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EPA 608 NEC 2023

EPA 608 Core Practice Test 16

This practice test focuses on the legal side of EPA Section 608: the Montreal Protocol, the Clean Air Act, venting ban dates, and the fines for breaking the rules. You will also see questions on recovery, recycling, and reclaiming, substantial leak repair, and recordkeeping. Use it to check that you know not just the science, but the actual law behind refrigerant handling.

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The EPA 608 certification is required by law for any technician who purchases or handles refrigerants. It covers safe handling, leak detection, recovery, and environmental regulations.

Type I covers small appliances (≤5 lbs refrigerant), Type II covers high-pressure systems, Type III covers low-pressure systems, and Universal covers all three. Most HVAC technicians pursue Universal certification.

You must score at least 70% on each section of the exam. The Universal exam has four parts: core, Type I, Type II, and Type III.

Core Exam Tip: The Core exam is always closed-book, so memorize the two venting ban dates (1992 for CFCs/HCFCs, 1995 for HFCs) rather than planning to look them up.

25

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25 min

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70%

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EPA 608 Core Practice Test 16 — Question List

Question 1: What does EPA Section 608 of the Clean Air Act mainly regulate?

General workplace electrical safety
The handling of refrigerants that can harm the ozone layer or climate
Building fire codes
Minimum wage for HVAC technicians

Question 2: What is the Montreal Protocol?

An international treaty to phase out ozone-depleting substances
A US-only recordkeeping form
A refrigerant brand name
A training course for EPA 608 certification

Question 3: How did the Montreal Protocol become enforceable law in the United States?

It automatically applied with no US law needed
Through a state-by-state licensing vote
Through the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments
Through the AIM Act of 2020

Question 4: Since what date has it been illegal to knowingly vent CFC and HCFC refrigerants into the air?

July 1, 1992
November 15, 1995
January 1, 1990
July 1, 1987

Question 5: Since what date has it been illegal to knowingly vent HFC refrigerants into the air?

November 15, 1995
July 1, 1992
January 1, 2000
November 15, 1990

Question 6: A technician is caught intentionally venting refrigerant. What is the maximum civil fine that can apply?

Up to $500 per incident
Up to $44,539 per day, per violation
A warning letter only, no fine
Up to $5,000 total, one time

Question 7: What does "recovery" mean under EPA 608 rules?

Removing refrigerant from a system and storing it in an outside container, with no cleaning
Cleaning refrigerant to a certified purity standard
Selling refrigerant to a new owner
Adding new refrigerant to a system

Question 8: What best describes "recycling" refrigerant?

Sending refrigerant to a certified off-site lab for AHRI 700 testing
Destroying refrigerant so it cannot be reused
Simply moving refrigerant from one cylinder to another
Cleaning refrigerant on-site for reuse in the same job or by the same owner

Question 9: A contractor recovers a large batch of R-22 and wants to sell it to a different company. What must happen to the refrigerant first?

Nothing, recovered refrigerant can always be resold
It must be recycled on-site only
It must be vented and replaced with new refrigerant
It must be reclaimed to AHRI Standard 700 purity at a certified facility

Question 10: For a comfort cooling appliance with 50 pounds or more of refrigerant charge, what yearly leak rate counts as a "substantial leak"?

5% per year
15% per year
35% per year
50% per year

Question 11: For a commercial or industrial process refrigeration appliance with 50 pounds or more of charge, what yearly leak rate counts as a "substantial leak"?

15% per year
10% per year
35% per year
25% per year

Question 12: True or False: The substantial leak repair rules apply to every appliance, no matter how small.

True
Only true for HFCs
False
Only true for CFCs

Question 13: Once a substantial leak is discovered on a qualifying appliance, how much time does the owner have to repair, retrofit, or retire it?

7 days
30 days
90 days
1 year

Question 14: A buyer purchases refrigerant in a single transaction. At what amount must the purchase be documented?

Any amount, even less than 1 pound
10 pounds or more
50 pounds or more
2 pounds or more

Question 15: How long must refrigerant purchase and service records be kept?

1 year
5 years
3 years
Forever, records can never be discarded

Question 16: What score is needed to pass the EPA 608 Core exam?

60%
80%
84%
70%

Question 17: Is the Core section of the EPA 608 exam open-book or closed-book?

Closed-book
Open-book
It depends on the testing center
Open-book only for online exams

Question 18: Which section of the EPA 608 exam is the only one that can be taken open-book?

Core
Type II
Type I
Universal

Question 19: How many questions are on the Core section of the EPA 608 exam?

25 questions
50 questions
100 questions
10 questions

Question 20: A single chlorine atom released from a CFC molecule in the stratosphere can destroy roughly how many ozone molecules before it leaves the stratosphere?

Just 1, then it is destroyed
Up to 100,000
About 10
Millions, with no limit

Question 21: Which refrigerants have an Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) greater than zero?

Those with a high boiling point
Those that contain chlorine or bromine
Every refrigerant sold today
Only synthetic refrigerants

Question 22: What is the Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of common HFC refrigerants such as R-134a and R-410A?

0 (zero)
1.0, the same as R-11
0.055
0.5

Question 23: How does the AIM Act differ from the Clean Air Act's Section 608 rules?

They are two names for the exact same law
The AIM Act only applies outside the United States
Section 608 replaced the AIM Act in 2020
The AIM Act phases down high-GWP HFC production, while Section 608 focuses on ozone-depleting substances

Question 24: A technician is filling a DOT-approved recovery cylinder. What is the maximum fill level, by weight, allowed?

100% of rated capacity
50% of rated capacity
80% of the cylinder's rated capacity
There is no fill limit for recovery cylinders

Question 25: A technician arrives at a job where the appliance's own compressor is completely seized and will not run. Which type of recovery equipment will still work in this situation?

System-dependent recovery equipment
A vacuum pump used for evacuation
Neither type will work in any case
Self-contained recovery equipment

Study Tip: The EPA 608 exam is closed book. Memorize: recovery is required before opening any refrigerant system. Venting refrigerant is illegal. Know the ODP and GWP values for R-22, R-410A, R-134a, R-32, and R-454B.

EXAM CARD EPA 608

Questions25

Time limit25 min

Pass score70%

RegulationEPA Section 608

DifficultyIntermediate

Last reviewedJun 2026

Timer starts immediately. Progress is auto-saved.

Source: EPA Section 608 (40 CFR Part 82)