EPA 608 guides

Every practice section on this site has a printable version with the answer key at the end, so you can save it as a PDF and study on paper or offline. Here is what is included, how to save it, and how to get the most from printed practice.

EPA does not publish a study guide for the Section 608 exam. It publishes a list of test topics. This guide works through that list section by section, explains what each topic is about, and gives the numbers from the regulation you need to know.

You will see 'open book' EPA 608 tests advertised, usually for Type I. The regulation does allow a mail-in, unproctored Type I format, but it comes with a higher pass mark and one big limit: it can never count toward Universal certification. Here is what the rules actually say.

EPA Section 608 certification is the federal credential you need to work on the refrigerant circuit of stationary air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment. Here is who needs it, how the tests work, how to pick a certification type, where and how to test, including online, and what happens after you pass.

Two federal rules now set leak repair requirements for stationary equipment. 40 CFR 82.157 covers appliances with 50 pounds or more of an ozone-depleting refrigerant. Since January 1, 2026, 40 CFR Part 84 Subpart C sets similar rules for HFC and other high-GWP systems with 15 pounds or more. Here is what each requires and what it means for the 608 exam.

A pressure-temperature (P-T) chart is one of the most useful tools in the trade, and the 608 test expects you to use one. This guide explains what the chart shows, how to read it, and what it tells you about the refrigerant in a system, from noncondensables to superheat to why low-pressure chillers run in a vacuum.

Most of what Section 608 asks of technicians comes down to one idea: get the refrigerant out and into a container instead of the air. This guide covers the venting prohibition, the required evacuation levels, small-appliance recovery, recovery equipment rules, the three Rs, safe disposal and the sales restriction, with the regulation cited for each.

The Section 608 exam expects you to know which family a refrigerant belongs to, what that means for the ozone layer, and which pressure class it falls in. This guide covers the main refrigerant families, the pressure classes defined in the regulation, blends and fractionation, oils, and a short note on A2L refrigerants.

EPA does not run the Section 608 exam itself. It approves certifying organizations, and you test with one of them, in person, online with a remote proctor, or for Type I only, by mail. Here is how the options differ and where to find an approved program.