U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Building Technologies Office – Appliance & Equipment Standards

Clothes Dryers

This page describes rulemaking activities and regulations regarding energy efficiency for clothes dryers.

Statutory Authority

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) (42 U.S.C. 6291, et seq.) established the Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other than Automobiles, covering major household appliances, including clothes dryers. The National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987 subsequently amended EPCA by establishing energy conservation standards for clothes dryers. The U.S. Department of Energy is currently developing the second rulemaking to review and amend energy conservation standards pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 6295(g)(4).

Energy Conservation Standards

• Final Rule (Amending Compliance Dates)
• Notice of Effective Date and Compliance Dates for the Direct Final Rule
• Direct Final Rule
• Direct Final Rule Technical Support Document
• Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
• Preliminary Analysis
• Framework
• Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)

After a regulatory action has been issued, Section 6(a)(3)(E) of EO 12866 requires agencies to identify in a complete, clear, and simple manner, the substantive changes between the draft submitted to Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for review and the action subsequently announced, and identify those changes in the regulatory action that were made at the suggestion or recommendation of OIRA. The documents at the links below are intended to comply with this requirement.

• Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Clothes Dryers and Room Air Conditioners Direct Final rule submitted to OMB on March 4, 2011 COMPARE with notice concluded on April 8, 2011

Test Procedures

• Test Procedure Final Rule for Clothes Dryers and Room Air Conditioners (January 2011)
• Table Presenting DOE Clothes Dryer Automatic Cycle Termination Test Results (Table III.8 in Notice with Sensor Technologies Identified)
• Test Procedure Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
• Test Procedure Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

Request for Information - Test Procedures

DOE has initiated a test procedure rulemaking for residential clothes dryers to further investigate the effects of automatic cycle termination on the energy efficiency. DOE specifically is seeking information, data, and comments regarding methods for more accurately measuring the effects of automatic cycle termination in the residential clothes dryer test procedure.

• Test Procedures for Residential Clothes Dryers – Request for information (August 2011)

Past Rulemakings

• Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedure for Clothes Washers and Reporting Requirements for Clothes Washers, Clothes Dryers, and Dishwashers, Final Rule, Federal Register, August 27, 1997

Contact Information

Stephen Witkowski, P.E.
Project Manager
(202) 586-7436