Free EPA 608 Core Practice Test

By BRIX Editorial Team · Updated October 24, 2026

The EPA 608 Core section tests the rules every refrigerant technician needs: ozone depletion, the Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol, the venting ban, recover/recycle/reclaim, recovery equipment, safety, shipping and evacuation. Each certification test draws at least 25 Core questions, and the closed-book tests take 70% to pass, under EPA's rules.

Key takeaways

You need Core plus at least one equipment type (I, II or III) to be certified; all four is Universal.
Each test has at least 25 Core questions and 25 per type. Universal is 100 questions.
Closed-book tests pass at 70%. Section 608 credentials don't expire.
These are original practice questions, not real exam questions.

Free practice test

EPA 608 Core practice questions

36 original questions. Study mode shows the answer and explanation after each question. Exam mode gives you 25 random questions and scores you at the end. No sign-up; progress saves in this browser.

Sample questions

1. A technician opens a valve and lets the R-410A charge from a split system escape to the air so the job goes faster. What does federal law say about that?
- A. It's allowed because R-410A doesn't deplete ozone
- B. It's prohibited: knowingly venting non-exempt substitute refrigerants during service is banned
- C. It's allowed if less than 5 pounds escapes
- D. It's only prohibited during disposal, not service
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. It's prohibited: knowingly venting non-exempt substitute refrigerants during service is banned
The venting prohibition in 40 CFR 82.154(a) covers ozone-depleting refrigerants and non-exempt substitutes like R-410A, during maintenance, service, repair and disposal. Having no chlorine doesn't make an HFC exempt. Only a short list of substances, such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water, is exempt.
Source: 40 CFR 82.154(a) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.154
2. Which element, released when CFCs and HCFCs break down in the stratosphere, destroys ozone?
- A. Fluorine
- B. Carbon
- C. Chlorine
- D. Hydrogen
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. Chlorine
Strong ultraviolet light in the stratosphere breaks CFC and HCFC molecules apart and frees chlorine atoms. Those chlorine atoms attack ozone. That's why chlorine content is the key to a refrigerant's ozone-depletion potential.
Source: EPA, Basic Ozone Layer Science https://www.epa.gov/ozone-layer-protection/basic-ozone-layer-science
3. Which of these refrigerants has the highest ozone-depletion potential?
- A. R-134a (HFC)
- B. R-410A (HFC blend)
- C. R-22 (HCFC)
- D. R-12 (CFC)
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. R-12 (CFC)
CFCs like R-12 carry the most chlorine and stay intact long enough to reach the stratosphere, so they have the highest ozone-depletion potential. HCFCs like R-22 are lower because the hydrogen makes them break down sooner. HFCs contain no chlorine.
Source: EPA, Section 608 Technician Certification Test Topics https://www.epa.gov/section608/section-608-technician-certification-test-topics
4. You need to pressurize a system to look for a leak. What should you use?
- A. Oxygen, because it's easy to detect
- B. Shop compressed air
- C. Dry nitrogen through a pressure regulator, with a relief valve
- D. Whatever refrigerant is already in the system, topped up to 500 psig
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. Dry nitrogen through a pressure regulator, with a relief valve
Use nitrogen, never oxygen or compressed air. Oxygen mixed with compressor oil can explode, and compressed air brings in moisture. Nitrogen cylinders are at very high pressure, so always use a regulator and a relief valve to protect the system and yourself.
Source: EPA, Section 608 Technician Certification Test Topics (Safety) https://www.epa.gov/section608/section-608-technician-certification-test-topics
5. What is the correct definition of "recover" under the Section 608 rules?
- A. Remove refrigerant in any condition from an appliance and store it in an external container, without necessarily testing or processing it
- B. Clean refrigerant with filter-driers so the same owner can reuse it
- C. Reprocess refrigerant to AHRI 700 purity and verify it by lab analysis
- D. Add refrigerant back into a system after a repair
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. Remove refrigerant in any condition from an appliance and store it in an external container, without necessarily testing or processing it
Recovering is just getting the refrigerant out and into a container. Recycling cleans it for reuse by the same owner. Reclaiming reprocesses it to a purity standard and proves it with analysis. Mixing these three up is one of the most common Core mistakes.
Source: 40 CFR 82.152 (definitions) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.152
6. How full can you safely fill a refillable recovery cylinder?
- A. 100% by weight
- B. No more than 80%
- C. 95%, leaving a little vapor space
- D. There's no limit if the cylinder is DOT-rated
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. No more than 80%
Liquid refrigerant expands as it warms. A cylinder filled past 80% can become hydrostatically full, and the pressure can rupture it. Weigh the cylinder as you recover and stop at 80%.
Source: EPA, Section 608 Technician Certification Test Topics (Safety) https://www.epa.gov/section608/section-608-technician-certification-test-topics
7. Under 40 CFR Part 82, a high-pressure appliance uses a refrigerant whose liquid-phase saturation pressure at 104°F is:
- A. Below 45 psia
- B. Between 45 and 170 psia
- C. Between 170 psia and 355 psia
- D. Above 355 psia
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. Between 170 psia and 355 psia
The rule defines high-pressure appliances as 170 to 355 psia at 104°F, with examples including R-22, R-407C and R-410A. Below 45 psia is low-pressure (R-11, R-123). Above 355 psia, or a critical temperature below 104°F, is very high-pressure (R-13, R-23).
Source: 40 CFR 82.152 (definitions) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.152
8. Why do you evacuate a system with a vacuum pump before charging it at the end of a repair?
- A. To recover the last of the old refrigerant for resale
- B. To remove air and moisture from the system
- C. To test the compressor's pumping ability
- D. To cool the system down before charging
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. To remove air and moisture from the system
Air and moisture left in a system raise head pressure, form acids with the oil and can freeze at the metering device. Pulling a deep vacuum (dehydration evacuation) removes them before you charge.
Source: EPA, Section 608 Technician Certification Test Topics (Dehydration Evacuation) https://www.epa.gov/section608/section-608-technician-certification-test-topics

