What We Certify

CAPA certification is the most effective standards-setting, quality assurance program of its kind. It establishes objective, measurable Quality Standards and Specifications for replacement parts for metals, plastics, lights, foam rubber and bumpers.

Each Standard provides detailed testing and inspection procedures to ensure the quality of the parts covered by that Specification. All test procedures utilize nationally recognized tests such as those of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and are publicly available.

Staying a Step Ahead.

Because technology, manufacturing and the science of testing continually advance, so do we. Our Technical Committee, made up of experts in the collision repair, quality control and replacement part industry, continually reviews, updates and refines CAPA Standards as required, to assure the continued high quality of CAPA Certified parts and expand the categories of parts we evaluate.

In response to demand from the market, CAPA now allows the certification of part assemblies that do not have a corresponding car company service (CCS) part number. Manufacturers are given the option to either certify the component parts or demonstrate comparability to the material properties of the CCS part and have them evaluated by the Validator for proper fit to the adjacent parts within the certified assembly.  The component parts included in a certified assembly, as well as their certification status, may be found in the CAPA Database Search feature.

CAPA 101—Standard for Metal Parts

These are auto body parts made of metals that are primed, decoratively painted or plated with metallic coatings.

The CAPA 101 Standard includes requirements for:

CAPA 201—Standard for Plastic Parts

These are auto body parts made of plastic that are unprimed, primed, decoratively painted, plated with metallic coatings.

The CAPA 201 Standard includes requirements for:

CAPA 202—Standard for Nonwoven Fabric Parts

These are auto body parts made of nonwoven fabric.

The CAPA 202 Standard includes requirements for:

CAPA 301—Standard for Lighting

These are automotive lighting parts.

The CAPA 301 Standard includes requirements for:

CAPA 401–Standard for Attachment Parts

These are metal attachment parts, which may be primed with electrodeposition primer (EDP) or powder coat, or plastic attachment parts that may be primed or have uncoated final surfaces.

The CAPA 401 Standard includes requirements for:

CAPA 402–Standard for Front Support Parts

These are metal front support parts, which may be primed with electrodeposition primer (EDP), or plastic front support parts, which do not have coatings.

The CAPA 402 Standard includes requirements for:

CAPA 501—Standard for Bumper Parts

These are automotive Bumpers (front and rear), bumper reinforcements (rebars), bumper brackets and energy absorbers.

The CAPA 501 Standard includes requirements for:

CAPA 601—Standard for Radiator Parts

Metal parts that may typically be equipped with plastic tanks fastened to the radiator core.

The CAPA 601 Standard includes requirements for:

CAPA 602—Standard for AC Condensers

Heat exchangers, constructed of metal, typically mounted in front of the radiator.

The CAPA 602 Standard includes requirements for:

CAPA 701—Standard for Mirrors

Passenger and driver side mirror assemblies, mirror glass, mirror housings and covers.

The CAPA 701 Standard includes requirements for:

CAPA 702—Standard for Cameras

Exterior rearview and sideview cameras.

The CAPA 702 Standard includes requirements for:

CAPA 703—Standard for Automotive Sensors

Ultrasonic park distance control (PDC) and radar blind spot detection (BSD) sensors.

The CAPA 703 Standard includes requirements for:

CAPA 801—Standard for Automotive Glass

Windshields.

The CAPA 801 Standard includes requirements for:

CAPA 901–Standard for Replica Wheels

Replica Wheels.

The CAPA 901 Standard includes requirements for: