incorrectly flagged as requiring an EPA COC, you can contact Amazon's compliance team at [email protected] to dispute the requirement.

Products That Require an EPA Certificate of Conformity

A wide range of fuel-powered and certain electric-powered products fall under the EPA's emissions certification requirements. These include gas-powered engines sold as standalone units, fuel-powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers, chainsaws, wood chippers, and other outdoor power tools. Generators powered by gasoline or other fuels also require certification, as do fuel-powered marine motors and outboard motor engines. Additionally, motorized bicycle engine kits, fuel-powered off-highway motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, off-road utility vehicles, and both fuel-powered and electric-powered highway motorcycles must carry valid EPA COC documentation. If you sell any product that contains a combustion engine or falls into these vehicle categories, you should verify its certification status before creating a listing.