Key Dates
- Exams based on the old question bank are no longer accepted from 1 January 2027.
- During late 2026 either version may be offered, so check which one your provider uses.
- If you're already certified, you don't need to retest, and your existing cards stay valid.
- If you hold one type and add another after 1 January 2027, the new section will come from the revised bank.
What Stays the Same
- Four sections: Core, Type I, Type II, Type III. Universal still means passing all four.
- 25 questions per section and a 70% pass mark (set by regulation in Appendix D).
- Closed-book, proctored testing.
- No new "Type IV" for A2L refrigerants.
What's New
- General-knowledge questions on A2L and A3 refrigerants, including R-32, R-454B, R-1234yf and hydrocarbons.
- Older items about obsolete refrigerants and equipment removed. Some questions now name R-32 or R-454B where they used to name R-22.
- Reworded questions for clarity.
- A bank of about 400 questions, with 10 test versions per provider.
What Is NOT on the Exam
AIM Act rules, such as HFC leak repair under 40 CFR Part 84, are separate legislation and will not be tested. The CFC and HCFC leak rates in 40 CFR 82.157 still are. See EPA 608 leak repair rules.
How Our Questions Match
Why the Question Bank Is Changing
The refrigerants used in new equipment have changed a lot since the original question bank was written. Many new residential and light commercial systems now use A2L refrigerants such as R-32 and R-454B, driven by the HFC phasedown under the AIM Act. A2L refrigerants are mildly flammable, so technicians need to understand how to handle them safely. Updating the exam brings it in line with the equipment technicians actually service.
What This Means If You Test in Late 2026
If you plan to test before the end of 2026, ask your certifying program which version of the bank it uses. Either version leads to the same certification, and passing on the old bank does not mean you need to retest. If your program has already switched, make sure your study material covers A2L and A3 refrigerants.
What This Means If You Test in 2027 or Later
From 1 January 2027, you will see the revised bank. Study these areas carefully, in addition to the standard material:
- ASHRAE 34 safety classes, especially what A2L and A3 mean.
- Ignition source control and ventilation when working with flammable refrigerants.
- Recovery equipment and cylinders rated for flammable refrigerants.
- Charging zeotropic blends such as R-454B as liquid.
- Examples that use R-32 and R-454B where older questions used R-22.
What Has Not Changed
The legal requirements behind the exam still come from 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F. The venting prohibition, the three Rs, the sales restriction, evacuation levels, leak repair rules for CFC and HCFC appliances and the safety rules remain core material. Most of what you study for the old bank still applies.
Advice for Employers and Instructors
If you run training for new technicians, update your materials to include A2L handling before 2027. Check that your shop has recovery equipment and cylinders suited to flammable refrigerants, and that technicians know the maker's procedures for the equipment they install.
How We Will Update This Page
We rely on primary sources where possible. When EPA publishes its own notice or updates its Section 608 pages, we will revise this guide and note the date.
A Study Plan for the Revised Bank
- Week one: Core. Ozone depletion, the Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol, the venting prohibition, the three Rs, the sales restriction, recovery equipment, safety and shipping. Add the ASHRAE 34 safety classes and A2L handling basics.
- Week two: your technical type. For Type II, learn Table 1 evacuation levels, leak detection and leak repair triggers. For Type I, learn small appliance recovery percentages and disposal rules. For Type III, learn low-pressure chiller recovery, purge units and leak testing limits.
- Final days: mixed practice. Take timed 25-question tests, review every missed question against the regulation and focus on the numbers.
A2L Topics in Plain Terms
A2L refrigerants are hard to ignite and burn slowly, but they can burn. On the job this means removing ignition sources from the work area, ventilating, using tools and recovery machines rated for the refrigerant and following the equipment maker's instructions. Expect general questions on these ideas rather than detailed product procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Change
Will my old card show which bank I tested on? No certification type changes, and a card from either bank is valid.
Will practice questions written for the old bank still help? Yes, for most topics. Add study of A2L and A3 refrigerants and remove reliance on questions about obsolete equipment.
Is the pass mark changing? No. The 70% pass mark is set in Appendix D to Subpart F.
Key Terms for the Revised Exam
- A2L: an ASHRAE 34 safety class meaning lower toxicity and lower flammability with a low burning velocity.
- A3: lower toxicity and higher flammability, for example propane (R-290) and isobutane (R-600a).
- Ignition source: anything that could ignite a flammable refrigerant, such as an open flame, a spark from a switch or a hot surface.
- Temperature glide: the range of temperatures over which a zeotropic blend such as R-454B boils or condenses at a set pressure.
- Fractionation: the separation of a blend's components when it leaks or is charged as vapour.
- Phasedown: the gradual reduction of HFC production and consumption under the AIM Act, which is driving the move to lower-GWP refrigerants.
- Question bank: the pool of approved questions from which certifying programs build each test version.
Checklist Before You Book
- Confirm your program is EPA-approved.
- Ask which bank it uses and when it switches.
- Check that your study material covers A2L and A3 refrigerants.
- Take timed practice tests until you score well above 70%.
- Have valid ID ready and check the proctoring rules.
Quick Questions
Do I need new tools because of the exam change?
The exam change itself doesn't require new tools. But if you work on A2L systems, you need recovery machines, leak detectors and other equipment the maker rates for those refrigerants. That is a job-site requirement, not an exam requirement.
Will Type I questions change too?
The revised bank covers all four sections. Expect some questions to reference newer refrigerants used in small appliances, such as isobutane (R-600a) in household refrigerators.
Where can I check the official list of programs?
EPA publishes the list of approved Section 608 technician certification programs on its website. Only those programs can give the test and issue cards.
Should I wait for the new bank before testing?
Not usually. Certification from either bank is valid and doesn't expire, so if you need certification for work now, test now. Just study A2L basics too, because you will meet those refrigerants on the job.
Will employers ask which bank I tested on?
Employers and wholesalers check that you hold a valid card for the right types. The card is valid regardless of the bank, so this rarely matters in practice.
Our questions are original and written from the regulation and EPA's test topics, including A2L material. We don't have the official bank and can't reproduce it. Start with the full list of EPA 608 practice tests.