There’s an EPA update worth knowing about if your shop deals with aftermarket vehicle parts. Here’s what changed and what to do about it.
The Change, in Plain Terms
EPA now recognizes a second organization, SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) as authorized to certify that aftermarket parts meet federal emissions rules. Before this, only the California Air Resources Board (CARB) could certify these parts, and that process could take 12–18 months, creating long delays for manufacturers and shops alike.
Now, SEMA’s own certification program (called SC-E) can also be used to prove a part complies with the Clean Air Act. The rules themselves haven’t changed as parts still can’t bypass or disable emissions controls. What’s changed is that there are now two accepted ways to prove a part is legit.
Why This Matters for Shop Managers
1. You’ll likely see more compliant parts, faster. With two certifiers instead of one, more aftermarket parts should get certified quicker. That’s good news for getting parts in stock. But make sure your team knows to accept both CARB certification and SEMA’s SC-E certification as valid proof.
2. Installing a bad part is still on you. Using a part that disables or weakens emissions controls is still against the law, no matter who certified it or if it wasn’t certified at all. Having more certifiers doesn’t lower the bar for what your shop needs to check before installing a part.
3. Watch for counterfeits. Part of EPA’s goal here is to squeeze out uncertified and counterfeit parts by giving legitimate manufacturers a faster path to get certified. That’s a good thing, but it also means it’s worth double-checking that a part’s SEMA certification is real, the same way you’d verify a CARB certification rather than just trusting a label.
4. “Delete” devices are still illegal, that hasn’t changed. Separate from this SEMA news, it’s worth reminding staff: devices that remove or disable emissions equipment (like DPF, EGR, or SCR “delete” kits, common in diesel trucks) are illegal under the Clean Air Act, both to sell and to install. Earlier this year, the Department of Justice said it would stop pursuing criminal charges in most delete cases but civil penalties are still very much in play, and can run into the tens of thousands of dollars per vehicle. If your shop handles diesel work, this is a good time to make sure techs know the difference between a certified aftermarket part and a delete kit, and that “it’s not being criminally prosecuted right now” does not mean “it’s legal.”
The Bottom Line
This doesn’t change what you’re required to do, it just gives you a second, faster way to prove a part is compliant. For shop managers, the takeaway is simple: start accepting SEMA SC-E certification alongside CARB certification, keep verifying parts before they go on, and stay alert for counterfeits trying to ride the wave of faster approvals.
Source: EPA press release, July 1, 2026
