Consumer Room Air Conditioners
As defined in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), “Room Air Conditioner” means a consumer product, other than a “packaged terminal air conditioner,” which is powered by a single phase electric current and which is an encased assembly designed as a unit for mounting in a window or through the wall for the purpose of providing delivery of conditioned air to an enclosed space. It includes a prime source of refrigeration and may include a means for ventilating and heating. 10 CFR 430.2. Manufacturers have been required to comply with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) energy conservation standards for Residential Room Air Conditioners since 1990.
Current Standard | Current Test Procedure |
Ongoing Rulemaking for Standards | Ongoing Rulemaking for Test Procedure |
Helpful Links
Recent and Ongoing Activities
DOE published a final rule that amended the test procedure for room air conditioners (room ACs). DOE has published a Federal Register notice correcting errors in the amended regulatory text as it appeared in the March 2021 final rule. Neither the errors nor the corrections in this document affect the substance of the rulemaking or any conclusions reached in support of the final rule.
- The effective date is August 30, 2023.
DOE has published a Federal Register Final Rule pertaining to energy conservation standards for room air conditioners. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, (EPCA), prescribes standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including room air conditioners. EPCA also requires DOE to periodically determine whether more-stringent, standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in significant energy savings. In this final rule, DOE is adopting amended standards for room air conditioners. It has determined that the amended standards for these products would result in significant conservation of energy, and are technologically feasible and economically justified.
- The effective date of this rule is July 25, 2023.
- Compliance with the amended standards established for room air conditioners in this final rule is required on and after May 26, 2026.
For the latest information on the planned timing of future DOE regulatory milestones, see the current Office of Management and Budget Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. All planned dates are preliminary and subject to change.
Standards
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| Notice of Proposed Rulemaking |
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Notice of Webinar and Availability of Preliminary Technical Support Document
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Public Meeting Information:
There is no public meeting scheduled at this time.
Submitting Public Comments
Test Procedure
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Final Rule; Correction Notice
Final Rule; Correction Notice
Final Rule
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| Notice of Proposed Rule |
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| Request for Information |
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Public Meeting Information
There is no public meeting scheduled at this time.
Submitting Public Comments
Current Standard
Residential Room Air Conditioners manufactured and distributed in commerce, as defined by 42 U.S.C. 6291(16), must meet the energy conservation standards specified in the Code of Federal Regulations at 10 CFR 430.32(b).
To determine that Residential Room Air Conditioners that are currently manufactured or distributed into commerce are in compliance with DOE standards, manufacturers must follow the test procedure methods specified at 10 CFR 430, Subpart B, Appendix F.
Helpful Links
Compliance
DOE has established regulations on certification, compliance, and enforcement in the CFR at 10 CFR Part 429. These regulations cover statistical sampling plans, certified ratings, certification reports, record retention, and enforcement. More information on these regulations is available here.
Waivers
For information on current test procedure wavers, see DOE’s Waivers webpage.
For information about obtaining test procedure waivers, see 10 CFR 430.27.
Exceptions
DOE's Office of Hearings and Appeals has not authorized exception relief for Residential Room Air Conditioners.
For information about obtaining exception relief, see 10 CFR part 1003.
Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions
For information on further guidance and answers to Frequently Asked Questions on all covered products, see DOE’s Further Guidance database.
State Exemptions to Federal Pre-emption
DOE has not exempted any state from this energy conservation standard. States may petition DOE to exempt a state regulation from preemption by the Federal energy conservation standard. States may also petition DOE to withdraw such exemptions. For details, see 10 CFR part 430, subpart D.
Small Business Exemptions
Any manufacturer of a covered product with annual gross revenues that do not exceed $8,000,000 from all its operations and meets certain other conditions may apply for an exemption to the energy conservation standard. For details, see 10 CFR part 430, subpart E.
ENERGY STAR®
DOE supports the testing and verification of ENERGY STAR® products in close collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency.
Find tips and guidance for making your home, workplace, or vehicle more energy efficient visit EnergySavers.gov.
For more information related to this product, please email:
ApplianceStandardsQuestions@ee.doe.govv
