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EPA 608 NEC 2023

EPA 608 Core Practice Test 19

This practice test focuses on the venting ban: the exact dates it started, why HFCs were added later than CFCs and HCFCs, and how large the fines can get for breaking the rule. It also reviews recovery versus recycling versus reclaiming, leak repair rules, and cylinder safety, so the whole Core blueprint is covered.

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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: Keep the two venting ban dates straight: July 1, 1992 for CFCs and HCFCs, and November 15, 1995 for HFCs. Exam questions often test whether you know which date goes with which refrigerant family.

25

Questions

25 min

Time

70%

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EPA 608 Core Practice Test 19 — Question List

Question 1: Since what date has it been illegal to knowingly vent CFC and HCFC refrigerants?

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

Question 2: Since what date has it been illegal to knowingly vent HFC refrigerants?

November 15, 1995
July 1, 1992
January 1, 2000
November 15, 1998

Question 3: The venting bans on refrigerants come from which part of US law?

The Clean Water Act
The AIM Act
Section 608 of the Clean Air Act
State building codes

Question 4: What is the maximum civil fine the EPA can charge for each day a venting violation continues?

$1,000
$500
There is no maximum, fines are unlimited
$44,539

Question 5: A technician is running behind schedule and thinks about releasing a small amount of leftover R-410A into the air rather than recovering it. Is this legal?

No, knowingly venting refrigerant is illegal, no matter the amount
Yes, as long as it is less than 1 pound
Yes, if the technician is running late
Only illegal for CFCs, not HFCs

Question 6: The venting ban for HFC refrigerants came about three years after the ban for CFCs and HCFCs. What does this show about HFCs?

HFCs were added to the venting ban later, even though they do not harm the ozone layer
HFCs were never actually added to the venting ban
HFCs have a higher ODP than CFCs
HFCs are completely unregulated to this day

Question 7: What is the purpose of "recovery" as it relates to the venting ban?

It gives technicians a legal way to remove refrigerant instead of releasing it into the air
It requires refrigerant to be diluted with water first
It replaces the need for a recovery cylinder
It is only used for HFC refrigerants

Question 8: What does recycling refrigerant involve?

Selling it to a new owner without any testing
Venting it slowly over several days
Cleaning it on-site so it can be reused by the same owner
Melting down the storage cylinder

Question 9: A company recovers refrigerant and wants to legally sell it to another company. What step is required first?

Nothing extra, recovered refrigerant can be sold as-is
Reclaiming the refrigerant to AHRI Standard 700 purity at a certified facility
Venting it and starting over with new refrigerant
Simply relabeling the cylinder

Question 10: What yearly leak rate counts as a substantial leak for a comfort cooling appliance with 50 pounds or more of charge?

35%
5%
15%
50%

Question 11: What yearly leak rate counts as a substantial leak for commercial or industrial process refrigeration with 50 pounds or more of charge?

15%
35%
20%
50%

Question 12: The substantial leak repair thresholds (15% and 35%) only apply to appliances holding how much refrigerant?

10 pounds or more
25 pounds or more
100 pounds or more
50 pounds or more

Question 13: After a substantial leak is discovered, how many days does the owner have to repair, retrofit, or retire the appliance?

30 days
7 days
14 days
60 days

Question 14: A buyer purchases 2.5 pounds of refrigerant in a single transaction. What must the seller do?

Document the purchase, since it is at or above 2 pounds
Nothing, documentation is only for purchases over 25 pounds
Refuse the sale automatically
Report it to the local fire marshal

Question 15: How long must refrigerant purchase records be kept on file?

1 year
2 years
7 years
3 years

Question 16: What is the passing score for the EPA 608 Core exam?

70%
60%
75%
84%

Question 17: True or False: A technician may bring notes or a reference book to use during the Core exam.

True
False
Only true for online exams
Only true in some states

Question 18: Which section of the EPA 608 exam allows an open-book format, and what passing score does it require in that case?

Core, with a 70% passing score
Universal, with a 90% passing score
Type III, with a 60% passing score
Type I, with an 84% passing score

Question 19: Why is venting a CFC refrigerant considered especially damaging to the ozone layer?

CFCs make the air too heavy to breathe
CFCs directly cause holes in building roofs
CFCs and ozone do not actually interact
A single chlorine atom released from the CFC can destroy up to 100,000 ozone molecules in a repeating chain reaction

Question 20: What determines whether a refrigerant has any Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) at all?

How cold the refrigerant gets
The color of its storage cylinder
Whether it is synthetic or natural
Whether it contains chlorine or bromine

Question 21: Even though venting HFC refrigerant is illegal, what is its Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)?

1.0
0.055
0 (zero)
2088

Question 22: What does the AIM Act do, separate from the Clean Air Act's venting ban?

It bans all refrigerant use nationwide
It phases down the production and import of high-GWP HFC refrigerants in scheduled steps
It replaced Section 608 entirely
It only applies to residential homeowners

Question 23: What is the maximum fill level, by weight, for a DOT-approved recovery cylinder?

100% of its rated capacity
80% of its rated capacity
50% of its rated capacity
There is no limit

Question 24: A technician's recovery machine has its own compressor and works even when the appliance being serviced has a dead compressor. What type of recovery equipment is this?

System-dependent recovery equipment
Evacuation equipment
Self-contained recovery equipment
Recycling equipment

Question 25: True or False: The venting ban applies equally to CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs today, even though the ban started on different dates for each group.

False
Only true for CFCs
True
Only true outside the United States

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)