28 more questions load when you start a round.

How does the real EPA 608 Core test work?

Core is the shared section of every Section 608 certification. EPA's regulation says each test must include at least 25 questions from the Core group and at least 25 from each technical group you're certifying for, drawn from an EPA question bank that only approved certifying programs receive (40 CFR 82.161 and Appendix D). Pass Core plus Type I, II or III and you're certified for that equipment. Pass all of them and you're Universal, a 100-question test that can be taken at once or in parts.

EPA 608 test facts (official sources)
Fact	What the rule says	Source
Certification types	Type I (small appliances), Type II (high- and very high-pressure), Type III (low-pressure), Universal (all)	EPA
Core questions per test	At least 25, plus at least 25 for each type	40 CFR 82 Subpart F
Universal test length	100 questions (25 Core + 25 per type)	40 CFR 82 Subpart F, App. D
Passing score	70% on closed-book Type I, II, III and Universal tests; 84% on mail-in Type I tests	40 CFR 82 Subpart F, App. D
Format	Type II, Type III and Universal: closed-book, proctored, in a secure setting	40 CFR 82 Subpart F, App. D
Open-book Core	An open-book Core test can't be used toward Universal; Core must be proctored for Universal	EPA
Results and card	Results within 30 days of the program receiving the test; wallet card within 30 days of the test	40 CFR 82 Subpart F, App. D
Expiration	Section 608 credentials do not expire	EPA

Verified against EPA and the eCFR on 2026-10-24. Fees, scheduling and online-proctoring rules vary by certifying organization.

EPA doesn't run the test or issue cards itself. Certifying organizations approved by EPA do (EPA). Apprentices can work without a card only while "closely and continually supervised by a certified technician" (EPA). The regulation caps apprentice status at two years from first registering (40 CFR 82.152).

What topics does the Core section cover?

EPA publishes the Core subject list (EPA test topics). This bank follows it, and your results page scores you by the same topics.

