Last verified: 26 Jun 2026. Standards, effective dates and certificate scopes change and enforcement dates move — always confirm the current position with the issuing authority or a licensed customs broker before acting. Altonex Global is a B2B trade-expo and supplier-discovery platform; it does not issue certificates, provide compliance services, or act in any of the regulatory processes described — these are obligations of the supplier/exporter and the importer.
API SQ and ILSAC GF-7 became the newest gasoline engine-oil performance categories, both first licensable on 31 March 2025 under the API Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System (EOLCS). API SP is not withdrawn and remains a current, licensable category. For procurement managers sourcing lubricants for export markets, the key decisions are which viscosity grades now require an upgraded spec claim, when legacy GF-6 packaging becomes non-compliant, and how to read the two GF-7 sub-categories when placing forward orders.
What exactly changed between API SP and API SQ — and does existing engine-oil stock still meet spec?
API SQ is a higher-performance tier that builds on API SP rather than replacing it outright. The most concrete change is the introduction of three new or enhanced laboratory engine-test sequences that did not exist in their current form under API SP:
New and enhanced test sequences in API SQ versus API SP:
- Sequence IIIH — measures high-temperature viscosity increase and deposit levels, targeting thermal degradation in modern engines
- Sequence VH — evaluates an oil's ability to control low-temperature engine deposits, important for stop-start and hybrid-adjacent drive cycles
- Sequence VI — assesses fuel economy benefit, reflecting tightening fleet CO2 targets in key import markets
The sulfated ash cap in API SQ is 0.9 wt% — the same ceiling as API SP — designed to prevent clogging of gasoline particulate filters (GPF) in direct-injection engines. This means the additive-chemistry constraint for GPF compatibility did not change at the SQ transition.
Performance areas where API SQ raises the bar over API SP include enhanced fuel economy, improved engine cleanliness (deposit control at both high and low temperatures), and resistance to high-temperature viscosity increase — each mapped directly to the three new or enhanced test sequences above.
API SP-licensed stock is not non-compliant stock. API SP has no published end-of-licensing date and remains a current, viable specification for vehicles that specify it. Procurement managers holding SP-certified inventory do not need to liquidate it; they do, however, need to check whether any forward orders or market destinations are beginning to specify SQ as the minimum.
Is API SP withdrawn? Can I still import and sell API SP-licensed engine oils after March 2025?
No — API SP is not withdrawn. A common point of confusion arises because the ILSAC upgrade cycle (GF-5 → GF-6 → GF-7) involves a defined phase-out of the older category's certification marks within 12 to 18 months. The API service category sequence for gasoline engines (SN → SP → SQ) operates on a different schedule: older categories typically remain licensable long after a new one launches.
As of the date this article was last verified, API has not announced a date on which API SP licensing will end. API SP and API SQ coexist as current categories under the EOLCS. Suppliers listing engine oils that registered buyers source via Altonex Global should label their products accurately with the API service category actually tested and licensed — either SP or SQ — rather than assuming an automatic upgrade. Claiming a certification that has not been tested for is a misrepresentation of specification.
For import-side buyers, the practical question is whether the original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) specification for their fleet or market has been updated to require SQ. Until that OEM requirement changes, API SP remains a compliant supply. Buyers should verify OEM requirements directly from the vehicle manufacturer's service documentation — Altonex Global does not confirm OEM approvals on behalf of suppliers.
How do the transition deadlines work? When does GF-6 packaging become non-compliant?
The transition timeline has two distinct milestones and one procedural extension that changed the normal pattern. The standard API transition between ILSAC generations is 12 months. For the GF-6 to GF-7 transition, API granted an 18-month overlap in response to industry requests, giving oil marketers additional time to adjust product lines and packaging.
| Date | Event | What it means for procurement |
|---|
| 31 Mar 2025 | ILSAC GF-7A, GF-7B, and API SQ first licensable | Suppliers may begin licensing and labeling products under the new specs |
| 31 Mar 2026 | GF-6A oils may no longer display the API Starburst mark; GF-6B oils may no longer display the API Shield mark | Any new production or packaging printed after this date cannot carry the GF-6 certification marks; existing labeled inventory is a separate customs/trade question to verify per destination |
| 1 Oct 2026 | Last permitted date for GF-6A and GF-6B to display API certification marks (end of the 18-month transition window) | GF-6 licensing ceases; GF-7 becomes the sole qualifying standard for the Starburst and Shield marks |
For a procurement manager placing a forward order in the second half of 2025 or early 2026, the critical check is: will the product carry valid certification marks at the date of delivery into the destination market? An order for GF-6A product delivered after 31 March 2026 may arrive with packaging that can no longer display the Starburst mark if the product was manufactured or packed after that date. Customs authorities and market-surveillance bodies in some import markets treat API mark compliance as part of product-labeling requirements. Confirm the current position with the exporting supplier and, where required, with the destination country's relevant authority before committing to a contract.
