How to use this tool

1. Select your product category. Match the category to your product's SDS Section 1 (Product Identification) or to the product label description. Aerosol and non-aerosol forms of the same product type carry separate limits — a glass cleaner in a trigger spray bottle is regulated under "non-aerosol"; the same product in a pressurized can falls under "aerosol." Disinfectants must also comply with EPA pesticide label requirements independent of VOC rules.
2. Select the jurisdiction. Choose the state or region where the product will be sold or used operationally. If you operate across multiple states, run the lookup for each one — limits vary, and a product compliant in Ohio may not be compliant in California. California and New York have their own rules; all other listed states follow the OTC model rule baseline, which produces the same limit for each category under OTC Phase V.
3. Enter your measured VOC content (optional). The VOC content figure appears in SDS Section 9 under "Volatile Organic Compounds" or "VOC." It may be listed in g/L or as a percentage by weight. If it is listed in g/L and you are comparing to a % limit, use the g/L unit option — the tool converts using density = 1.0 kg/L. For products with significantly different densities, apply the manufacturer's stated conversion from the SDS.
4. Review the compliance status and comparison table. The result card shows the limit for your selected jurisdiction, the applicable regulation citation, and a plain-English interpretation. The comparison table below shows the same product category across all 18 jurisdictions, sorted strictest to most lenient, with your selected jurisdiction highlighted. If you entered a measured value, each row shows whether the product would comply in that jurisdiction.
5. Copy or print the result. Use the Copy Link button to share a pre-filled URL with a procurement contact or compliance officer. The Print view includes the result card, citation block, and methodology section — suitable for bid files or supplier compliance documentation.

Understanding VOC limits in cleaning chemistry

Volatile organic compound regulations for cleaning products operate at two levels in the United States: state rules and a near-complete federal silence. The U.S. EPA has authority under Clean Air Act Section 183(e) to regulate consumer and commercial products that contribute significantly to ground-level ozone, but it has not finalized a national consumer products VOC rule for most cleaning categories. In practice, state rules — and California's rule in particular — function as the de facto national standard for manufacturers who want a single formulation to sell anywhere in the country.

California's Air Resources Board (CARB) sets limits under 17 CCR §94509. These limits apply to both consumer and institutional cleaning products sold or distributed in California, and they are revised periodically through rulemaking. Because California is the largest single market in the U.S. and because reformulating for one state adds cost, most major chemical manufacturers design their national product lines to meet CARB limits even in jurisdictions where they are not legally required. A product that clears California will clear every other jurisdiction in this tool for that same category — though the reverse is not necessarily true.

The Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) model rule is a separate framework developed by northeastern and mid-Atlantic states coordinating under the Clean Air Act's interstate air quality provisions. OTC Phase V (adopted 2018) set baseline limits for consumer products categories that most member states have codified into state law. The OTC baseline is typically less restrictive than CARB for most cleaning categories, which creates a two-tier compliance landscape: CARB-compliant products are OTC-compliant; OTC-compliant products may not be CARB-compliant.

Proposition 65 is a separate regulatory layer

California Proposition 65 (Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986) is frequently confused with the CARB VOC rule, but it addresses a completely different regulatory concern. Prop 65 requires businesses to warn consumers when a product contains any listed chemical above a threshold that poses a significant risk of cancer or reproductive harm. It is not a VOC content rule. A product can have a low VOC content and still require a Prop 65 warning (for example, if it contains trace amounts of a listed carcinogen). Conversely, a product can contain VOCs that are not on the Prop 65 list and require no Prop 65 disclosure. VOC compliance and Prop 65 compliance are evaluated independently — this tool covers only VOC limits.

How to read a regulatory data sheet for VOC content

The SDS (Safety Data Sheet, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200, GHS-aligned) is the primary source for VOC content data. Section 9 (Physical and Chemical Properties) must include VOC content if the product contains VOCs above de minimis thresholds. The value may appear as a percentage by weight, as g/L, or both. If only one unit is given and you need the other, use the conversion: g/L = % × density (g/mL) × 10. For water-based products with density near 1.0 g/mL, g/L ≈ % × 10. For solvent-heavy products with densities above 1.0, this approximation understates the g/L value — use the manufacturer's stated conversion.

A critical point for facilities that purchase concentrates: the SDS VOC value typically reflects the concentrate, not the ready-to-use diluted product. A concentrate with 5% VOC at 1:10 dilution produces a ready-to-use solution with approximately 0.5% VOC. Some VOC regulations are written to apply to the product as sold (concentrate form); others apply at the ready-to-use dilution. Read the applicable rule carefully — this tool reports limits for the product category as typically regulated, which for most cleaning product categories means the product as sold. Confirm with the manufacturer whether the SDS VOC figure represents the concentrate or ready-to-use formulation before comparing it to a regulatory limit.

Common compliance pitfalls in facilities procurement

The most common procurement mistake is purchasing an OTC-compliant product for use in a California facility without checking whether it also meets the CARB limit for that category. OTC and CARB limits diverge most significantly in categories like general-purpose cleaners (CARB 0.5% vs. OTC 4.0%), degreasers (CARB 0.5% vs. OTC 3.0%), and carpet cleaners (CARB 0.1% vs. OTC 7.0%). A product marketed as "low-VOC" may legitimately meet OTC standards while failing CARB by a factor of four or more.

A second common error is conflating "low-VOC" marketing claims with regulatory compliance. "Low-VOC" has no standardized regulatory definition — it is a marketing description that a supplier can apply to any product they believe compares favorably against their competitors, without reference to any specific limit. A product labeled "low-VOC" should still be evaluated against the applicable regulatory limit for its category and jurisdiction before procurement.

Third-party certifications such as Green Seal GS-37 (commercial cleaning) and UL ECOLOGO impose their own VOC content requirements that are sometimes stricter than the applicable state rule, and sometimes aligned with CARB. These certifications are voluntary and do not substitute for regulatory compliance, but they can simplify procurement screening by providing independently verified VOC data alongside sustainability criteria.

Verification before procurement decisions

The data in this tool reflects published rulemaking as of late 2024. VOC rules are amended through agency rulemaking that can move faster than centralized databases, particularly in California and New York. Before committing to volume procurement, verify the current limit with the state agency or request a current compliance letter from the supplier backed by a current SDS and, where margin is tight, a third-party test report.