EPA 609 Certification: Cost, Steps & 25 Practice Questions

In the United States, you need EPA 609 certification for paid or bartered motor vehicle air conditioning (MVAC) service involving refrigerant — even a quick top-off. Complete training and pass a test through an EPA-approved program; the four online options below list first-attempt fees of $20 to $29.

How to get EPA 609 certified

Make sure 609 fits your work. Section 609 covers A/C that cools the driver or passengers in cars, trucks, and similar vehicles. Home and commercial systems, refrigerated cargo boxes, and buses running R-22 fall under Section 608. The situation table below sorts the edge cases.
Pick a program on EPA's list. EPA approves programs; it doesn't give the test or print cards. Check EPA's approved Section 609 programs before you pay anyone.
Complete that program's training. Use its current manual and any other required training. Each program writes its test around its own study material, so use the one that matches the test you're buying.
Take the test yourself, in your legal name. "Open book" means the manual, not a friend. Federal rules require programs to verify who's taking the test and make sure it's completed honestly (40 CFR 82.40(a)(3)).
Save your proof and your issuer's name. Keep the card or certificate, your certification number, and a note of which organization certified you. That last detail is what you'll need if the card ever goes missing.
Check the shop requirements before covered work. Your card doesn't replace approved servicing equipment or the shop's required records. The shop checklist explains the separate duties (EPA).

Go to the 25 practice questions.

Compare four approved online 609 tests

All four programs are on EPA's approved list. Each provides a route to the same Section 609 credential for covered MVAC work; refrigerant purchases still have the limits below. Verify the certifying organization against EPA's list, not just the website address.

Compare four approved online 609 tests
Program	Online fee	Questions and pass mark	If you fail	After you pass
ESCO Institute	$20 per attempt	50 questions; 42 correct (84%)	Pay $20 for another attempt	Results right away; wallet card and wall certificate
Mainstream Engineering (EPATest.com)	$21.95 first attempt	25 questions; 21 correct (84%)	$6.95 per retake, no waiting period	Credential delivery details are not stated on the linked exam-rules page
ASE	$23, plus sales tax in some states	30 questions; 24 correct (80%)	$23 per quiz	Results right away; 60-day temporary credential to print; certificate and wallet card within 60 days
MACS	$29	25 questions; 84% (21 of 25)	$29 per retake	Printable temporary certificate; permanent card sent by mail

Fees, formats, and credential terms from each program's own pages, checked September 28, 2026. These are posted exam fees, before any applicable tax or other charges, not completed-checkout totals. Prices can change, so check the program page before you pay.

Lowest first-attempt fee among these four: ESCO at $20. Lowest total for two attempts among these four: Mainstream, at $28.90 ($21.95 + $6.95), compared with $40 at ESCO, $46 at ASE, and $58 at MACS. These totals use the posted exam fees above, before applicable tax or other charges.

A few program details to check:

ASE runs this test through its ASE Campus site, not the myASE account used for its regular certification tests. It also requires the current training booklet; older booklets don't match the current quiz. ASE's 609 credential is lifetime and separate from its technical certifications. Its mailing policy limits permanent credentials to U.S., U.S. territory, and military APO/FPO addresses.
MACS certifies individuals only. Each technician needs an individual account; an employer may arrange payment. Its registration page warns that EPA doesn't accept a company name as certified.
Free study manuals: ESCO posts a free study guide, and Mainstream offers free manuals in English and Spanish. MACS offers its manual and test in English and Spanish.

EPA's main list contains 23 programs, including the four above, and separately lists employee-only programs. Check a program's enrollment eligibility and training requirements before registering.

Is the online test open book?

ESCO, Mainstream, and MACS all describe their tests as open book. ASE requires its matching booklet; its program page does not explicitly label the quiz open book. Mainstream spells out the limit: you can use the manual freely, but you "may not receive help from any other person." Follow the selected program's rules, including any approved assistance arrangements.

How fast is it?

How quickly you get proof depends on the program. ESCO and ASE show results as soon as you finish online. ASE provides a 60-day temporary credential, and MACS also describes printable temporary proof while the permanent card is mailed (ASE; MACS). Mail-in versions take longer: ASE says mailed quizzes normally take several weeks, and MACS gives you 90 days to return its paper test. That MACS return deadline is not a test-duration limit or a credential-expiration date.

Do you need EPA 609 certification?

If anyone pays you for MVAC work involving refrigerant — in cash, credit, goods, or an exchange of services — yes. An unrelated job such as replacing a cabin air filter does not trigger the rule merely because it involves the A/C system.

Do you need EPA 609 certification?
Your situation	Federal certification route	Why
Paid refrigerant-involving repair, recharge, or leak work on car or truck A/C	Section 609	Paid service involving refrigerant requires certification (82.34(a))
Paid top-off only; you never open the system	Section 609	EPA counts a top-off as service involving refrigerant (82.32(h))
MVAC refrigerant service paid in goods or services instead of money	Section 609	"For consideration" includes cash, credit, goods, or services (82.32(g))
Your own car, or a friend's, completely free	No 609 requirement for that unpaid MVAC work	Only service for consideration triggers it. Sales restrictions still apply; intentional venting of R-12, R-134a, and R-1234yf is prohibited. CO₂ has a venting exception (82.154(a), (c))
You hold Section 608 Universal and start doing paid MVAC refrigerant work	Section 609	Vehicle A/C service requires a Section 609 program (82.34(a)(2)); "Universal" refers to 608's stationary types
Refrigerant service on MVAC-like cab A/C on a tractor, construction machine, or other off-road vehicle	Section 609 or Section 608 Type II	Certification is required whether or not you're paid (82.34(a)(3)). EPA recommends 609 (overlap guide)
Passenger bus A/C that uses HCFC-22 (R-22)	Section 608 Type II	Excluded from the vehicle A/C definition (82.32(d))
Hermetically sealed refrigerated cargo system on a truck	Section 608	Also excluded from the definition. The truck's cab A/C is still 609 (82.32(d))

Two more points. Your employer can't be certified on your behalf; certification belongs to each technician (40 CFR 82.40(a)(4)). And if your work belongs under 608, see our EPA 608 exam guide.

Section 609 does not replace any separate state or local credential required for your work (ASE's program guidance).

What 609 certification lets you buy

Section 609 certification establishes purchase eligibility for refrigerant acceptable for MVAC use, in any container size, when purchased for that use. It doesn't establish eligibility for stationary refrigerants like R-22. The table shows individual end-use purchases; the employer and resale provisions are separate.

What 609 certification lets you buy
Refrigerant and container	Uncertified individual buying for personal use	With Section 609 alone
R-134a or R-1234yf for MVAC use in a can designed to hold 2 pounds or less, with the required unique fitting and compliant self-sealing valve	Yes	Yes
R-134a or R-1234yf for MVAC use in a larger container, such as a 30-pound cylinder	No	Yes
CFC-12 (R-12) in a container under 20 pounds	No	Yes
HCFC-22 (R-22), any size	No	No — requires Section 608

Sources: 40 CFR 82.154(c), 82.34(b), EPA's refrigerant sales restriction page, and EPA's 608/609 overlap guide.

The small-can exception has conditions. The can must be designed to hold two pounds or less, carry the unique fitting for that refrigerant, and — if it was made or imported on or after January 1, 2018 — have a self-sealing valve (82.154(c)(1)(ix) and (c)(2)). It applies to qualifying substitute refrigerants for MVAC use, such as R-134a and R-1234yf, never to R-12.

A qualifying small can and a bulk cylinder have different purchase rules. Buying a qualifying can without certification does not authorize paid MVAC refrigerant service. The separate under-20-pound rule for R-12 is not a maximum cylinder size that a Section 609 technician may buy.

A business can also qualify to buy MVAC refrigerant through its certified employee and written proof to the seller (EPA sales restriction page). This employer provision does not waive the separate small-container R-12 restrictions in 82.34(b). It doesn't let uncertified employees do paid MVAC refrigerant work.

Does EPA 609 certification expire?

Current ASE program terms and MACS guidance describe Section 609 as lifetime certification without routine renewal. The rule does let EPA require recertification in the future (82.40(d)), and EPA can revoke a technician's certification for failing to use recovery equipment properly (82.40(f)).

Old cards still count, including ones that list only R-12. EPA tells retailers to keep accepting cards from programs that have since stopped testing (EPA program list). EPA requires 609 certification for covered paid service regardless of the refrigerant, and MACS says technicians it certified for CFC-12 are also considered certified for HFC-134a and R-1234yf (MACS).

One caveat: MACS "strongly" recommends recertifying if you'll service R-1234yf vehicles, because newer programs cover its flammability and equipment (MACS FAQ). That's a training recommendation, not a federal requirement.

Lost your 609 card?

Go back to the organization that certified you. Its records are the starting point for replacing your credential.

Figure out who issued it. Check old emails, receipts, your employer's training records, or a photo of the card. If you're still not sure, ask the employer or training organization that arranged the test.
Use that issuer's replacement process. MACS handles only MACS and IMACA records and charges $17 for a search even if it doesn't find you (MACS). ASE lists a $12 duplicate-credential fee; use the order form linked from its refrigerant program FAQ.
If your issuer closed, check EPA's list of former programs. MACS keeps records for the former IMACA program, and the New York State Association of Service Stations and Repair Shops keeps the former New York State DMV records (EPA program list).
If you truly can't recover proof, completing an approved program again and passing its test is another route to a new credential. The four first-attempt fees above are $20 to $29 before applicable tax or other charges. Payment alone does not certify you; a closed issuer alone does not invalidate an existing credential.

What your shop still has to do

A tech's card is one piece. The shop has its own federal duties (40 CFR 82.42; EPA service-shop requirements):

Use approved recovery or recycling equipment for any service where refrigerant could escape.
Certify that equipment to its EPA regional office once. A shop that already certified R-12 or R-134a equipment doesn't resubmit when it buys a new machine, even for R-1234yf.
Keep records on-site for at least three years showing each tech who uses the equipment is 609 certified, plus the name and address of any facility that receives recovered refrigerant.

Free EPA 609 practice test: 25 questions

These are original practice questions written by Castleport Test Prep. They are not official EPA or program test questions. Your score here shows how you did on these 25 items. It isn't an official score or a prediction of passing.

The set samples the four subject areas every approved test must cover (40 CFR 82.40(a)(2)). It emphasizes certification and sales rules; its topic mix is not an official weighting or a full-coverage replica of any provider's exam. Questions 22–25 concern the named CFC-12 standards, not universal procedures for every refrigerant. Use your program's training and the applicable equipment instructions for actual work.

Question 1

Section 609 requirements · ID EPA609-Q01

A quick-lube shop charges customers $40 to top off low A/C systems with R-134a. The technician only adds refrigerant and never opens the system. Does the technician need Section 609 certification?

A. No, because adding refrigerant without opening the system isn't regulated service
B. No, because Section 609 certification applies only to CFC-12 systems
C. Yes, because a paid top-off counts as service involving refrigerant
D. Yes, but only if the shop also recovers refrigerant from vehicles

Answer and explanation for question 1

Answer: C. EPA's definition of service involving refrigerant explicitly includes charging a system when nothing else is done — a top-off — and the customer is paying. A contradicts the rule's explicit inclusion of top-offs. B is wrong because the requirement applies whatever refrigerant the system uses. D invents a condition; top-off-only shops face the same requirements as full-service shops.

Source: 40 CFR 82.32(h) and (e)(4); 40 CFR 82.34(a); EPA MVAC servicing requirements

Question 2

Section 609 requirements · ID EPA609-Q02

A mechanic repairs a neighbor's leaking A/C hose and recharges the system. Instead of cash, the neighbor details the mechanic's truck. Is this service "for consideration"?

A. Yes, because payment can be cash, credit, goods, or services
B. No, because no money changed hands
C. No, because the work happened in a driveway, not a shop
D. Yes, but only if the vehicle uses CFC-12

Answer and explanation for question 2

Answer: A. The regulation defines service for consideration as being paid in cash, credit, goods, or services; only free service is excluded. B and C describe conditions the rule doesn't use. D is wrong because the refrigerant type doesn't change the definition.

Source: 40 CFR 82.32(g)

Question 3

Section 609 requirements · ID EPA609-Q03

You recharge your own car's R-134a A/C at home and no one pays you anything. Which statement is accurate?

A. You must hold Section 609 certification before charging any vehicle
B. You may vent the old refrigerant because the venting ban applies only to shops
C. You must certify your recovery equipment to your EPA regional office
D. The 609 certification requirement doesn't apply, but you still may not knowingly vent refrigerant

Answer and explanation for question 3

Answer: D. The certification requirement covers service for consideration, so unpaid work on your own car isn't covered. The R-134a venting prohibition applies to any person servicing the system, not just a paid technician. B misreads that ban. C applies to people who service for consideration. A overstates the rule.

Source: 40 CFR 82.34(a); 40 CFR 82.154(a)(1); 40 CFR 82.42(a); EPA MVAC servicing requirements

Question 4

Section 609 requirements · ID EPA609-Q04

A customer with no EPA certification asks a parts store for refrigerant for his car. Which item may the store sell him?

A. A 30-lb cylinder of HFC-134a
B. A 12-oz can of CFC-12
C. A 12-oz can of HFC-134a with the vehicle A/C unique fitting and a self-sealing valve
D. A 10-lb cylinder of HFO-1234yf

Answer and explanation for question 4

Answer: C. For this personal-use purchase, C meets the small-can exception: substitute refrigerant for MVAC use in a container designed to hold two pounds or less, with the required unique fitting and a compliant self-sealing valve. The valve requirement applies to cans manufactured or imported on or after January 1, 2018. A and D exceed that capacity. B is CFC-12; its under-20-pound rule requires Section 609 certification for this end-use buyer. The separate employer and resale provisions do not apply to the purchase described.

Source: 40 CFR 82.154(c)(1)(ix) and (c)(2); 40 CFR 82.34(b)

Question 5

Section 609 requirements · ID EPA609-Q05

A retailer may sell CFC-12 in a container of less than 20 pounds to which buyer?

A. A technician certified by an EPA-approved Section 609 program
B. Anyone who signs a statement that it's for a personal vehicle
C. Anyone, as long as the retailer records the buyer's name
D. Only an EPA-certified reclaimer

Answer and explanation for question 5

Answer: A. Small containers of CFC-12 may be sold only to properly trained and certified buyers, or to someone buying for resale who gives the seller a written resale statement. A personal-use statement (B) and recordkeeping alone (C) don't replace certification. D is invented.

Source: 40 CFR 82.34(b); 40 CFR 82.42(b)(3)

Question 6

Section 609 requirements · ID EPA609-Q06

A Section 609-certified technician is asked to service a transit bus whose A/C runs on HCFC-22. What does EPA say?

A. Section 609 covers it because a bus is a motor vehicle
B. Any EPA certification works if the technician owns recovery equipment
C. HCFC-22 bus systems need no technician certification
D. It isn't a motor vehicle air conditioner; it's high-pressure equipment under Section 608 Type II

Answer and explanation for question 6

Answer: D. The motor vehicle air conditioner definition specifically excludes A/C on passenger buses using HCFC-22. EPA treats those as high-pressure equipment under Section 608 Type II, and Section 609 certification alone does not authorize buying HCFC-22 in any size container. A overlooks the exclusion; B and C have no basis in the rules.

Source: 40 CFR 82.32(d); EPA Section 608 and 609 overlap guide

Question 7

Section 609 requirements · ID EPA609-Q07

Which system is NOT a motor vehicle air conditioner under EPA's Section 609 rules?

A. A pickup truck cab A/C using HFO-1234yf
B. A hermetically sealed system that cools a truck's refrigerated cargo box
C. A passenger car A/C using HFC-134a
D. A heavy-duty truck cab A/C using HFC-134a

Answer and explanation for question 7

Answer: B. A motor vehicle air conditioner is equipment that cools the driver's or passenger's compartment. The definition expressly excludes hermetically sealed systems used for refrigerated cargo; those fall under Section 608. A, C, and D all cool people, and the definition includes heavy-duty vehicles.

Source: 40 CFR 82.32(c) and (d)

Question 8

Section 609 requirements · ID EPA609-Q08

A technician performs refrigerant-involving service on an MVAC-like cab A/C system on a farm tractor. Which certification satisfies EPA?

A. Only Section 609
B. Only Section 608 Type I
C. Either Section 609 or Section 608 Type II, with EPA recommending 609
D. None, because non-road vehicles are exempt

Answer and explanation for question 8

Answer: C. Tractor and other non-road cab units are "MVAC-like appliances." People servicing them can be certified under Section 609 or Section 608 Type II, and EPA recommends 609 because the systems are so similar to vehicle A/C. A incorrectly excludes the Type II route, and Type I in B is not the applicable alternative. D is wrong: anyone performing refrigerant-involving service on these MVAC-like systems must be certified, paid or not.

Source: 40 CFR 82.34(a)(3); EPA Section 608 and 609 overlap guide

Question 9

Section 609 requirements · ID EPA609-Q09

A technician earned Section 609 certification in 1994 through Snap-On, which no longer offers the program. A parts counter asks for proof before selling him a 30-lb cylinder of R-134a. Which is accurate?

A. His certification is still valid; EPA tells retailers to keep accepting cards from former programs like Snap-On
B. His certification expired after 20 years
C. He must retest because Snap-On is no longer an approved program
D. Only cards issued after 2018 are valid for HFC refrigerants

Answer and explanation for question 9

Answer: A. EPA keeps the right to require recertification. Its approved-program page lists Snap-On among former programs and tells retailers to keep accepting those cards. B, C, and D describe rules that don't exist.

Source: 40 CFR 82.40(d); EPA Section 609 program list, "Note to refrigerant retailers"

Question 10

Section 609 requirements · ID EPA609-Q10

A shop services MVAC systems for payment and owns approved refrigerant recycling equipment. How long must it keep records showing that everyone authorized to use that equipment is Section 609 certified, and where?

A. 1 year, anywhere the owner chooses
B. At least 3 years, on-site
C. 5 years, filed with the EPA regional office
D. Only while the technician is employed

Answer and explanation for question 10

Answer: B. Equipment owners must keep records showing that authorized operators are certified. Required records are kept at least three years, and businesses that service vehicle A/C for consideration must keep them on-site. The other options don't match the rule.

Source: 40 CFR 82.42(b)(2) and (b)(4)

Question 11

Section 609 requirements · ID EPA609-Q11

In 2010 a shop certified to EPA that it owned approved R-134a recovery equipment. It has just bought an R-1234yf machine. What must it send EPA?

A. Nothing; the one-time equipment certification already on file covers it
B. A new certification within 30 days
C. A separate certification for each technician
D. The machine's serial number to the SNAP program

Answer and explanation for question 11

Answer: A. Shop equipment certification is a one-time requirement. EPA says a shop that certified CFC-12 or HFC-134a equipment in the past doesn't have to resubmit when it buys new equipment, even for a different refrigerant such as HFO-1234yf. B, C, and D are invented requirements.

Source: 40 CFR 82.42(a); EPA MVAC servicing requirements, "Recordkeeping Requirements for Service Shops"

Question 12

Service and equipment standards · ID EPA609-Q12

A technician recovers R-134a from a car to replace the condenser and plans to put that same refrigerant back into the same car. What must happen first?

A. Nothing, because it's going back into the same system
B. It must be sent to EPA for purity testing
C. It must be vented and replaced with new refrigerant
D. It must be recycled with approved equipment, or reclaimed, before recharging

Answer and explanation for question 12

Answer: D. Recovered refrigerant must be recycled or reclaimed before it's charged into a vehicle — even the vehicle it came from. A is the exact shortcut the rule forbids. B is invented. C is illegal venting.

Source: 40 CFR 82.32(e)(1); EPA MVAC servicing requirements, "Refrigerant Handling"

Question 13

Service and equipment standards · ID EPA609-Q13

A shop uses recover-only equipment, which doesn't recycle, to remove R-134a from a car's A/C. What may it do with that refrigerant?

