What You Need to Know About the New Section 608 Exam

The EPA is updating the Section 608 exam, the federal test technicians must pass to buy and work with refrigerant. This is only the second major revision since the exam began more than 30 years ago. It's mostly a behind-the-scenes change for the HVAC trade, but it reflects how much refrigerants have shifted in recent years, which matters if you're planning a new air conditioner or heat pump.

The updated exam adds questions on newer refrigerants like R-32, R-454B, and R-1234yf, plus hydrocarbon refrigerants, replacing outdated material about older refrigerants like R-22 that are being phased out. This lines up with what's actually showing up in new equipment now. The exam still won't cover the separate AIM Act rules governing HFC refrigerants, since Section 608 comes from older Clean Air Act rules covering ozone-depleting refrigerants. Recovering and reusing refrigerant is getting more emphasis, since only a small share of refrigerant currently gets recycled each year, and reclaimed supply will matter more as older refrigerants are phased down.

None of this requires anything from homeowners directly. Technicians already certified don't need to retest, and the older version of the exam stays valid through the end of 2026. If your next AC or heat pump technician was trained recently, there's a good chance they'll be working with one of these newer refrigerants rather than the older ones used in older systems.