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EPA 608 NEC 2023

EPA 608 Type II & III Practice Test 9

This test covers the venting ban and substantial leak repair rules under Clean Air Act Section 608, including the 15% comfort cooling and 35% process refrigeration thresholds, applied to both Type II and Type III equipment.

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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.

Type II & III Exam Tip: Comfort cooling uses a 15% per year substantial leak threshold; commercial and industrial process refrigeration uses 35%. Both apply to appliances with 50 lbs or more of charge.

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EPA 608 Type II & III Practice Test 9 — Question List

Question 1: Venting refrigerant to the atmosphere on purpose has been illegal for HFCs since what date?

November 15, 1995
July 1, 1992
January 1, 2000
November 15, 1993

Question 2: Venting refrigerant to the atmosphere on purpose has been illegal for CFCs and HCFCs since what date?

November 15, 1995
July 1, 1992
November 15, 1993
January 1, 1990

Question 3: True or False: The venting ban applies equally to Type II and Type III equipment, with no exemption for chillers just because they run at a vacuum.

True
False
True, but only for large chillers
False, chillers are exempt from the venting ban

Question 4: What is the maximum possible fine, per day, per violation, for illegally venting refrigerant?

Up to $4,453
Up to $445,390
There is no maximum fine
Up to $44,539

Question 5: A commercial process refrigeration system with a 60 lb charge loses refrigerant at 20% per year. Which threshold applies to this system, and does 20% exceed it?

15% threshold applies; 20% exceeds it
35% threshold applies; 20% exceeds it
35% threshold applies; 20% does not exceed it
15% threshold applies; 20% does not exceed it

Question 6: Which type of system uses the 15% per year substantial leak threshold?

Commercial and industrial process refrigeration
Both use 15%
Comfort cooling, including most large chillers used for building air conditioning
Neither uses a percentage threshold

Question 7: Which type of system uses the 35% per year substantial leak threshold?

Comfort cooling only
Both use 35%
Commercial and industrial process refrigeration
Residential split systems only

Question 8: The substantial leak rate thresholds apply to appliances with how much refrigerant charge?

5 lbs or more
500 lbs or more
Any charge, no minimum
50 lbs or more

Question 9: Once a substantial leak is discovered on a covered appliance, how many days does the owner generally have to repair it, or retrofit/retire the unit?

7 days
30 days
15 days
90 days

Question 10: A hospital's large centrifugal chiller, used for comfort cooling with a 300 lb charge, is found to be losing refrigerant at 18% per year. Does this qualify as a substantial leak?

Yes, 18% exceeds the 15% comfort cooling threshold that applies here
No, chillers are exempt from substantial leak rules
No, because only Type II equipment has substantial leak thresholds
Yes, but only because the charge is over 500 lbs

Question 11: True or False: Illegally venting refrigerant is only a violation for Type II equipment, not Type III.

True
False
True, unless the chiller is under warranty
False, only Type III has a venting ban

Question 12: Which law establishes the venting ban and substantial leak repair rules discussed in this test?

OSHA General Duty Clause
Clean Air Act Section 608
The AIM Act
The Montreal Protocol directly

Question 13: A technician finishes a repair on a rooftop unit and has some leftover refrigerant that cannot be reused. What must the technician do with it?

Vent it to the atmosphere since it is a small amount
Pour it down a drain
Leave it in the recovery cylinder indefinitely with no further action required
Recover and properly manage or dispose of it; venting is illegal regardless of amount

Question 14: A technician discovers a substantial leak on a 100 lb charge commercial process refrigeration system on March 1. By what date should the repair generally be completed?

March 8
March 31
March 16
April 30

Question 15: True or False: An owner can choose to retrofit or retire an appliance instead of repairing it, as an alternative to fixing a substantial leak.

False
True
True, but only for Type II
False, repair is the only option

Question 16: Which of these appliances would be subject to substantial leak rate rules?

A 20 lb residential split system
Neither, since both are under 50 lbs
Both, regardless of charge size
A 55 lb commercial refrigeration rack

Question 17: What is the general term for illegally releasing refrigerant into the atmosphere on purpose?

Venting
Recovery
Evacuation
Purging

Question 18: A large low-pressure chiller used for comfort cooling loses 12% of its charge over a year. Does this meet the substantial leak threshold?

Yes, since any leak on a chiller is automatically substantial
Yes, because chillers use a lower 10% threshold
No, 12% is below the 15% comfort cooling threshold
No, because chillers are exempt from leak rate rules

Question 19: A technician incorrectly believes that because a Type III chiller runs at a vacuum, it cannot be fined for venting refrigerant, since there is nothing to vent out. Why is this wrong?

It is correct; chillers cannot vent refrigerant
Chillers are exempt from Clean Air Act Section 608 entirely
The venting ban applies to intentional releases of refrigerant regardless of operating pressure; a chiller can still be serviced improperly in ways that release refrigerant, and the ban applies with no vacuum exemption
Only leaks under 50 lbs are exempt

Question 20: True or False: The substantial leak threshold percentages, 15% and 35%, are based on how much refrigerant is lost per year, relative to the system's total charge.

True
False
True, but measured monthly
False, they are fixed pound amounts

Question 21: Which best describes the difference between the 15% and 35% substantial leak thresholds?

15% applies to Type III; 35% applies to Type II
15% applies to small systems; 35% applies to large systems
There is no real difference; both are the same rule
15% applies to comfort cooling; 35% applies to commercial/industrial process refrigeration

Question 22: Since what year has venting HFC refrigerants like R-410A been illegal?

1990
1992
2000
1995

Question 23: A 250 lb charge comfort cooling chiller loses refrigerant at exactly 15% per year. Does this meet the substantial leak threshold?

Yes, reaching the 15% comfort cooling threshold meets the definition
No, it must exceed 15%, not just meet it
No, chillers use a different threshold entirely
Yes, but only because the charge is over 200 lbs

Question 24: True or False: A technician who vents refrigerant to avoid the cost and time of proper recovery could face fines up to $44,539 per day, per violation.

True
False
True, but only for repeat offenders
False, fines only apply to companies, not individuals

Question 25: Which statement best summarizes the venting ban and substantial leak rules as they apply to Type II and Type III equipment?

Only Type II equipment is covered by these rules
Only appliances under 50 lbs are covered
Both Type II and Type III equipment are covered equally; venting is illegal for both, and substantial leak thresholds, 15% comfort cooling, 35% process, apply based on application, with repair generally required within 30 days
Chillers are exempt because they run at a vacuum

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)