A. Charge it directly into another customer's vehicle
B. Vent it once the storage tank is full
C. Recycle it on-site with approved equipment or send it off-site for reclamation
D. Sell it as used refrigerant to any buyer

Answer and explanation for question 13

Answer: C. For this R-134a recover-only equipment, proper use includes recycling the refrigerant on-site or sending it off for reclamation; the equipment standard says it may not go directly back into an A/C system. A skips that step. B is illegal venting. D ignores the limits on selling used refrigerant.

Source: 40 CFR 82.32(e)(1); 40 CFR Part 82 Subpart B, Appendix D, §1; 40 CFR 82.154(d)

Question 14

Service and equipment standards · ID EPA609-Q14

A technician has only an R-134a hose set. He plans to screw on an adapter to connect to an R-1234yf vehicle, then remove it after the job. What is EPA's position?

A. Allowed if the hoses are purged first
B. Not allowed; adapters may not convert fittings, and hose-end fittings must be permanent
C. Allowed for top-offs only
D. Allowed because neither refrigerant depletes ozone

Answer and explanation for question 14

Answer: B. Each approved vehicle A/C refrigerant has its own unique fittings to prevent mixing. EPA says an adapter may not be used to convert a fitting, and a fitting attached to a hose is permanent. Purging (A), job type (C), and ozone status (D) don't create an exception.

Source: EPA MVAC servicing requirements, "Unique Fittings"; EPA unique fittings and label colors

Question 15

Refrigerants and new technology · ID EPA609-Q15

A customer asks you to recharge an older system with a propane-based "drop-in" refrigerant. Under EPA's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program, hydrocarbon refrigerants are:

A. Acceptable for retrofits only
B. Acceptable if the system is labeled flammable
C. Acceptable in systems originally built for CFC-12
D. Unacceptable for new and retrofit vehicle A/C systems, so using them is illegal

Answer and explanation for question 15

Answer: D. EPA lists all flammable refrigerants except HFC-152a and HFO-1234yf as unacceptable for new and retrofit vehicle A/C, including all hydrocarbons, and says using an unacceptable refrigerant is illegal. A, B, and C describe exceptions that don't exist.

Source: EPA acceptable refrigerants and their impacts, SNAP section

Question 16

Refrigerants and new technology · ID EPA609-Q16

How does EPA describe the flammability of HFO-1234yf?

A. Nonflammable (ASHRAE A1)
B. Mildly flammable (ASHRAE A2L), but it can be used safely under required conditions
C. Highly flammable (ASHRAE A3)
D. Moderately flammable and toxic (ASHRAE B2)

Answer and explanation for question 16

Answer: B. EPA describes HFO-1234yf as ASHRAE A2L, mildly flammable, and requires SAE J639 safeguards such as a flammable-refrigerant warning label, a high-pressure compressor cutoff switch, pressure relief devices, and unique fittings. HFC-152a is the vehicle refrigerant EPA lists as moderately flammable (A2). A, C, and D are not the classification EPA reports for HFO-1234yf.

Source: EPA acceptable refrigerants and their impacts, HFO-1234yf and HFC-152a

Question 17

Refrigerants and new technology · ID EPA609-Q17

Which statement about R-744 (carbon dioxide) in vehicle A/C is correct?

A. It's exempt from the Section 608 venting prohibition, but still subject to Section 609 requirements such as certified equipment
B. It's exempt from every EPA vehicle A/C servicing rule
C. It's listed as unacceptable under SNAP
D. It uses the same service fittings as HFC-134a

Answer and explanation for question 17

Answer: A. CO₂ is the one approved vehicle A/C refrigerant exempt from the venting ban, but EPA says it isn't exempt from Section 609 requirements, including certified equipment. It's acceptable, subject to use conditions, for new vehicles (not C), and it has its own fitting sizes (not D).

Source: EPA MVAC servicing requirements, "Venting Prohibition"; EPA acceptable refrigerants, CO₂ (R-744); EPA unique fittings and label colors

Question 18

Refrigerants and new technology · ID EPA609-Q18

A customer's 2019 car uses HFC-134a. After EPA's October 2023 Technology Transitions rule under the AIM Act, can you recharge it with HFC-134a?

