EPA 608 Practice Test 2026

How EPA Section 608 Certification Works

Section 608 certification is what lets you legally buy refrigerant and service stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. It is not one exam but four sections: Core, Type I (small appliances), Type II (high-pressure systems) and Type III (low-pressure, i.e. chillers). Each section is 25 questions and you need 70% — 18 correct — to pass. Pass all four and you are Universal. Certification never expires and needs no renewal; the card comes from your certifying program, not from the EPA itself.

What the Test Covers

• The venting prohibition — in force since 1 July 1992 for ozone-depleting refrigerants, and what the narrow exceptions are
• Recovery, recycling and reclamation — the legal definitions, and when recovered refrigerant may be sold to a new owner
• Evacuation levels — the required vacuum before opening different classes of appliance, which varies by appliance type and by whether the compressor is operational
• Cylinder handling — the 80% fill limit and why it exists (thermal expansion), plus cylinder colour-coding and safe transport
• Refrigerants and the phase-out — ozone depletion potential comparisons, the R-22 phase-out (no production or import after 1 January 2020), and why R-410A is not a drop-in replacement for R-22
• Safe handling — dehydration, moisture and acid contamination, and the rules on charging and leak repair

Where People Lose Points

Three areas catch out most first-time candidates. First, evacuation levels — the numbers differ by appliance class and by compressor condition, and the exam asks for the exact figure. Second, the definitions: recover, recycle and reclaim are three different legal acts and the exam tests the boundaries. Third, the 80% cylinder rule and the reasons behind it, which shows up in several different forms. All three are pure recall.

How to Prepare

Our 309-question bank covers all four sections. Work in rounds, read every explanation, and re-do the misses. Aim for three consecutive rounds at 90% or better before you book. New customers: pass the real exam within your 72-hour window and you get half the price back ($8.00).