[Home](/)/[Resources](/resources)/Energy Star Certification Energy StarUS complianceEPA # Energy Star Certification: Requirements, Process, and When It Matters Energy Star is voluntary for most products — until your customer is a federal agency, a government-contracted supplier, or a large enterprise with sustainability procurement requirements. Understanding when certification is commercially essential, how the EPA specification system works, and how it interacts with mandatory DOE efficiency standards is critical for any hardware company targeting the US market. Copy Link[Share on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=https%3A%2F%2Fkrono-labs.com%2Fguides%2Fenergy-star-certification) [Check my US energy compliance requirements](/platform/new) Program overview ## How the Energy Star program works Energy Star is a joint program of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE), established under the Clean Air Act. It identifies and promotes energy-efficient products, buildings, and industrial facilities through a voluntary labelling program. Products that earn the Energy Star mark typically use 10–50% less energy than standard models. The program is category-specific. The EPA publishes a Version specification for each product category — computers, monitors, servers, external power supplies, set-top boxes, and so on — that defines the energy consumption thresholds and test procedures a product must meet to earn the Energy Star label. Version specifications are revised periodically as technology improves, so manufacturers must track the current Version and ensure their certified products continue to qualify as specifications tighten. Manufacturers participate as Energy Star Partners by signing a partnership agreement with EPA. Certification is then product-specific: each product model must be independently tested and approved. Approval is not transferable between models, and a new product generation must be re-certified even if the underlying design is similar. Requirements ## What Energy Star certification requires ### EPA Partnership Agreement Manufacturers must sign an Energy Star Partnership Agreement with EPA before submitting products for certification. The agreement outlines the manufacturer's obligations including accurate claims, participation in verification testing, and compliance with specification requirements. ### Third-party test reports Products must be tested by an EPA-recognized testing laboratory following the test procedure specified in the relevant Version specification. Test reports must be submitted through the Energy Star Partner Portal and retained for EPA audit. ### Version specification compliance Each product must meet the current Version specification thresholds for its category — typically covering active mode power consumption, sleep mode power, and off-mode power. The applicable thresholds vary significantly by category and Version. ### Market surveillance testing EPA conducts ongoing market surveillance through its Qualifying Products verification program. Products are purchased from retail and tested at EPA-contracted labs. Products that fail market surveillance lose their certification and must be removed from the Energy Star database. Commercial context ## When Energy Star is commercially essential 01 Federal government procurement: Executive Order 13834 requires federal agencies to procure Energy Star-certified products where available, covering computers, monitors, servers, and most office electronics 02 State and local government purchasing: Most US states have adopted similar Energy Star preference requirements for state-funded procurement 03 Large enterprise and institutional buyers: Fortune 500 sustainability procurement policies frequently require Energy Star for IT and office electronics 04 Utility rebate programs: Energy Star certification is a prerequisite for most US utility rebate programs, which can be a significant selling point for enterprise customers managing energy budgets 05 EPEAT registry: The Global Electronics Council's EPEAT procurement standard (required for federal IT purchases) uses Energy Star certification as one of its base criteria 06 Retail placement: Major retailers including Staples and Office Depot preferentially list Energy Star-certified products, and some category buyers require it for shelf space ## Learn this properly, not just for one product In-depth courses and books that teach the process — not a one-off answer you'll need to look up again next time. [Browse courses](/courses)See your free roadmap [Prefer to read? Get the book](/books) ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Energy Star certification mandatory? Energy Star is a voluntary program for most consumer and commercial products. However, it is effectively required for government procurement — federal agencies must purchase Energy Star-certified products under Executive Order requirements. Many state and local governments apply similar procurement rules. For products in DOE-regulated categories, separate mandatory efficiency standards apply regardless of Energy Star participation. ### What product categories are covered by Energy Star? Energy Star covers over 75 product categories including computers, monitors, servers, printers, televisions, set-top boxes, external power supplies, battery charging systems, enterprise networking equipment, audio equipment, and a range of appliances. The EPA publishes category-specific Version specifications that define efficiency thresholds. Not all electronics categories have an Energy Star specification. ### What is the Energy Star certification process? Manufacturers must submit a test report from an EPA-recognized laboratory demonstrating the product meets the current Energy Star specification for its category. The report is submitted through the Energy Star Partner Portal. EPA reviews the submission and, if accepted, the product is listed on the Energy Star Certified Products database. Products must also pass annual market surveillance testing through EPA's Qualifying Products verification program. ### How does Energy Star relate to DOE mandatory efficiency standards? DOE mandatory standards set the minimum efficiency floor — products that don't meet DOE standards cannot legally be sold in the US. Energy Star sets a higher efficiency threshold above the DOE minimum, distinguishing the most efficient products in each category. A product can meet DOE mandatory standards without qualifying for Energy Star. Failure to meet DOE standards means the product cannot be sold, regardless of Energy Star participation. 🇺🇸 US roadmap for your product Every standard, document, and test that applies — free, no account required. See your free roadmap[ Want an expert to take your product through 🇺🇸 US compliance for you? One consultant from Krono's compliance team takes your product from requirements to legal sale, with a fixed quote before any work starts. See compliance services](/services) Related guides * [UL / NRTL Safety ListingUL certification and NRTL safety listing for the US market explained: what UL marks mean, when they're required, how OSHA-autho…](/guides/ul-nrtl-safety-listing) * [ANSI Standards for the US MarketANSI (American National Standards Institute) accredits organizations to develop American National Standards.](/guides/ansi-standards-us-market) * [FCC SDoC Supplier's DeclarationFCC SDoC explained: which devices qualify, required content, responsible party obligations, record-keeping, and when Certificat…](/guides/fcc-sdoc-supplier-declaration) * [US HTS Codes for ElectronicsHarmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes determine import duty rates for electronics entering the United States.](/guides/us-hts-codes-electronics) Educational resource only. Energy Star specifications are category- and Version-specific and change regularly. Verify the current applicable specification and test procedure for your product category on energystar.gov before certification.