Suppliers listing lubricant products on Altonex Global are responsible for accurately declaring the ILSAC and API categories their products are licensed under at the time of any RFQ response. Buyers are encouraged to ask for a copy of the current API EOLCS licensing record as part of the RFQ process.
What is the difference between GF-7A and GF-7B, and which sub-category applies to the products I am sourcing?
ILSAC GF-7 is not a single specification; it comprises two distinct sub-categories with different viscosity-grade coverage, different certification marks, and different backward-compatibility chains. Sourcing the wrong sub-category can mean an oil is technically out-of-spec for the vehicles it is intended to serve.
| Property | GF-7A | GF-7B |
|---|
| Viscosity grades covered | 0W-20, 5W-20, 0W-30, 5W-30, 10W-30 | 0W-16 only |
| API certification mark | API Starburst | API Shield |
| Backward compatibility | GF-6A, GF-5, and older ILSAC specs | GF-6B only |
| Starburst mark on 0W-16? | No — the Starburst mark cannot be applied to SAE 0W-16 | Shield mark applies to 0W-16 |
| Covers 0W-8 or 0W-12? | No | No — these grades are addressed by API SQ only |
The practical sourcing rule: if the fleet or equipment specifies a mainstream grade (0W-20, 5W-20, 5W-30, 0W-30, or 10W-30), the relevant category is GF-7A and the Starburst mark is the visual compliance signal. If the specification is 0W-16 — used in a growing number of fuel-economy-optimized Japanese and Korean passenger-car platforms — only a GF-7B-licensed product carries the Shield mark. A GF-7A oil cannot be substituted for a 0W-16 application requiring the Shield mark.
Buyers sourcing engine oils across both grade families should treat GF-7A and GF-7B as two separate product lines in their procurement records, not interchangeable tiers of the same specification.
What do API SQ and GF-7 mean for ultra-low-viscosity grades like 0W-8 and 0W-12?
Neither GF-7A nor GF-7B covers SAE 0W-8 or SAE 0W-12. These ultra-low-viscosity grades are addressed exclusively by API SQ, which introduced a performance framework for grades that had no prior API service category. API SP did not cover them either, meaning that any 0W-8 or 0W-12 product certified before 31 March 2025 would have been operating outside a formal API service-category structure for those grades.
Ultra-low-viscosity oils (0W-8, 0W-12) are typically specified by vehicle manufacturers where parasitic friction reduction is a primary design objective. Verify OEM service documentation for specific application requirements. The grade itself is not interchangeable with more conventional grades even within the same API service category.
Suppliers listing ultra-low-viscosity engine oils on Altonex Global should clearly declare the API SQ category and the specific SAE viscosity grade. Buyers with fleets that specify conventional grades (0W-20 and above) do not need to engage with 0W-8 or 0W-12 supply for the SQ transition. To compare lubricant listings from registered suppliers, start an RFQ at the Altonex Global RFQ Center.
How should buyers use the API SQ and GF-7 framework when evaluating engine-oil offers from suppliers?
The specification framework creates a clear set of questions that procurement managers and import buyers can include in any RFQ for gasoline engine oils. A technically complete supplier response should address all of them.
Questions to include in an engine-oil RFQ specification request:
- Which API service category is the product currently licensed under — SP or SQ? Provide the API EOLCS license number.
- Which ILSAC category applies — GF-6A, GF-6B, GF-7A, or GF-7B?
- What is the exact SAE viscosity grade?
- What is the sulfated ash content (wt%)?
- What pack sizes and MOQs are available for export (1 L, 4 L, 5 L, 20 L drum, 208 L drum, 1000 L IBC)?
- What is the product's current certification mark eligibility date, and has packaging been updated to reflect the transition from GF-6 to GF-7?
- What ACEA categories, if any, does the product additionally meet (relevant for European-specification vehicles in the buyer's fleet)?
Suppliers who can answer all of these questions in writing, supported by a current Safety Data Sheet and an API licensing record, represent a lower procurement risk than those who cannot. The Altonex Global RFQ system allows buyers to attach a specification sheet alongside an RFQ so that all responding suppliers address the same technical criteria. See the B2B Buyers' Sourcing Guide for a broader framework on structuring lubricant sourcing inquiries, and the Industrial Lubricants Explained article for a reference on viscosity grades and classification systems. Suppliers seeking to list engine oils on the platform can begin at Become a Vendor.
Key takeaways
- API SQ and ILSAC GF-7 (GF-7A and GF-7B) became first licensable on 31 March 2025. API SP is not withdrawn and has no published end-of-licensing date.
