EPA Section 608 Technician Certification/Cheat sheet

EPA Section 608 Technician Certification cheat sheet: key rules and summary

100 multiple-choice questions across Core, Type I, Type II, and Type III (25 questions each, 70% per section to pass).

  • 20 numbers
  • 4 sections
  • 4 rules people get wrong
Test yourself: 20 free questions Questions with answers

Every line checked against the EPA Section 608 Regulations (40 CFR Part 82 Subpart F) on September 24, 2026. Print it, or keep it open while you practice.

Memorise these first

  • 30% per yearIndustrial process refrigeration (IPR) systems with 50+ lbs of refrigerant
  • 0 in HgVery high-pressure appliances (R-13, R-503, R-744/CO2)
  • CFC (R-11, R-12)Chlorofluorocarbon: Chlorine, Fluorine, Carbon — highest Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)

Leak rate trigger thresholds (50+ lbs)

30% per year
Industrial process refrigeration (IPR) systems with 50+ lbs of refrigerant40 CFR § 82.156 — Leak Repair Requirements
20% per year
Commercial refrigeration equipment (supermarket racks, cold storage)40 CFR § 82.156 — Leak Repair Requirements
10% per year
Comfort cooling appliances (residential/commercial central AC and chillers)40 CFR § 82.156 — Leak Repair Requirements
30 days
Standard timeline to repair leaks exceeding the threshold and perform initial verification test40 CFR § 82.156 — Leak Repair Requirements
10 days
Follow-up verification test timeline after leak repair completion40 CFR § 82.156 — Leak Repair Requirements
1 year
Maximum time allowed to retrofit or retire an appliance that cannot be repaired within 30 days40 CFR § 82.156 — Leak Repair Requirements

Required evacuation levels (inches of Hg)

0 in Hg
Very high-pressure appliances (R-13, R-503, R-744/CO2)40 CFR § 82.156 — Required Evacuation Levels
0 in Hg (before 1993) / 10 in Hg (after)
High-pressure appliance with <200 lbs of refrigerant (R-22, R-410A)40 CFR § 82.156 — Required Evacuation Levels
4 in Hg (before 1993) / 15 in Hg (after)
High-pressure appliance with 200+ lbs of refrigerant40 CFR § 82.156 — Required Evacuation Levels
25 in Hg (before 1993) / 25 mm Hg abs (after)
Low-pressure appliances (R-11, R-123 chillers)40 CFR § 82.156 — Required Evacuation Levels
4 inches of vacuum
Type I small appliances when compressor is NOT operating (90% recovery with operating compressor)Type I Small Appliances Recovery

Refrigerant chemistry & ozone depletion

CFC (R-11, R-12)
Chlorofluorocarbon: Chlorine, Fluorine, Carbon — highest Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)Ozone Depletion Chemistry
HCFC (R-22, R-123)
Hydrochlorofluorocarbon: Hydrogen, Chlorine, Fluorine, Carbon — medium ODPOzone Depletion Chemistry
HFC (R-134a, R-410A)
Hydrofluorocarbon: Zero ODP, but high Global Warming Potential (GWP)Ozone Depletion Chemistry
HFO (R-1234yf)
Hydrofluoroolefin: Zero ODP and ultra-low GWP (A2L mildly flammable)Ozone Depletion Chemistry
Chlorine atom
One chlorine atom can destroy up to 100,000 ozone (O3) molecules in the stratosphereStratospheric Ozone Depletion

Safety, cylinders & recovery rules

80% maximum
Maximum liquid fill capacity of a refillable refrigerant recovery cylinderRefrigerant Cylinder Safety
Gray with yellow top
Approved color scheme for refillable refrigerant recovery cylindersRefrigerant Cylinder Safety
5 years
Hydrostatic test interval for refillable recovery cylindersDOT Cylinder Regulations
3 years
Record retention period for disposal of mid-sized appliances (5 to 50 lbs of refrigerant)Recordkeeping Requirements

Second read

Rules people get wrong

  • Never use oxygen or compressed air to pressurize a refrigeration system for leak checking. Oxygen mixed with compressor oil or refrigerants will violently explode. Always use dry nitrogen.
  • Never heat a refrigerant cylinder with an open flame or torch. Heating causes pressure relief valves to burst or cylinder walls to rupture.
  • R-410A is a near-azeotropic HFC blend that operates at approximately 60% higher pressure than R-22 and requires manifolds and gauges rated for 800 psi.
  • Venting prohibition: Section 608 of the Clean Air Act prohibits knowingly venting any ozone-depleting substance or substitute refrigerant during service, maintenance, or disposal.

Take it with you

Save it as one poster

Federal EPA Section 608 (HVAC Universal) permit test cheat sheet: speed limits, distances, parking rules and the other numbers on the test, from the official handbook
The Federal EPA Section 608 (HVAC Universal) cheat sheet as one printable poster, every number from the official handbook. Download the full-size image

QuizCram (quizcram.com) · Verified against the official EPA Section 608 Regulations (40 CFR Part 82 Subpart F) · Study online at quizcram.com/epa-608-practice-test

Knowing the numbers is half of it. Can you apply them?

The real test asks these as scenarios. Take the 20 free Federal EPA Section 608 (HVAC Universal) questions — each answer explains the rule and cites the handbook section. If you want the full bank and timed practice tests, it’s a one-time $19.99.

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