Overview
API has published the 3rd Edition of Specification Q2. Its September 10, 2026 announcement introduces a clearer focus on well-site services and updates to how organizations manage service quality.
I have now completed a clause-by-clause review of the 2nd and 3rd Editions. What stands out most is not just what API added, but how much clearer the requirements have become. Several long paragraphs are now organized into lists, and wording that previously caused confusion has been refined.
That does not mean every list item is a new requirement. Much of the existing quality management system remains. The important step is to separate genuine changes from requirements that were moved, reorganized, or simply written more clearly.
Changes That Matter Most
A clearer scope for API Q2
The 3rd Edition focuses on well-site services and services associated with well-site activities. Organizations should check whether their current certification scope still fits. Standalone activities such as calibration, training, or manufacturing are not eligible for an API Q2 certificate scope, although they may still support an applicable well-site service. This does not prevent a company from offering those activities. Some organizations may need to consider API Q1 instead. Exclusions from API Q2 requirements are no longer permitted.
Purchasing requirements that are easier to apply
This is one of my favorite improvements. The distinctions between purchased services and service-related products (SRP) are much more precise. Supplier controls also take risk into account more clearly. The requirement for an approved supplier list has changed, but supplier approval has not disappeared: organizations still need to identify approved suppliers, what they are approved to provide, and keep the required records.
A stronger service quality plan
The consolidation of service execution planning and the service quality plan (SQP) in Clause 5.7.1 makes the relationship much easier to follow. I particularly like this change because it brings related requirements together. Review your SQP against the revised clause, but do not assume every requirement in the combined section is new.
Clearer acceptance criteria for SRP
Performance acceptance criteria (PAC) now have a defined role. They identify the minimum functional requirements an SRP needs to meet. In practical terms, the organization needs a clear basis for deciding whether the equipment or other SRP can do what the service requires. PAC are not a single measure of overall company performance.
Equipment controls with less guesswork
Clause 5.8 is now organized into clearer sections for testing, measuring, monitoring, and detection equipment (TMMDE). Ownership does not remove the need for controls: employee-owned and externally provided equipment must also be addressed under the applicable requirements. I especially like how the actions for unsuitable or out-of-calibration equipment are spelled out, including considering whether earlier results or services were affected.
Risk in nonconforming service and SRP decisions
The controls for nonconforming service execution and SRP now take risk into account more explicitly. It is not enough to identify a problem and move on. The organization needs to consider the consequences, decide how to handle it, and keep the required records. Maintenance concessions and management of change also deserve a close review before procedures are updated.
Longer record retention
The minimum retention period increases from five to ten years, or longer when applicable requirements call for it. Digital storage can make this easier, but keeping a file in the cloud is not the whole answer. Records still need to remain protected, accessible, and retrievable when they are needed.
Other changes include clearer QMS planning requirements, revised terminology, and a dated reference to ISO 9000:2015. The dated reference identifies the edition to use; it should not be presented as a new requirement to purchase a copy.
When Do You Need to Transition?
API’s transition notice sets out these milestones:
- February 1, 2027: Voluntary audits to the 3rd Edition can begin.
- April 5, 2027: New applicants must implement the 3rd Edition and be audited against it.
- October 1, 2027: All API Q2 registered organizations must implement the 3rd Edition, and audits will use it.
There is time to prepare, but start with your scope and the changes that affect your operations. Then review purchasing, the SQP, equipment controls, nonconformities, and record retention. Avoid rewriting every document just because a clause number or sentence structure changed.
Use the Completed Comparison to Plan Your Next Steps
Mireaux’s completed Comparison Analysis brings the changes into plain language. It includes an executive summary, Changes That Matter Most, guidance on where to start, and a side-by-side comparison of Clauses 1 through 6. Additions are highlighted, removed wording is struck through, and brief notes explain meaningful changes.
Use it to identify what needs a closer look in your organization. It is an independent Mireaux resource, not a substitute for the official API specification.
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