- API SQ introduces three enhanced test sequences (Sequence IIIH, VH, and VI) and maintains the 0.9 wt% sulfated ash cap carried over from API SP.
- GF-7A covers five mainstream viscosity grades (0W-20, 5W-20, 0W-30, 5W-30, 10W-30) and carries the API Starburst mark. GF-7B covers 0W-16 only and carries the API Shield mark. They are not interchangeable.
- SAE 0W-8 and 0W-12 are covered only by API SQ, not by GF-7A or GF-7B. Sourcing these grades requires confirming an API SQ license, not a GF-7 license.
- From 31 March 2026, GF-6A and GF-6B oils may no longer display the Starburst and Shield marks respectively. The full 18-month transition window ends 1 October 2026, after which GF-6 licensing ceases entirely.
- Procurement managers placing forward orders for delivery after March 2026 should confirm with their supplier whether packaging will carry valid GF-7 marks at the date of delivery.
- Include the API EOLCS license number, exact SAE grade, sulfated ash content, and ILSAC sub-category in every engine-oil RFQ to avoid specification mismatches at delivery.
Frequently asked questions
What is API SQ and when was it first available?
API SQ is the newest gasoline engine-oil service category under the API Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System (EOLCS). It became first licensable on 31 March 2025, concurrently with ILSAC GF-7A and GF-7B. It introduces three enhanced laboratory test sequences u2014 Sequence IIIH, Sequence VH, and Sequence VI u2014 and addresses ultra-low viscosity grades (SAE 0W-8 and 0W-12) that had no prior API service-category coverage.
Is API SP still valid after the launch of API SQ?
Yes. API SP has not been withdrawn and has no published end-of-licensing date. It remains a current, licensable category alongside API SQ. API SQ is the newer, higher-performance tier, but holding API SP-licensed inventory does not mean the product is out of specification. Buyers should verify whether the destination OEM specification or market requirement has changed to require SQ before deciding to switch supply.
What is the difference between ILSAC GF-7A and GF-7B?
GF-7A covers five mainstream viscosity grades u2014 0W-20, 5W-20, 0W-30, 5W-30, and 10W-30 u2014 and carries the API Starburst certification mark. It is backward compatible with GF-6A, GF-5, and older ILSAC specs. GF-7B covers SAE 0W-16 only, carries the API Shield mark, and is backward compatible only with GF-6B. An oil licensed under GF-7A cannot substitute for a GF-7B application requiring the Shield mark on a 0W-16 grade.
When does GF-6 packaging become non-compliant?
There are two milestones. From 31 March 2026, oils meeting only ILSAC GF-6A can no longer display the API Starburst mark, and oils meeting only ILSAC GF-6B can no longer display the API Shield mark. From 1 October 2026 u2014 the end of the extended 18-month transition window u2014 GF-6 licensing ceases entirely and GF-7 becomes the sole qualifying standard for both marks. Buyers placing forward orders should confirm with their supplier that packaging will carry valid GF-7 marks at the date of delivery.
Do GF-7 or API SQ cover SAE 0W-8 and 0W-12 viscosity grades?
No u2014 GF-7A and GF-7B do not cover SAE 0W-8 or SAE 0W-12. These ultra-low viscosity grades are addressed exclusively by API SQ, which is the only category that provides a formal performance framework for them. Neither API SP nor any prior API service category covered these grades either.
What test sequences does API SQ add compared to API SP?
API SQ introduces or enhances three laboratory engine test sequences not present in their current form under API SP: Sequence IIIH (high-temperature viscosity increase and deposit levels), Sequence VH (low-temperature engine deposit control), and Sequence VI (fuel economy assessment). The sulfated ash cap remains at 0.9 wt% u2014 the same as API SP u2014 to prevent gasoline particulate filter (GPF) clogging in direct-injection engines.
What should I ask a supplier in an RFQ for API SQ or GF-7 engine oils?
Request the following in writing: the API service category (SP or SQ) and the current EOLCS license number; the ILSAC category (GF-6A, GF-6B, GF-7A, or GF-7B); the exact SAE viscosity grade; sulfated ash content (wt%); available pack sizes and export MOQs (1 L, 4 L, 5 L, 20 L drum, 208 L drum, 1000 L IBC); confirmation that packaging reflects the current certification mark; and any additional ACEA categories met if the destination fleet includes European-specification vehicles.
Sources: API Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System (EOLCS) — api.org; International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) — ilsac.us; API Publication 1509 (Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System), current edition; API Lubricants Group announcements on GF-7 and SQ first-licensable date (31 March 2025); ACEA Oil Sequences (current edition). Last reviewed 26 Jun 2026.