A. No; HFC-134a has been banned in all vehicles since October 24, 2024
B. Only after converting the system to HFO-1234yf
C. Yes; the rule restricts refrigerant in newly manufactured vehicles, and existing vehicles can still be serviced with HFC-134a
D. Only until January 1, 2028

Answer and explanation for question 18

Answer: C. The rule limits refrigerants with a global warming potential of 150 or more in newly manufactured vehicles on phased dates (for light-duty vehicles, model year 2025 and no earlier than October 24, 2024). EPA says it doesn't restrict servicing existing systems with HFC-134a. A misreads the new-vehicle date; D confuses the nonroad compliance date with a servicing ban.

Source: EPA MVAC servicing requirements, "Technology Transitions Program"; EPA acceptable refrigerants and their impacts

Question 19

Environmental consequences · ID EPA609-Q19

Which of these vehicle A/C refrigerants depletes stratospheric ozone?

A. HFC-134a
B. HFO-1234yf
C. CFC-12
D. R-744 (CO₂)

Answer and explanation for question 19

Answer: C. CFC-12 contains chlorine, which is released high in the atmosphere and destroys ozone. EPA lists HFC-134a, HFO-1234yf, and CO₂ as non-ozone-depleting, though HFC-134a is still a potent greenhouse gas.

Source: EPA acceptable refrigerants and their impacts, impacts table; EPA Section 609 fact sheet (PDF)

Question 20

Environmental consequences · ID EPA609-Q20

Which list orders these refrigerants from highest to lowest global warming potential (GWP), using EPA's cited MVAC impacts table?

A. CFC-12, HFC-134a, HFC-152a, HFO-1234yf
B. HFC-134a, CFC-12, HFO-1234yf, HFC-152a
C. HFO-1234yf, HFC-152a, HFC-134a, CFC-12
D. CFC-12, HFO-1234yf, HFC-134a, HFC-152a

Answer and explanation for question 20

Answer: A. EPA's cited table gives CFC-12 10,900; HFC-134a 1,430; HFC-152a 124; HFO-1234yf 4. B reverses the first two and the last two refrigerants, C reverses the entire order, and D incorrectly puts HFO-1234yf ahead of both HFCs. These are the values in that EPA table, not a claim that every scientific assessment uses identical GWP values.

Source: EPA acceptable refrigerants and their impacts, impacts table

Question 21

Environmental consequences · ID EPA609-Q21

According to EPA, what is a direct consequence of stratospheric ozone depletion?

A. More ground-level smog in cities
B. Less ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth's surface
C. More acid rain
D. Higher UVB levels at the surface, leading to more skin cancer and cataracts

Answer and explanation for question 21

Answer: D. The stratospheric ozone layer blocks harmful UV. When it thins, more UVB reaches the ground, and EPA links that to more skin cancer, cataracts, and weakened immune systems. A mixes up high-altitude ozone with ground-level ozone, which is a smog ingredient. B is the opposite of what happens.

Source: EPA acceptable refrigerants and their impacts, CFC-12 section

Question 22

Service and equipment standards (CFC-12 procedure, SAE J1989) · ID EPA609-Q22

Following the SAE J1989 recovery procedure in EPA's rule, a technician pulls a CFC-12 system into a vacuum and shuts the recovery unit off. What tells him refrigerant is still in the system?

A. The low-side gauge reads exactly zero immediately after shutoff
B. After the unit has been off at least 5 minutes, the system shows pressure
C. Frost forms on the service hoses during recovery
D. The recovery unit's compressor cycles off on its own

Answer and explanation for question 22

Answer: B. The procedure says to wait at least 5 minutes with the unit off; if the system shows pressure, more recovery is needed. Repeat until the vacuum holds steady for 2 minutes. An immediate reading (A) skips the waiting period specified by that procedure. C and D aren't the check the procedure uses.

Source: 40 CFR Part 82 Subpart B, Appendix A (SAE J1989 §3.2.1)

Question 23

Service and equipment standards (CFC-12 storage, SAE J1989) · ID EPA609-Q23

Under the CFC-12 service procedure in SAE J1989 §6.1, which container is suitable for storing recycled CFC-12?