EPA 608 Core topics and what to know
Topic	What to be able to answer
Ozone depletion	Why chlorine destroys ozone, CFC vs. HCFC vs. HFC, which has the highest ozone-depletion potential, UVB health effects
Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol	CFC phaseout (1996), R-22 production ending (2020), the 1987 treaty, the venting ban at service and disposal, including substitutes
Section 608 regulations	High- vs. low-pressure definitions, system-dependent vs. self-contained recovery, certified recovery equipment, the sales restriction
Substitute refrigerants and oils	No true drop-ins, matching lubricants (esters with R-134a), fractionation in blends
Refrigeration basics	Refrigerant state and pressure around the cycle, gauges, leak detection
The three Rs	Recover vs. recycle vs. reclaim, and AHRI 700 for reclaimed refrigerant
Recovery techniques	Don't mix refrigerants; what speeds recovery (temperature, hose length and diameter)
Dehydration and evacuation	Why you pull a vacuum: remove air and moisture before charging
Safety and shipping	Oxygen deprivation, frostbite, PPE, 80% cylinder fill, nitrogen (never oxygen or air) for leak tests, cylinder labels and DOT tags

How should you study for EPA 608 Core?

Take one round in exam mode cold. Your topic scores tell you where to spend time. Don't study what you already know.
Switch to study mode for weak topics. Read every explanation, including on the questions you got right by guessing.
Memorize the handful of numbers. The Core section leans on a few: 1996, 2020, 1987, 80% cylinder fill, the 45 / 170 / 355 psia pressure lines, 70% to pass.
Learn the three Rs as a pair of contrasts. Recover = get it out. Recycle = clean it for the same owner. Reclaim = reprocess to AHRI 700 and verify, required before selling used refrigerant to someone else.
Retake exam mode until you clear 70% three times in a row. Questions are drawn at random, so repeat rounds aren't identical.

After you pass

Keep your card. EPA doesn't issue replacements itself, so you'll need to contact the certifying organization that tested you. Read the EPA 608 certification guide for how the types fit together. If you also want an electrical license, see Texas electrician license requirements as an example of how a state licensing ladder works. And if running your own HVAC shop is the goal, what it takes to start an HVAC business is where to look next.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the EPA 608 Core exam?

EPA's regulation requires each certification test to include at least 25 questions from the Core group, plus at least 25 for each equipment type. A Universal test is 100 questions: 25 Core and 25 each for Types I, II and III.

What score do you need to pass EPA 608?

The passing score for the closed-book Type I, Type II, Type III and Universal tests is 70 percent, under Appendix D of 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F. Mail-in Type I tests require 84 percent.

Is the EPA 608 Core test open book?

Type II, Type III and Universal certification require a closed-book, proctored test. EPA says a Core test taken open book can't be used toward Universal certification. Organizations offering only Type I may use a mail-in format, so check with your certifying organization.

Does EPA 608 certification expire?

No. EPA states that Section 608 technician certification credentials do not expire. Keep your card safe, because EPA doesn't issue cards. Replacements come from the certifying organization that tested you.

Are these the real EPA 608 exam questions?

No. BRIX wrote every question from EPA's public pages and the federal regulation. The real question bank is released only to EPA-approved certifying programs, and we aren't affiliated with EPA, ESCO, Mainstream or any certifying organization.

Can I work on refrigerant systems before I'm certified?

Only as an apprentice who is closely and continually supervised by a certified technician, according to EPA. The regulation limits apprentice status to two years from first registering.

Sources

EPA — Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements (checked October 24, 2026)
EPA — Section 608 Technician Certification Test Topics (checked October 24, 2026)
EPA — Section 608 Technician Certification (checked October 24, 2026)
eCFR — 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F (82.152, 82.154, 82.161, Appendix D) (checked October 24, 2026)
EPA — Basic Ozone Layer Science (checked October 24, 2026)
EPA — Phaseout of Class I Ozone-Depleting Substances (checked October 24, 2026)
EPA — Phaseout of Class II Ozone-Depleting Substances (checked October 24, 2026)
EPA — International Actions: The Montreal Protocol (checked October 24, 2026)