OTC VOC Rules
updated 11/09/2021
This information is only a guide and is not all-inclusive of all VOC regulations OTC VOC CONTENT LIMIT EFFECTIVE IN:
PHASE II OTC VOC CONTENT LIMIT EFFECTIVE IN:
State-Air District
State-Air District
DC, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, VA
Maryland 1/1/2017 Delaware 3/1/2017 Connecticut 5/1/2018 Rhode Island 1/1/2020 Colorado 5/1/2020
NY 1/1/2022
Flat Coatings
100 g/L
50 g/L
Non-Flat Coatings
150 g/L
100 g/L
Non-Flat – High Gloss Coatings
250 g/L
150 g/L
N/A
100 g/L
Dry Fog Coatings
400 g/L
150 g/L
Faux Finishing Coatings
350 g/L
350 g/L
Floor Coatings
250 g/L
100 g/L
High-Temperature Coatings
420 g/L
420 g/L
Industrial Maintenance Coatings
340 g/L
250 g/L
Low-Solids Coatings
120 g/L* (1)
120 g/L* (1)
Multi-Color Coatings
250 g/L
250 g/L
Pre-Treatment Wash Primers
420 g/L
420 g/L
Primers, Sealers, and Undercoaters
200 g/L
100 g/L
Quick-Dry Primers, Sealers and Undercoaters
200 g/L
N/A (see Primer, Sealer, Undercoater)
Rust Preventive Coatings
400 g/L
250 g/L
Clear
730 g/L
730 g/L
Opaque
550 g/L
550 g/L
Specialty Primers, Sealers, and Undercoaters
350 g/L
100 g/L
Stains
250 g/L
250 g/L
Traffic Marking Coatings
150 g/L
100 g/L
Varnishes
350 g/L
N/A (see Wood Coatings)
Waterproofing Concrete/Masonry Sealers
400 g/L
N/A (see Concrete/Masonry Sealer)
N/A
275 g/L
350 g/L
350 g/L
N/A
340 g/L
Concrete/Masonry Sealer
Shellacs
Wood Coatings Wood Preservatives Zinc-Rich Primer
Beginning in 2004, the multi-state Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) established new VOC content regulations with stricter VOC limits than the national AIM rule for architectural, industrial maintenance and traffic paints and coating. The OTC, which is made up of thirteen northeast and mid-Atlantic states, develops model rules to further reduce VOC limits in an effort to meet the clean air requirements set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If the project is located within the OTC region, one must comply with the applicable VOC standards. Since each of the OTC states adopt their own rule requirements, they have varying sell-through provisions. We recommend that you verify that your product selections meet the most current VOC requirements of the area in which they are to be used. As of the date of printing, all the Sherwin-Williams coatings included in this specification are OTC compliant as packaged. * (1) Units are grams of VOC per liter of coating, including water and exempt compound Adopted dates and effective dates are not necessarily the same. For more information on these rules refer to each respective State at; otcair.org
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