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EPA 608 NEC 2023

EPA 608 Core Practice Test 21

This practice test focuses on recordkeeping under EPA 608: who may buy refrigerant, what sellers must record and for how long, and the small-can exemption. It also reviews venting bans, substantial leak repair, recovery versus recycling versus reclaiming, and cylinder safety for a complete Core review.

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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: Refrigerant may be sold only to certified technicians or businesses that employ them, and sellers keep sales invoices for 3 years. The only exemption is small car A/C cans (2 lb or less) with a self-sealing valve.

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EPA 608 Core Practice Test 21 — Question List

Question 1: Before selling refrigerant for use in stationary air conditioning equipment, what must a refrigerant seller verify about the buyer?

That the buyer is a certified technician or employs one
That the buyer is at least 21 years old
That the buyer is buying at least 2 pounds
That the buyer holds a state contractor license

Question 2: How long must a refrigerant seller keep the invoices for each sale (buyer name, date, and quantity)?

1 year
5 years
3 years
Records never need to be kept

Question 3: What information must a refrigerant wholesaler's sales invoice show?

Only the refrigerant brand
The buyer's home address and date of birth
The buyer's name, the date of sale, and the quantity of refrigerant
The GWP of the refrigerant

Question 4: A customer buys a 1.5 lb can of R-134a for recharging a car air conditioner. The can has a self-sealing valve. Does the buyer need EPA certification?

Yes, every refrigerant purchase requires Section 608 certification
No, small MVAC cans of 2 lb or less with a self-sealing valve are exempt
Yes, but only Type I certification
No, because R-134a is not regulated at all

Question 5: A customer wants to buy a 2 lb container of R-22 for a window air conditioner. Is this sale allowed without certification?

No, the small-can exemption covers only non-ozone-depleting car A/C refrigerant, not R-22
Yes, all containers of 2 pounds or less are exempt from the rule
Yes, if the customer owns the air conditioner being serviced
Yes, because window units are small appliances with little refrigerant

Question 6: What is the main purpose of EPA's refrigerant sales restriction?

To track how much money HVAC technicians and contractors make each year
To help EPA decide which brand of refrigerant is better
To limit how much refrigerant a technician can use in a single year
To keep refrigerant in the hands of trained, certified technicians who will recover rather than vent it

Question 7: Since January 1, 2018, the refrigerant sales restriction also covers which refrigerants, in addition to CFCs and HCFCs?

Only carbon dioxide and ammonia
Only refrigerants in containers over 30 pounds
HFCs and other non-exempt substitutes, such as R-410A and R-404A
None, the restriction still covers only CFCs and HCFCs

Question 8: Since what date has venting CFC and HCFC refrigerant been illegal?

July 1, 1992
November 15, 1995
January 1, 2000
July 1, 1987

Question 9: Since what date has venting HFC refrigerant been illegal?

July 1, 1992
January 1, 1998
It has never been banned
November 15, 1995

Question 10: What is the maximum daily civil fine, per violation, for illegally venting refrigerant?

More than $100,000
$500
$5,000
$1,000,000

Question 11: What does "recovery" mean when it comes to refrigerant?

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

Question 12: What does "recycling" refrigerant involve?

Selling it to any buyer without restriction
Destroying it permanently
Sending it to a lab for AHRI 700 testing
Cleaning it on-site, without meeting a certified purity standard, for reuse by the same owner

Question 13: A wholesaler wants to buy recovered refrigerant from a contractor and resell it to other customers. What must the contractor do with the refrigerant before that sale is legal?

Nothing, recovered refrigerant can be resold directly
Simply recycle it on-site
Have it reclaimed to AHRI Standard 700 purity at a certified facility
Vent it and start fresh

Question 14: For a comfort cooling appliance with 50 pounds or more of charge, what yearly leak rate counts as substantial?

35%
15%
50%
10%

Question 15: For commercial refrigeration, such as supermarket cases, with 50 pounds or more of charge, what yearly leak rate counts as substantial?

35%
15%
20%
30%

Question 16: After a substantial leak is discovered, how many days does the owner have to repair, retrofit, or retire the appliance?

7 days
60 days
1 year
30 days

Question 17: What score does a technician need to pass the Core section of the EPA 608 exam?

70%
60%
84%
95%

Question 18: Can the Core section of the EPA 608 exam be taken open-book when it counts toward Universal certification?

Yes, always open-book
Only at certain testing centers
Only for retakes
No, for Universal it must be closed-book and proctored

Question 19: What releases a chlorine atom from a CFC molecule high in the stratosphere?

Rainfall
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation
Wind pressure
Ground-level heat

Question 20: About how many ozone molecules can a single chlorine atom destroy before finally leaving the stratosphere?

Just 1
Up to 100,000
About 100
An infinite, uncountable number

Question 21: Which characteristic determines whether a refrigerant has any Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)?

How flammable it is
Its price per pound
Whether it contains chlorine or bromine atoms
How new the refrigerant is

Question 22: Which law phases down the production and import of high-GWP HFC refrigerants, separate from the Clean Air Act's ozone-focused venting rules?

The Montreal Protocol
Section 608
The AIM Act
The Clean Water Act

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

100% of its rated capacity
60% of its rated capacity
80% of its rated capacity
There is no maximum fill level

Question 24: Why must POE and PAG refrigerant oils be stored in sealed metal containers instead of plastic ones?

Because plastic reacts explosively with the oil
Because they are highly hygroscopic and absorb moisture quickly
Because metal containers are cheaper
There is no real reason, it is just tradition

Question 25: A technician needs to recover refrigerant from an appliance whose compressor no longer runs. Which type of recovery equipment should be used?

System-dependent recovery equipment
A vacuum pump only
Self-contained recovery equipment
No equipment can recover refrigerant in this case

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)