Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Cancer
    • Chemicals, Toxics, and Pesticide
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Radon
    • Research
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Renewable Fuel Standard Program

Quality Assurance Plans under the Renewable Fuel Standard Program

The Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) is a voluntary program where independent third-parties may audit and verify that RINs have been properly generated and are valid for compliance purposes.  RINs verified under a QAP may be purchased by regulated parties. 

In general, the RFS program is based on a “buyer beware” liability and compliance approach, in which regulated parties are expected to conduct due diligence to confirm that RINs purchased are valid for compliance purposes.  If RINs are found to be invalid, the obligated party is liable and must purchase new RINs to replace the invalid ones, and are also at risk of violations under the Clean Air Act.  Obligated parties who purchase RINs verified through this program have an affirmative defense for the transfer or use of any invalid RINs that had been verified under an approved QAP.  The program also defines the conditions when RINs must be replaced, and a process for determining who will replace the RINs.

EPA expects the program to promote greater liquidity in the RIN market, especially for smaller producers, helping to make the RFS program more efficient and effective. 

Learn more about the regulations for the QAP program.

Learn more about registering under the QAP program.

Renewable Fuel Standard Program

  • Learn About
  • Announcements
  • Regulations
  • Fuel Pathways
  • Other Requests
  • Compliance
  • RIN Data & Analysis
  • Alternative Fuels
Contact Us About Renewable Fuel Standards
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on April 28, 2025
  • Assistance
  • Spanish
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (simplified)
  • Chinese (traditional)
  • French
  • Haitian Creole
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions
  • Site Feedback

Follow.