Petroleum Packaging Council

Technical Resources

Use and Labeling Requirements for API Marks

4.1 API ENGINE OIL QUALITY MARKS

4.1.1 Two types of Marks are licensed by API: the API Certification Mark "Starburst" and the API Service Symbol "Donut" The marketer may display an API Mark, as described in this section, only after obtaining a license to use the specific API Mark. Under the terms of the License Agreement, marketers may use the Marks in a number of ways: for example, on containers of licensed products (bottles, cans, jugs, kegs, and drums), in advertisements of licensed products, and in materials describing licensed products.

4.1.2 API will provide API licensees with "camera-ready" quality images or electronic versions (TIF, EPS, BMP) of the API Marks, on request, for use in producing final artwork.

4.1.3 Both the API Certification Mark and the API Service Symbol may be used if the marketer meets all licensing requirements for both API Marks for that viscosity grade of engine oil. Note that a difference in viscosity grade. Service Category, or brand name denotes a separate engine oil. The API Marks shall be located and displayed as described in 4.2 and 4.3.

4.2 API CERTIFICATION MARK

4.2.1 If the API Certification Mark is used, it shall be clearly displayed on the front of the container of those engine oils that have been properly licensed by API. Note that this does not prevent the licensed marketer from displaying the API Certification Mark again on the back of the container.

4.2.2 The outside diameter of the API Certification Mark "Starburst" (measured from the outside tips) shall be at least 2.1 centimeters and shall be 1.5 (±0.1) times the inside diameter. The background of the outer band (containing the words AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE and CERTIFIED) shall be a color that contrasts with the label background. (For example, if the label background is white, the outside band could be black, with the words in white.) The background of the inner circle shall be a color that contrasts with the outer band. The words AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE and CERTIFIED in the outer band of the API Certification Mark and the words FOR GASOLINE ENGINES in the cen- ter shall be all capital letters. The relationship of the letter size to the allocated space within the API Certification Mark must be consistent for all users of the API Certification Mark. All lettering used for words in the API Certification Mark must be identical for all licensees.

4.2.3 API has registered the API Certification Mark only in the English language, and it can be displayed only as registered (see Figure 3). However, the purpose of the API Certification Mark is to assist consumers, so API encourages licensed marketers to translate the words CERTIFIED and Figure 3-API Certification Mark FOR GASOLINE ENGINES into any appropriate language outside of the API Certification Mark. The translation must be literal and provided to API as part of the licensing agreement The location of the translations can be anywhere on die front of the label but not within a mark or symbol of any kind. AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE is also a licensed mark and cannot be translated without permission of API.

Figure 3 - API Certification Mark

4.3 API SERVICE SYMBOL

4.3.1 The API Service Symbol "Donut" may be located anywhere on the outside of the container. The outside diam- eter of the API Service Symbol shall be 1.9 times the inside diameter. The Service Category is located in the upper part of the Donut, the SAE viscosity grade is in the center, and the optional Energy Conserving notation is in the lower part. The API Service Symbol shall be large enough for the lettering to be legible and shall strictly conform to the design (including the required information and its placement) shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4 - Placement of Notations within the API Service Symbol
Note: Grey type indicates optional information on energy conserving

4.3.2 Use of the API Service Symbol is restricted to current API Service Categories (namely, SL, SJ, SH, CF, CF-2, CF-4, CG-4, CH-4, and CI-4 beginning September 5, 2002). Except as prohibited in 4.3.3, these may appear alone or in combination with other current Service Categories. The API Service Categories must appear in the upper part of the API Service
Symbol, but such placement does not preclude their use elsewhere on the container. Use of API Service Categories SA, SB, SC, SD, SE. SF, SG, CA. CB, CC. CD, CD-n, or CE within the API Service Symbol is prohibited (see Appendix A).

4.3.3 Use of more than one API S Service Category in the API Service Symbol is prohibited. Service Category SH cannot be used in the API Service Symbol unless preceded by CF and/or CF-2 and/or CF-4 and/or CG-4 and/or CH-4 and/or CI-4 beginning September 5, 2002. If API C Service Category oils are licensed for more than one current Service Category, these oils may display the Service Categories in the upper pan of the API Service Symbol. Except as specified above, if the engine oil marketer chooses to include API C Service Categories with a current API S Category, a virgule (/) must be placed between the API S Service Category and the API C Service Categories, which are separated by commas. Licensees of Service Category C oils may use the C Categories first. Examples of acceptable notations are "API Service SL"; "API Service SL/CH-4"; "API Service SJ/CH-4, CG-4, CF-4"; "API Service CG-4/SH";
"API Service CF'; "API Service CF-2"; and "API Service CF-4." Figure 5 shows examples of notations for various Service Categories used within the API Service Symbol. For an oil that is formulated for diesel engine applications and meets both C and S Categories, it is suggested that the C Category be put first so that the consumer can recognize that the oil is primarily a diesel engine oil but also meets S Category requirements. Conversely, for an oil that is formulated for passenger car motor oil applications and meets both S and C Categories, it is suggested that the S Category be put first so that the consumer can recognize mat the oil is primarily a passenger car motor oil but also meets C Category requirements.

4.4 PRODUCT TRACEABILITY CODING

4.4.1 For purposes of confonnance audits, the marketer shall ensure that product traceability codes appear on each container and that these codes are legible and durable. Each container shall be coded to permit traceability of samples in the marketplace by formulation, date of packaging, and source of manufacture.

4.4.2 The marketer may use whatever coding system is appropriate or convenient. Disclosure of coding systems to API is required in the license application (see Appendix H). No change in coding is permitted without prior notification of API. Coding information provided to API is considered confidential and will be used only as described in the API license agreement.

Figure 5 - Representative Examples of the API Service Symbol