EPA extends RFS annual compliance report deadline

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a prepublication of a final rule extending the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) annual compliance reporting deadline for the 2025 compliance year from September 1 to October 1, 2026.

Who’s impacted?

The RFS annual compliance report applies to obligated parties, including:

• Refiners of gasoline or diesel fuel (transportation fuel), and
• Importers of transportation fuel.

Under the RFS program, obligated parties with renewable volume obligations (RVOs) must retire enough Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) to meet their RVOs for the calendar year.

What’s the change?

EPA extended the 2025 RFS compliance reporting deadline to October 1, 2026, giving obligated parties additional time to comply with their 2025 RVOs and submit their annual compliance reports.

Why the change?

EPA recently released its small refinery exemption (SRE) decisions for the 2025 compliance year, exempting 1.76 billion RINs for 29 small refineries. SREs affect the cost and availability of RINs for all obligated parties. The extension gives obligated parties more time to assess the impact of the SRE decisions and adjust their strategies before completing their 2025 RFS reporting obligations.

Key to remember: EPA has extended the Renewable Fuel Standard annual compliance reporting deadline from September 1 to October 1, 2026.