EPA 608 Practice Test & Universal Study Guide
127 practice questions covering all four EPA Section 608 certification exams — Core, Type I, Type II, and Type III — with answers grounded in EPA primary sources and 40 CFR citations. Each section has its own dedicated study page below so you can drill into the certification you're working toward, or work through all four to prep for Universal.
- • Each section is 25 multiple-choice questions (Core, Type I, Type II, Type III)
- • Single-type certification = 50 questions total (Core + that Type)
- • Universal certification = 100 questions across all four sections
- • Passing score: 72% per section (18 of 25) closed-book; 84% (21 of 25) open-book
- • Open-book is only available for Core and Type I — Type II and Type III are closed-book only
- • Section 608 certifications do not expire — once you pass, you're permanently certified
- • Tests are administered by EPA-approved certifying organizations (ESCO Institute, Mainstream Engineering, etc.)
Choose Your Section
Each section below has its own dedicated practice-test page with full Q&A, correct answers, regulatory explanations, and CFR citations. Click any section to start studying.
Universal regulatory knowledge every Section 608 technician needs — Clean Air Act provisions, venting prohibition, recovery/recycling/reclamation definitions, sales restrictions, recordkeeping, refrigerant identification, ozone depletion fundamentals.
⚠ Most-missed: 2020 rescission scope (HFC leak repair removed but venting still prohibited)
Required for every certification • Open-book available with Type I
Study this sectionFor technicians servicing small appliances — factory-charged hermetically sealed units with ≤5 lbs of refrigerant. Household refrigerators, window AC, PTACs, dehumidifiers, water coolers, ice makers, vending machines.
⚠ Most-missed: the 80%/90% recovery rule (depends on recovery-equipment manufacture date AND compressor operating status)
Only section available in open-book format
Study this sectionThe most commonly required HVAC certification. Covers high-pressure appliances using refrigerants with boiling points below 50°F — residential and commercial AC, heat pumps, RTUs, split systems, packaged units, commercial refrigeration with R-22, R-410A, R-404A, R-407C, R-134a, R-32.
⚠ Most-missed: Appendix B evacuation-level table (different vacuum levels by refrigerant × charge size × recovery-equipment age)
Closed-book only • 72% to pass
Study this sectionFor technicians working on low-pressure appliances — primarily large centrifugal chillers using R-11, R-123, R-245fa, or R-1233zd. Sub-atmospheric operation creates unique challenges around air infiltration, purge units, rupture discs, and R-123 toxicity handling.
⚠ Most-missed: purge unit operation, sub-atmospheric leak detection, R-123 B1 toxicity safety requirements
Closed-book only • Deepest evacuation requirement of any section (25 mm Hg absolute)
Study this sectionEPA 608 Universal certification is not a separate exam — it's what you earn when you pass all four sections (Core, Type I, Type II, and Type III) in a single sitting or across multiple sittings. Total: 100 questions, 25 per section. You must score 72% on each section (84% on Core and Type I if taken open-book).
Universal is the most flexible credential — it lets you legally service all stationary refrigeration and air conditioning appliances regardless of type. To study for Universal, work through all four section pages above.
Get EPA 608 Universal Certified — Free with RefriTrak
RefriTrak annual plan subscribers get 4 free EPA 608 Universal certifications per year (one per quarter, $30 value each) through our partnership with SkillCat. Study with these guides, then certify your team.