The American Petroleum Institute has announced that it has launched an online application system for the Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System (EOLCS). Gone are the days when licensees had to complete long and complicated forms. Now, current and prospective licensees can request licensing, manage their products and formulations and renew their license online. API states "This system is long overdue".
API’s Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System is a voluntary licensing and certification program that authorizes engine oil marketers who meet specified requirements to use the API Engine Oil Quality Marks. Launched in 1993, API’s Engine Oil Program is a cooperative effort between the oil and additive industries and vehicle and engine manufacturers Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler and those represented by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association and the Engine Manufacturers Association. The performance requirements and test methods are established by vehicle and engine manufacturers and technical societies and trade associations such as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Society for Automotive Engineers (SAE), and American Chemistry Council (ACC).
The Engine Oil Program is backed by an ongoing monitoring and enforcement program that ensures licensees adhere to program requirements. This includes running physical, chemical, and performance tests on licensed engine oils and verifying that the API-registered Marks are properly displayed on containers and convey accurate information to consumers.
About half of the program’s more than 500 licensees are based in the United States, and the other half are spread among more than 50 countries. A complete list of licensees is available on API's licensee directory. More than 8,000 products now display API Marks, according to API’s website.
