State Department of Transportation (DOT) Qualified Products List (QPL) approvals are how states tell contractors which traffic paint SKUs they'll accept on state-funded work. The lists update annually, vary a lot from state to state, and matter on any project bidding off a federal-aid contract under 23 CFR 635 or a state-funded contract that references a QPL. Below we compare 2026 traffic paint QPL coverage across five big states and call out the SKUs that cross state lines.
What is a state DOT QPL?
A state DOT QPL is a published list of pre-approved materials that contractors may use on state-funded work without additional product testing. Each state DOT runs its own qualification program, with testing done at NTPEP (the National Transportation Product Evaluation Program) test decks or in-state laboratories. The Federal Highway Administration coordinates QPL practice through 23 CFR 635 and references NTPEP for federally-funded projects.
A SKU may be QPL-approved in one state and not in another because:
- State-level VOC rules differ (California SCAQMD Rule 1113, Ozone Transport Commission states, and others tighten EPA's Architectural Coatings rule cap of 100 g/L for most paints).
- State-level testing protocols differ on retroreflectivity, durability, and bead-retention thresholds.
- Some state DOTs prefer in-state manufacturers and structure their QPL around local supply.
For the broader VOC angle, see voc-compliant traffic paint by state.
What is the best traffic paint for Oregon DOT (ODOT) QPL?
1. Sherwin-Williams Setfast Acrylic Waterborne
Setfast Acrylic is on the Oregon DOT QPL for waterborne traffic paint. White and federal yellow, 15 wet mil typical, AASHTO M247 Type I bead drop required. Pail price $135 to $170.
2. Ennis-Flint HydroPlus Waterborne Acrylic
HydroPlus is on the Oregon DOT QPL and is widely used by ODOT pavement marking crews on shoulder and lane line work. Pail price $145 to $185.
ODOT's pavement marking specification (Standard Specifications Section 00867) sets the framework for both products and references the QPL for current SKU acceptance.
What is the best traffic paint for Washington State DOT (WSDOT) QPL?
3. Crown Polyclear 7000 Two-Component Epoxy
Polyclear 7000 is on the WSDOT QPL for two-component epoxy. WSDOT specifies epoxy and thermoplastic for most highway work, with waterborne acrylic for parking lots and lower-volume roads. Pail price $260 to $340.
4. Ennis-Flint HydroPlus Waterborne Acrylic
HydroPlus is on both the Oregon and Washington QPLs, making it a cross-Cascadia SKU for crews working both states.
What is the best traffic paint for California DOT (Caltrans) QPL?
5. Aexcel Acrylux 4000 Waterborne Acrylic
Aexcel Acrylux 4000 is on the Caltrans QPL and meets California's South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule 1113, which is tighter than the EPA Architectural Coatings rule (40 CFR Part 59 Subpart D). Pail price $155 to $200.
6. Ennis-Flint HydroPlus
HydroPlus is also Caltrans QPL-approved. SCAQMD compliance and Caltrans QPL together make this one of the most-cross-state SKUs in the U.S.
What is the best traffic paint for Texas DOT (TxDOT) QPL?
7. PPG ParkingLot Plus Premium and Crown Polyclear 7000
TxDOT's QPL leans toward both heavier-build waterborne acrylic and two-component epoxy because Texas summer pavement temperatures push paint durability hard. PPG ParkingLot Plus Premium handles parking-lot and arterial work; Crown Polyclear 7000 handles highway and high-traffic concrete.
What is the best traffic paint for Florida DOT (FDOT) QPL?
8. Ennis-Flint Premark Preformed Thermoplastic
FDOT specifies thermoplastic for most highway pavement marking. Ennis-Flint Premark and similar preformed thermoplastic products dominate the FDOT QPL because Florida's heavy rain and high traffic favor thermoplastic durability over paint. For paint-specific work in Florida, waterborne acrylic SKUs from Sherwin-Williams and PPG appear on the FDOT QPL.
How do these SKUs compare on cross-state QPL coverage?
| SKU | OR | WA | CA | TX | FL | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams Setfast Acrylic | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Most cross-state coverage |
| Ennis-Flint HydroPlus | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Tied with Setfast |
| PPG ParkingLot Plus Premium | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Heavy-build acrylic |
| Aexcel Acrylux 4000 | -- | -- | Yes | Yes | -- | SCAQMD-compliant |
| Crown Polyclear 7000 epoxy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Two-component epoxy |
| Ennis-Flint Hotline FastDry | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | -- | Fast-dry waterborne |
| Ennis-Flint Premark thermoplastic | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Preformed thermoplastic |
What does this mean for Pacific Northwest contractors?
Three implications for Oregon and Washington contractors:
- The Oregon and Washington QPLs overlap heavily. A contractor working both sides of the Columbia can run Sherwin-Williams Setfast Acrylic, Ennis-Flint HydroPlus, or Crown Polyclear 7000 across both states without re-specifying.
- California crews crossing into Oregon need to verify SCAQMD compliance. A SKU approved by ODOT may not meet SCAQMD Rule 1113. The reverse generally works -- SCAQMD-compliant products clear ODOT.
- Cold-weather SKUs are not always on QPLs. Pervo solvent alkyd and methyl methacrylate (MMA) products may be project-specified rather than QPL-listed. Verify with the state DOT before any cold-weather work on a state contract.
Current Market Reality
QPL-listed traffic paint pricing in 2026 is running 18 to 24 percent above 2022 baselines. Two-component epoxy and methyl methacrylate (MMA) have seen the steepest increases. The cross-state SKUs (Setfast Acrylic, HydroPlus, Polyclear 7000) have held pricing more stable because of higher manufacturing volume.
For broader chemistry pricing context, see our traffic paint chemistry comparison.
Cojo install reference -- ODOT QPL spec for a private lot
In March 2026 a property manager off Hawthorne Boulevard in Portland asked Cojo to bid a re-stripe to ODOT QPL spec, even though the lot was a private commercial center and not a state-funded project. The manager's reasoning: a future tenant negotiation referenced "ODOT-spec markings." We:
- Pulled the 2026 ODOT QPL.
- Specified Sherwin-Williams Setfast Acrylic in federal yellow and white, AASHTO M247 Type I bead drop at 6 lb per gallon.
- Striped 14 gallons across 122 stalls and 6 ADA spaces.
The QPL spec costs roughly 4 to 7 percent more per gallon than non-QPL waterborne acrylic but provides documented compliance for tenant lease agreements. For Oregon-statewide context, see our traffic paint supply Oregon statewide page.
Get a QPL-spec striping quote.