How long after Verified Carbon Units are issued can Verra still ask the project owner to make good an error?

Until the later of two dates: 6 years after the Verified Carbon Unit (VCU) was issued, or 12 months after a later verification report covering that unit is accepted on the Verra Registry. The rule applies where Verra, acting reasonably, finds a material erroneous issuance.

The rule in section 4.2 of the Program Guide

Project proponents are responsible for compensating for excess VCU issuance where Verra deems, acting reasonably, that there has been a material erroneous issuance in respect of a project, as a result of fraudulent conduct, negligence, intentional act, recklessness, misrepresentation or mistake of the project proponent. A statute of limitations applies: Verra can only require compensation up to the later of the two dates above.

How the later date is found

Verra's footnote explains why: some types of agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU) projects verify less often than every 6 years, so a later report that shows an earlier unit was wrongly issued gives Verra 12 more months to deal with it. Where a unit was issued from a project's last verification report, the 6-year limb applies.

1. Take the issuance date of the VCU and add 6 years.
2. Take the date a subsequent verification report relevant to that VCU was accepted on the Verra Registry and add 12 months.
3. The limit is whichever of the two is later.

What it means for you

• For a seller: a unit you issued in 2027 can still be questioned in 2033 or later. Keep the evidence behind each monitoring report for at least as long. The Standard's records rule runs for at least two years after the total crediting period ends.
• For a buyer: section 4.2 puts the compensation duty on the project proponent. It says nothing about what a contract between you and the seller should add, so ask the seller how a replacement would be handled.

Example dates

• A VCU is issued on 15 March 2027: 6 years later is 15 March 2033.
• Case A: the next verification report is accepted on 1 February 2031. 12 months later is 1 February 2032, which is earlier, so the limit is 15 March 2033.
• Case B: it is accepted on 20 November 2032. 12 months later is 20 November 2033, which is later, so the limit is 20 November 2033.

Dates are an example.

What Senseible does here

Senseible reads fuel invoices and electricity bills into monthly records that you can keep with your project evidence. Its in-house check is not an accredited third-party verification, and Senseible is not part of Verra's process.

• Excess credits: how they are replaced
• How long to keep project records
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• Carbon credits

Sources: Verra, VCS Program Guide v5.0 (16 December 2025), Verra, VCS Registration and Issuance Process v5.0 (16 December 2025)

Last reviewed 2026-11-05. Check the current VCS Standard, Registration and Issuance Process and Program Guide on Verra's site before you rely on this; Verra updates them periodically.