Carbon Credit Compliance
for Businesses

Investment Legal & Compliance Services

Protect your business, enhance credibility, and achieve climate goals with confidence.

Carbon credits are a powerful tool for meeting net-zero commitments—but they also carry regulatory, reputational, and financial risks. LawVisory helps companies, investors, and project developers navigate the complex legal and compliance landscape of voluntary and compliance carbon markets. 

  • SEC & IRS Regulatory Guidance 
  • FTC Green Guide & Marketing Compliance 
  • Project Verification & Risk Assessment 
  • Carbon Credit Purchase & Contract Review 

Why Carbon Credit Compliance Matters

The voluntary carbon market (VCM) is growing rapidly, but scrutiny is intensifying: 

  • Investors and regulators demand transparency and accuracy in carbon offset claims. 
  • The IRS may treat carbon credits as taxable assets, with implications for structuring transactions. 
  • The FTC enforces rules against deceptive environmental marketing. 
  • States are rolling out disclosure requirements for companies using offsets. 

Without a compliance framework, your business risks greenwashing claims, audits, tax penalties, and reputational damage. 

Our Carbon Credit Legal, Consulting and Compliance Services

We provide end-to-end guidance on compliance, risk management, and market integrity: 

For Businesses & Buyers:

  • Due diligence on carbon credit purchases and sellers 
  • FTC & state-level marketing compliance (avoid greenwashing) 
  • IRS & tax mitigation structuring guidance 
  • Reporting and disclosure frameworks 

For Project Developers:

  • Verification & validation support (BeZero, Sylvera, Calyx Global, Renoster) 
  • Additionality, permanence, leakage, and co-benefits legal and compliance 
  • Contract drafting & credit issuance guidance 
  • Safeguards for environmental & social responsibility 

For Investors & Funds:

  • Carbon credit risk audits & ratings analysis 
  • Portfolio screening for ESG compliance 
  • SEC and investment adviser legal, compliance and disclosure services 

Core Regulatory & Legal Principles We Navigate

  • Verification & Transparency – ensuring credits are additional, traceable, and third-party verified 
  • Reporting & Disclosure – accurate retirement and offset claims 
  • Environmental & Social Responsibility – no hidden harms, fair benefit-sharing 
  • Taxation – IRS treatment, Section 1031 considerations, and deal structuring 
  • FTC Green Guides – compliant marketing of offsets 
  • State Disclosure Rules – alignment with emerging state-level regulations 

Why Choose LawVisory?

  • Deep regulatory expertise across SEC, IRS, FTC, and ESG frameworks 
  • Interdisciplinary approach bridging law, compliance, and market standards 
  • Tailored solutions for corporations, funds, and developers 
  • Proven track record helping clients avoid costly missteps in the carbon markets from developers to buyers to brokers 

 

Schedule a confidential discovery call today and build a carbon credit compliance program that earns trust and withstands scrutiny. 

Contact Us

+1 202-854-0515
info@lawvisory.com

1250 Connecticut Ave NW #700, Washington, DC 20036

FAQs

Q1: Do businesses need legal compliance when buying carbon credits?

Yes. Without proper verification, reporting, and disclosure, carbon credits can expose companies to greenwashing claims, tax penalties, or regulatory enforcement.

Q2: How are carbon credits taxed in the U.S.?

The IRS has not issued carbon credit-specific rules, but generally, the sale of credits is treated as a taxable event. Structuring matters greatly.

Q3: What are the FTC’s Green Guides?

They are federal rules that prohibit deceptive environmental claims, including carbon offsets, requiring proof of real and verifiable emissions reductions.

Q4: How do rating agencies like BeZero and Sylvera affect buyers?

They independently assess credit quality, helping buyers avoid low-quality or high-risk credits, but there’s no universal standard yet.

Q5: Can LawVisory help international firms enter the U.S. carbon market?

Absolutely. We guide global companies through U.S. federal and state regulatory requirements to ensure a compliant market entry.