California ERC Exchange · For Buyers

Buying Emission Reduction Credits in California

Offset credits for your air permit — searched across every district registry, confirmed with the holder, no fee to inquire.

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Who needs to buy ERCs

Businesses building or expanding in California nonattainment areas are required under New Source Review to buy Emission Reduction Credits to offset new emissions before an air permit can issue. The obligation is set by the district: the pollutants, the tonnage, and the offset ratio (up to 1.5-to-1 in Extreme ozone nonattainment areas such as the San Joaquin Valley and South Coast) all come from the permit.

Why buying is hard on your own

No air district operates a public trading venue. Districts issue and track ERCs in their own registries, but they do not list credits for sale or connect buyers with sellers. Credits are generally usable only within the district where they were generated (or its air basin with district board approval — Health & Safety Code §40709.6), so the pool of eligible sellers is small and the holders are often not advertising.

How the Exchange works for buyers

Search the statewide registry by district and pollutant to see every banked certificate of record, then send an inquiry on the ones that fit. The Exchange confirms availability with the holder and can act as buyer's broker — there is no fee to inquire. If nothing listed matches, post what you need and we search the district's records and contact holders directly. Every completed sale is documented in a purchase agreement and recorded by the issuing air district, which verifies the reductions and transfers the certificate.

What to have ready

The district, the pollutants and tonnage your permit requires, your permit timeline, and whether you already have broker representation. That is enough for us to start.

Search banked ERCs by districtPost what you need

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