diff --git a/acme/api/account.go b/acme/api/account.go
index 0dc8ab40..88522ea6 100644
--- a/acme/api/account.go
+++ b/acme/api/account.go
@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi"
+
 	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/acme"
 	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/api"
+	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/api/render"
 	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/logging"
 )
 
@@ -149,7 +151,7 @@ func (h *Handler) NewAccount(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	h.linker.LinkAccount(ctx, acc)
 
 	w.Header().Set("Location", h.linker.GetLink(r.Context(), AccountLinkType, acc.ID))
-	api.JSONStatus(w, acc, httpStatus)
+	render.JSONStatus(w, acc, httpStatus)
 }
 
 // GetOrUpdateAccount is the api for updating an ACME account.
@@ -196,7 +198,7 @@ func (h *Handler) GetOrUpdateAccount(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	h.linker.LinkAccount(ctx, acc)
 
 	w.Header().Set("Location", h.linker.GetLink(ctx, AccountLinkType, acc.ID))
-	api.JSON(w, acc)
+	render.JSON(w, acc)
 }
 
 func logOrdersByAccount(w http.ResponseWriter, oids []string) {
@@ -229,6 +231,6 @@ func (h *Handler) GetOrdersByAccountID(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	h.linker.LinkOrdersByAccountID(ctx, orders)
 
-	api.JSON(w, orders)
+	render.JSON(w, orders)
 	logOrdersByAccount(w, orders)
 }
diff --git a/acme/api/handler.go b/acme/api/handler.go
index c3a481f9..7c4be8ae 100644
--- a/acme/api/handler.go
+++ b/acme/api/handler.go
@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi"
+
 	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/acme"
 	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/api"
+	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/api/render"
 	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/authority/provisioner"
 )
 
@@ -185,7 +187,7 @@ func (h *Handler) GetDirectory(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	api.JSON(w, &Directory{
+	render.JSON(w, &Directory{
 		NewNonce:   h.linker.GetLink(ctx, NewNonceLinkType),
 		NewAccount: h.linker.GetLink(ctx, NewAccountLinkType),
 		NewOrder:   h.linker.GetLink(ctx, NewOrderLinkType),
@@ -229,7 +231,7 @@ func (h *Handler) GetAuthorization(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	h.linker.LinkAuthorization(ctx, az)
 
 	w.Header().Set("Location", h.linker.GetLink(ctx, AuthzLinkType, az.ID))
-	api.JSON(w, az)
+	render.JSON(w, az)
 }
 
 // GetChallenge ACME api for retrieving a Challenge.
@@ -280,7 +282,7 @@ func (h *Handler) GetChallenge(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	w.Header().Add("Link", link(h.linker.GetLink(ctx, AuthzLinkType, azID), "up"))
 	w.Header().Set("Location", h.linker.GetLink(ctx, ChallengeLinkType, azID, ch.ID))
-	api.JSON(w, ch)
+	render.JSON(w, ch)
 }
 
 // GetCertificate ACME api for retrieving a Certificate.
diff --git a/acme/api/order.go b/acme/api/order.go
index 9cf2c1eb..125a21f9 100644
--- a/acme/api/order.go
+++ b/acme/api/order.go
@@ -11,9 +11,12 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi"
+
+	"go.step.sm/crypto/randutil"
+
 	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/acme"
 	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/api"
-	"go.step.sm/crypto/randutil"
+	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/api/render"
 )
 
 // NewOrderRequest represents the body for a NewOrder request.
@@ -142,7 +145,7 @@ func (h *Handler) NewOrder(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	h.linker.LinkOrder(ctx, o)
 
 	w.Header().Set("Location", h.linker.GetLink(ctx, OrderLinkType, o.ID))
-	api.JSONStatus(w, o, http.StatusCreated)
+	render.JSONStatus(w, o, http.StatusCreated)
 }
 
 func (h *Handler) newAuthorization(ctx context.Context, az *acme.Authorization) error {
@@ -217,7 +220,7 @@ func (h *Handler) GetOrder(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	h.linker.LinkOrder(ctx, o)
 
 	w.Header().Set("Location", h.linker.GetLink(ctx, OrderLinkType, o.ID))
-	api.JSON(w, o)
+	render.JSON(w, o)
 }
 
 // FinalizeOrder attemptst to finalize an order and create a certificate.
@@ -272,7 +275,7 @@ func (h *Handler) FinalizeOrder(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	h.linker.LinkOrder(ctx, o)
 
 	w.Header().Set("Location", h.linker.GetLink(ctx, OrderLinkType, o.ID))
-	api.JSON(w, o)
+	render.JSON(w, o)
 }
 
 // challengeTypes determines the types of challenges that should be used