Federal certification · Code EPA 608
EPA 608 Universal technician certification
Section 608 of the Federal Clean Air Act requires anyone who maintains, services, repairs or disposes of appliances containing ozone-depleting refrigerants to be certified. Universal covers all types, so it is the certification most technicians should hold. The exam is included in the course.
The EPA 608 is also a prerequisite for the NYC Q-01 license, and the Q-01 course already includes it.
See the Q-01 courseCourse price
$500
2 months access
The certification exam is included.
Four certifications, one worth holding
Which EPA 608 do you need?
The EPA certifies by the equipment you work on. Universal is the one to hold, because you can only buy refrigerant for the equipment your certification covers: a narrower card narrows what you can buy as well as what you can touch.
Type I
Servicing small appliances.
Type II
Servicing or disposing of high- or very high-pressure appliances, except small appliances and MVACs.
Type III
Servicing or disposing of low-pressure appliances.
Universal (this course)
Servicing all types of equipment.
What the certification does
No card, no refrigerant
Refrigerant can only be sold to technicians certified under Section 608 or Section 609, and only refrigerant consistent with the appliances their certification covers.
- Buying refrigerant
- Only Section 608 certified technicians can purchase refrigerants intended for use with stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.
- Renewal
- Section 608 Technician Certification credentials do not expire.
- Who gives the exam
- Tests must be administered by an EPA-approved certifying organization.
- Universal and the Core exam
- Core tests taken as an open book exam cannot be used to get your Universal Certification. The core test must be taken as a proctored exam in order to attain Universal Certification.
- Keeping the certificate
- Technicians must keep a copy of their certificate at their place of business. A copy must be kept until three years after they stop operating as a technician.
Questions people actually ask
The ones that decide what you buy
Which EPA 608 certification do I need?
There are four. Type I is for servicing small appliances, Type II for servicing or disposing of high- or very high-pressure appliances except small appliances and motor vehicles, Type III for servicing or disposing of low-pressure appliances, and Universal for servicing all types of equipment. Universal is the one worth holding: you can only buy refrigerant for the equipment your certification covers, so a narrower card limits what you can buy as well as what you can work on.
Does EPA 608 certification expire?
No. The EPA states that Section 608 Technician Certification credentials do not expire. You do have to keep a copy of the certificate at your place of business, and keep a copy until three years after you stop working as a technician.
Can I buy refrigerant without an EPA 608 certification?
Not for stationary refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. Refrigerant can only be sold to technicians certified under Section 608 or Section 609, and only refrigerant consistent with the appliances their certification covers. Employers of a certified technician can buy it as well. The one exception is small cans holding under two pounds of substitute refrigerant with a self-sealing valve, which can be sold to anyone for use in a vehicle.
What is the difference between Section 608 and Section 609?
Section 609 covers motor vehicle air conditioning. Section 608 covers stationary refrigeration and air conditioning, and the Type II certification explicitly excludes motor vehicles. If you are working on cars, 609 is the one you need.
Do I need EPA 608 before the NYC Q-01?
The EPA 608 is a prerequisite for the NYC Q-01 Refrigeration System Operating Engineer license. The Q-01 course at Tauris Tech already includes the EPA 608 course, so anyone heading for the Q-01 does not buy this one separately.
HVAC Basics
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning from the ground up, in the same app, for people entering the trade or coming back to it after time away. It is not a licensing course. It is the groundwork the licensing courses build on.
Course price
$1,000
6 months access