EPA 608 certification: types, the exam and how to get certified
EPA Section 608 certification is the federal license to work on stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment that could release refrigerant. You earn it by passing a proctored exam from an EPA-approved certifying organization: Core plus Type I, II or III, or all four for Universal, each 25 questions passed at 70% (18 right). It never expires.
- 4
- sections: Core, I, II, III
- 25
- questions per section
- 18
- right to pass each
- Lifetime
- certification
Last checked · Facts from EPA's Section 608 pages and 40 CFR 82 subpart F
By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated · How we check facts · How this is scored
What is EPA 608 certification?
A certification required by section 608 of the Clean Air Act and EPA's rules in 40 CFR part 82, subpart F, for technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of appliances that could release refrigerant into the atmosphere.
The rules exist because refrigerants harm the atmosphere: CFCs and HCFCs deplete stratospheric ozone, and HFCs and many other substitutes are powerful greenhouse gases. Knowingly venting them during service is illegal, and the certification proves a technician knows how to recover refrigerant and follow the rules.
Section 608 covers stationary equipment: household refrigerators, window units, split systems, rooftop units, supermarket racks and chillers. Motor vehicle air conditioning is covered by a separate certification under section 609.
| Who needs it | Anyone who maintains, services, repairs or disposes of equipment that could release refrigerant into the airPublished by the ownerEPA, "Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements" |
|---|---|
| Who gives it | EPA-approved certifying organizations, not EPA itself; each sets its own fee, format and time limitPublished by the ownerEPA, "Section 608 Technician Certification" |
| Sections | Core, Type I, Type II and Type III. Core plus a type certifies that type; all four is UniversalPublished by the ownerEPA, "Types of Technician Certification" |
| Questions | 25 multiple-choice questions per section, closed book and proctoredPublished by the owner40 CFR part 82, subpart F (eCFR): recycling and emissions reduction, including appendix D |
| Passing score | 70% on each section, which on 25 questions is 18 right. Each section is passed on its ownPublished by the owner40 CFR part 82, subpart F (eCFR): recycling and emissions reduction, including appendix D |
| Type I by mail | A Type I test may be taken open book by mail, needs 84% (21 of 25) and cannot count toward UniversalPublished by the owner40 CFR part 82, subpart F (eCFR): recycling and emissions reduction, including appendix D |
| How long it lasts | For life: Section 608 certification does not expirePublished by the ownerEPA, "Section 608 Technician Certification" |
What are the EPA 608 certification types?
Type I for small appliances, Type II for high- and very high-pressure appliances, Type III for low-pressure appliances, and Universal for all three. Every type also needs the Core section.
| Section | Certifies | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Required for every type | Ozone depletion and climate, the Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol, the venting prohibition, refrigerant classes, recovery, recycling and reclaiming, the three Rs, dehydration, safety, shipping and cylinders, and pressure and temperature |
| Type I (small appliances) | Small appliances: factory-sealed, 5 pounds or less | What counts as a small appliance, recovery requirements (80% or 90%, or 4 inches of mercury vacuum), self-contained and system-dependent recovery, piercing valves, and safety |
| Type II (high-pressure) | High- and very high-pressure appliances | Leak detection, leak rate thresholds and repair deadlines, required evacuation levels, recovery techniques, superheat and subcooling, charging, and refrigeration safety |
| Type III (low-pressure) | Low-pressure appliances such as centrifugal chillers | Leak testing at no more than 10 psig, purge units, rupture discs, recovery to 25 mm Hg absolute, water in the tubes during recovery, charging and safety |
Most residential and light commercial technicians need Type II, because split systems and heat pumps are high-pressure appliances. Appliance repair techs need Type I. Chiller technicians need Type III. Many employers ask for Universal so a technician can be sent to any job, and since all four sections can be taken in one sitting, most people go for Universal.
Each section has a page with a free drill: Core, Type I, Type II and Type III.
Practise all four sections
The free test shows your weakest section. The Pass Pack adds seven more 100-question mocks and four drills for each section.
The EPA 608 Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 16 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.
Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The EPA 608 Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.
- 8
- timed mocks
- 16
- topic drills
- 1
- score predictor
What is the EPA 608 exam like?
Multiple choice, 25 questions per section, closed book and proctored, either in person or online with a remote proctor where the certifying organization offers it. Each section is passed on its own at 18 of 25.
EPA does not give the exam itself. It approves certifying organizations (trade associations, schools, wholesalers and online providers), which write tests from an EPA-approved question bank and set their own fees, time limits and booking rules. Expect to bring photo ID and to sit with a proctor watching.
The one exception to closed book is Type I: a certifying organization may offer it by mail, open book, with a pass mark of 84% (21 of 25). A Type I certification earned that way cannot be combined into Universal.
How much does EPA 608 certification cost?
It depends on the certifying organization. Each sets its own fee for the exam and any study materials, and some employers and trade schools pay it.
Because there is no single federal fee, compare a few approved organizations: some charge per section, others one price for Universal, and online proctoring may cost more or less than a local session. Retaking a failed section is usually cheaper than the whole exam, but it still costs time and a fee, so the cheapest route is to pass everything first time.
What rules does the EPA 608 exam test?
The venting prohibition, recovery and evacuation levels, leak repair, sales restrictions, record keeping, safety, and how each type of system behaves. The evacuation table and leak thresholds are the numbers asked most.
| Appliance | Recovery equipment made before Nov 15, 1993 | Made on or after Nov 15, 1993 |
|---|---|---|
| HCFC-22 appliance, under 200 lb | 0 | 0 |
| HCFC-22 appliance, 200 lb or more | 4 | 10 |
| Very high-pressure appliance | 0 | 0 |
| Other high-pressure appliance, under 200 lb | 4 | 10 |
| Other high-pressure appliance, 200 lb or more | 4 | 15 |
| Medium-pressure appliance, under 200 lb | 4 | 10 |
| Medium-pressure appliance, 200 lb or more | 4 | 15 |
| Low-pressure appliance | 25 (inches of mercury vacuum) | 25 mm Hg absolute |
| Rule | Number | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Pass mark | 18 of 25 (70%) on each section; 21 of 25 (84%) on a Type I test taken open book by mail | Appendix D |
| Small appliance | Factory-made, charged and hermetically sealed, 5 pounds of refrigerant or less | 82.152 |
| Small appliance recovery (equipment made after November 15, 1993) | 90% with a working compressor, 80% without, or a 4-inch Hg vacuum | 82.156 |
| Leak rate thresholds (50 lb or more) | Comfort cooling 10%, commercial refrigeration 20%, industrial process refrigeration 30% per year | 82.157 |
| Leak repair deadline | Within 30 days of finding the leak, with initial and follow-up verification tests | 82.157 |
| Records | Kept for at least 3 years | 82.157, 82.156 |
| Recovery cylinder fill | No more than 80% of capacity by weight | Industry safety practice (DOT cylinders) |
| Gauge to absolute pressure | psia = psig + 14.7 | Physics |
| Low-pressure leak test | Raise pressure to no more than 10 psig; the rupture disc is set at 15 psig | Type III practice |
How should I prepare for the EPA 608 exam?
Learn Core first, then the type you work on, then the others for Universal. Take a full practice test to find your weakest section, drill it, and take a second test before you book.
Most technicians need a few evenings, more if they have never worked on one of the types. A seven-day plan is in how to pass the EPA 608, the passing rules are on EPA 608 passing score, and the free EPA 608 practice test shows where you stand today.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need EPA 608 certification to buy refrigerant?
Can I take the EPA 608 exam online?
Which type do I need for home air conditioning?
Does EPA 608 certification expire?
Is EPA 608 the same as 609?
Is LifeScore an EPA-approved certifying organization?
Get Universal on the first attempt
Eight full EPA 608-style mocks, four drills for each section and every answer explained, for one payment.
The EPA 608 Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 16 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.
Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The EPA 608 Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.
- 8
- timed mocks
- 16
- topic drills
- 1
- score predictor