Verification Testing Roles and Responsibilities

Each year, post–market verification testing of a sampling of ENERGY STAR certified products helps maintain consumer confidence in the ENERGY STAR label and protect the investment of ENERGY STAR partners. Certification Bodies (CBs) recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to oversee this testing, and the product brand owners subject to it, each have certain basic responsibilities designed to make the process run more smoothly and efficiently.

Certification Body Responsibilities

• Maintain up–to–date ENERGY STAR product availability information, including where products may be obtained.
• Determine number of products to test based on the number of unique products in each category (products sold under multiple labels/brands and members of a model family are all eligible for testing, but only count once toward testing obligations).
• Select products to test, which include up to 50% nominated products from EPA and the remainder selected randomly.
• Obtain products and have them tested in a third-party EPA-recognized laboratory.
• Report products tested to EPA every six (6) months. For products that fail testing, report to EPA within two (2) business days. (Note: Products that fail testing will be handled by EPA consistent with ENERGY STAR Disqualification Procedures (PDF, 182 KB).

Brand Owner Partner Responsibilities

• Maintain updated contact information with the CB associated with each ENERGY STAR product. Please note that brand owner partners are responsible for verification testing even if an OEM facilitated the initial certification.
• On an ongoing basis, notify CBs regarding availability of certified products so they are represented accurately on ENERGY STAR product lists. Products that are no longer available will be removed from the product lists and are not subject to verification testing. Please note that products are typically available in the market after production has stopped.
• Respond in a timely manner to CB requests for information regarding product availability and regarding products selected for verification testing. Note: CBs are required to notify EPA within five (5) business days if partners are unresponsive to or do not cooperate with verification testing related requests.
• Understand the CB’s fee structure for maintaining and updating ENERGY STAR certifications. CBs are required to provide a transparent fee structure for all certification services.
• Provide documentation to the CB if a model that was tested in the previous year has been selected for verification testing. The CB will select an alternate model for verification testing.
• Contact EPA directly via Certification@energystar.gov with any questions or concerns about the verification testing process.

Commercial Food Service (CFS) Product Component Inspections

The CFS product component inspection program is optional for EPA-recognized Certification Bodies (CBs) and brand owner partners within the following categories:

• Commercial Coffee Brewers
• Commercial Dishwashers
• Commercial Electric Cooktops (beginning 2025)
• Commercial Fryers
• Commercial Griddles
• Commercial Hot Food Holding Cabinets
• Commercial Ovens
• Commercial Steam Cookers

This program authorizes CBs to inspect and verify components that may impact ENERGY STAR certification, with these components documented in the Energy File Report Requirements for ENERGY STAR Commercial Food Service Equipment (PDF, 101 KB). Requirements for participation in the CFS product component inspection program may be found here: Directive 2019-02 Component Inspection of ENERGY STAR CFS Products (PDF, 1.5 MB)

The following CBs have a component inspection program recognized by EPA for CFS product verification:

• Intertek Testing Services NA
• NSF International
• UL Verification Services Inc.
• Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group)