The EPA 608 certification is the federal certification that U.S. law requires to buy and handle refrigerants in air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. If you are thinking about taking it, here is how the exam works.
Four sections of 25 questions
The exam is divided into four sections, each with 25 multiple-choice questions:
- Core: general rules, the ozone layer, the Clean Air Act, recovery, recycling and safety.
- Type I: small appliances, such as household refrigerators and window air conditioners.
- Type II: high-pressure equipment, such as central and mini-split air conditioners in homes.
- Type III: low-pressure equipment, such as chillers.
Anyone who passes all four earns the Universal certification.
What score you need
Each section is graded separately, and you need at least 70% on each one. If you pass some sections and not others, the ones you passed are kept and you can retake only the ones you are missing.
How the exam is taken
The exam is taken on a computer, online, monitored live by a proctor from an EPA-approved certifying organization. It can be taken in Spanish. The certification does not expire: you earn it once.
How to prepare
- Study section by section, starting with Core, which is the foundation for everything else.
- Practice with mock exams that use the same format as the real exam.
- Review dates, pressures and recovery requirements, which are the most frequently repeated questions.
- Do not try to memorize without understanding: once you understand the refrigeration cycle, the questions become logical.
In our EPA 608 Exam Preparation you study the full syllabus with mock exams and interactive practices, and your first exam attempt is already included.
Starting from zero? The HVAC Technician Combo includes the EPA 608 preparation.
Educational content from Learning Trade Center of Florida.
