The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) regulations for covered products permit a person to seek a waiver, or an interim waiver, from the test procedure requirements for covered appliances and commercial equipment if certain criteria are satisfied. Regulations applicable to test procedure waivers for appliances can be found at 10 CFR 430.27; those applicable to test procedure waivers for commercial equipment are at 10 CFR 431.401.

Below is a list of all waivers to test procedures that DOE has granted and that are still in effect. The links to the notices provide access to the dockets in Regulations.gov, which contain all notices and public comments. Products include:

•             Automatic Commercial Ice Makers

•             Battery Chargers

•             Ceiling Fans

•             Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps

•             Clothes Washers

•             Consumer Refrigerators

•             Commercial Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps 

•             Commercial Refrigeration Equipment

•             Dishwashers

•             External Power Supply

•             Furnace Fans

•             Illuminated Exit Signs

•             Miscellaneous Refrigeration

•             Portable Air Conditioners

•             Walk-in Coolers and Walk-in Freezers

•             Water Heaters

 For more information, please email: AS_Waiver_Requests@ee.doe.gov 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a Federal Register notice revising DOE's test procedure interim waiver process. The revisions address areas of the test procedure interim waiver process regulations that may result in alternate test procedures that are inconsistent with the purpose and requirements of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, and that otherwise appear not to effectuate the statute properly.

• This rule is effective February 14, 2022.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a Federal Register notice proposing to revise DOE's test procedure interim waiver process. The proposed revisions address areas of the test procedure interim waiver process regulations that may result in alternate test procedures that are inconsistent with the purpose and requirements of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), and that otherwise appear not to effectuate the statute properly.  

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a Federal Register final rule adopting a streamlined approach to its test procedure waiver decision-making process that requires the Department to notify, in writing, an applicant for an interim waiver of the disposition of the request within 45 business days of receipt of the application. An interim waiver will remain in effect until a final waiver decision is published in the Federal Register or until DOE publishes a new or amended test procedure that addresses the issues presented in the application, whichever is earlier. DOE's regulations continue to specify that DOE will take either of these actions within 1 year of issuance of an interim waiver. This final rule addresses delays in DOE's current process for considering requests for interim waivers and waivers from the DOE test method, which in turn can result in significant delays for manufacturers in bringing new and innovative products to market. This final rule requires the Department to process interim waiver requests within the 45 business day window and clarifies the process by which interested stakeholders provide input into the development of an appropriate test procedure waiver.

• The effective date of this rule is January 11, 2021.
• Click here to view the OIRA compare document.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to streamline its test procedure waiver decision-making process. Under the proposal, the Department would be required to notify an applicant for an interim waiver of the disposition of the request, in writing, within 30 business days of receipt of the application. Should DOE fail to satisfy this requirement, the request for interim waiver would be deemed granted based on the criteria in DOE’s waiver regulations. An interim waiver would remain in effect until a waiver decision is published or until DOE publishes a new or amended test procedure that addresses the issues presented in the application, whichever is earlier. 

Frequently Asked Questions

AUTOMATIC COMMERCIAL ICE MAKERS

BATTERY CHARGERS

CEILING FANS

CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONERS AND HEAT PUMPS

CLOTHES WASHERS

CONSUMER REFRIGERATORS

COMMERCIAL AIR CONDITIONERS AND HEAT PUMPS

COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT

DISHWASHERS

EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY

FURNACE FANS

ILLUMINATED EXIT SIGNS

MISCELLANEOUS REFRIGERATION

Portable Air Conditioners

WALK-IN COOLERS AND WALK-IN FREEZERS

WATER HEATERS