diff --git a/cf_xarray/accessor.py b/cf_xarray/accessor.py
index ed0c216d..b3d57be3 100644
--- a/cf_xarray/accessor.py
+++ b/cf_xarray/accessor.py
@@ -326,7 +326,8 @@ def _get_custom_criteria(
     if key in criteria_map:
         for criterion, patterns in criteria_map[key].items():
             for var in variables:
-                if regex_match(patterns, variables[var].attrs.get(criterion, "")):
+                metadata = ChainMap(variables[var].attrs, variables[var].encoding)
+                if regex_match(patterns, metadata.get(criterion, "")):
                     results.update((var,))
                 # also check name specifically since not in attributes
                 elif (
@@ -393,9 +394,10 @@ def _get_axis_coord(obj: DataArray | Dataset, key: str) -> list[str]:
     results: set = set()
     for coord in search_in:
         var = crds[coord]
+        metadata = ChainMap(var.attrs, var.encoding)
         if key in coordinate_criteria:
             for criterion, expected in coordinate_criteria[key].items():
-                if var.attrs.get(criterion, None) in expected:
+                if metadata.get(criterion, None) in expected:
                     results.update((coord,))
                 if criterion == "units":
                     # deal with pint-backed objects
@@ -815,7 +817,7 @@ def _get_with_standard_name(
     if isinstance(obj, DataArray):
         obj = obj.coords.to_dataset()
     for vname, var in obj._variables.items():
-        stdname = var.attrs.get("standard_name", None)
+        stdname = ChainMap(var.attrs, var.encoding).get("standard_name", None)
         if stdname == name:
             varnames.append(vname)
 
@@ -2152,8 +2154,9 @@ def standard_names(self) -> dict[str, list[Hashable]]:
 
         vardict: dict[str, list[Hashable]] = {}
         for k, v in variables.items():
-            if "standard_name" in v.attrs:
-                std_name = v.attrs["standard_name"]
+            metadata = ChainMap(v.attrs, v.encoding)
+            if "standard_name" in metadata:
+                std_name = metadata["standard_name"]
                 vardict[std_name] = vardict.setdefault(std_name, []) + [k]
 
         return {std: sort_maybe_hashable(v) for std, v in vardict.items()}
diff --git a/cf_xarray/tests/test_accessor.py b/cf_xarray/tests/test_accessor.py
index 6657be46..24512172 100644
--- a/cf_xarray/tests/test_accessor.py
+++ b/cf_xarray/tests/test_accessor.py
@@ -569,6 +569,43 @@ def test_keys(obj, expected):
     assert actual == expected
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("key", "metadata"),
+    [
+        ("longitude", {"standard_name": "longitude"}),
+        ("X", {"axis": "X"}),
+        ("longitude", {"units": "degrees_east"}),
+    ],
+)
+def test_coordinate_criteria_in_encoding(key, metadata):
+    array = xr.DataArray([0, 1], dims="x", coords={"x": [0, 1]})
+    array.x.encoding.update(metadata)
+
+    assert_identical(array.cf[key], array.x)
+
+
+def test_coordinate_attrs_take_precedence_over_encoding():
+    array = xr.DataArray([0, 1], dims="x", coords={"x": [0, 1]})
+    array.x.attrs["axis"] = "X"
+    array.x.encoding["axis"] = "Y"
+
+    assert_identical(array.cf["X"], array.x)
+    with pytest.raises(KeyError):
+        array.cf["Y"]
+
+
+def test_standard_names_and_custom_criteria_in_encoding():
+    dataset = xr.Dataset({"temperature": ("time", [280.0, 281.0])})
+    dataset.temperature.encoding["standard_name"] = "air_temperature"
+
+    assert dataset.cf.standard_names == {"air_temperature": ["temperature"]}
+    assert_identical(dataset.cf["air_temperature"], dataset.temperature)
+
+    criteria = {"temperature": {"standard_name": "air_temp.*"}}
+    with cf_xarray.set_options(custom_criteria=criteria):
+        assert_identical(dataset.cf["temperature"], dataset.temperature)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("obj", objects)
 def test_args_methods(obj):
     with raise_if_dask_computes():