A. In the empty disposable can the virgin refrigerant came in
B. In any clean container that seals
C. Back in the vehicle until it's needed
D. In a DOT- or UL-approved refillable container

Answer and explanation for question 23

Answer: D. The CFC-12 service procedure in EPA's rule says recycled refrigerant shouldn't go into disposable containers, the kind virgin refrigerant is sold in, and that only DOT- or UL-approved storage containers should be used. B does not establish an approved container, and C is a vehicle system, not the storage container this procedure specifies.

Source: 40 CFR Part 82 Subpart B, Appendix A (SAE J1989 §6.1)

Question 24

Service and equipment standards (CFC-12 equipment, SAE J1990) · ID EPA609-Q24

For CFC-12 recovery/recycling equipment under SAE J1990 §7.4 in EPA's Appendix A, what liquid-fill limit must the storage-container overfill protection enforce?

A. 60% of the tank's rated volume at 70°F
B. 70% of the tank's rated volume at 70°F
C. 80% of the tank's rated volume at 70°F (21.1°C)
D. 95% of the tank's rated volume at 70°F

Answer and explanation for question 24

Answer: C. SAE J1990 §7.4 requires overfill protection so liquid fill does not exceed 80% of the tank's rated volume at 70°F (21.1°C). This is a volume-and-temperature equipment criterion. The 60% figure (A) comes from a different provision in SAE J1989 §7.2: filling an external container by weight during transfer, measured against its gross weight rating. It is not 60% of volume. B and D do not match the specified 80% limit.

Source: 40 CFR Part 82 Subpart B, Appendix A (SAE J1990 §7.4; SAE J1989 §7.2)

Question 25

Service and equipment standards (CFC-12 container check) · ID EPA609-Q25

A container of recycled CFC-12 has been stored for 12 hours at 70°F, out of direct sun. A calibrated gauge reads 92 psig, and the air temperature measured within 4 inches of the container is 70°F. The SAE J1989 pressure table in EPA's rule lists 80 psig at that temperature. Which response does that CFC-12 procedure specify?

A. Use it; 92 psig is within normal variation
B. Slowly vent vapor from the top of the container into the recycling equipment until pressure drops below the table value, and recycle the whole container if it stays high
C. Vent vapor to the atmosphere until the gauge reads 80 psig
D. Add virgin CFC-12 to dilute the air

Answer and explanation for question 25

Answer: B. Under this CFC-12 container check, pressure above the table value indicates excessive air (noncondensable gas). The procedure is to vent a small amount of vapor from the top of the container into the recycling equipment until it's below the table value; if it's still over, the entire contents must be recycled. C is illegal venting, and D just contaminates good refrigerant.

Source: 40 CFR Part 82 Subpart B, Appendix A (SAE J1989 §§5.1–5.7, Table 1)

Answer key

1 C · 2 A · 3 D · 4 C · 5 A · 6 D · 7 B · 8 C · 9 A · 10 B · 11 A · 12 D · 13 C · 14 B · 15 D · 16 B · 17 A · 18 C · 19 C · 20 A · 21 D · 22 B · 23 D · 24 C · 25 B

Missed a few? For top-offs, barter, the two-pound can rule, and which systems belong to 608, reread the situation table and the buying table, then try again. Questions 22–25 come from the CFC-12 service and equipment standards written into the federal rule, so check those sections of your program's manual too.

What the 609 test covers and how to study

Every approved test must cover the same four areas (40 CFR 82.40(a)(2)). Question counts and wording differ by program, and EPA doesn't publish a weighting for these areas.

What the 609 test covers and how to study
Area	What to know
Service and equipment standards	How approved equipment recovers and recycles refrigerant, and the purity standard recycled refrigerant must meet. Know the three terms: recovery removes refrigerant and stores it; recycling cleans out oil and impurities, usually on-site; reclamation restores it to new-product specifications at a certified facility (EPA).
New technology	Newer refrigerants such as R-1234yf, R-152a, and CO₂, their unique fittings, and compatible certified equipment (EPA).
Environmental consequences	Which refrigerants deplete stratospheric ozone, which contribute to climate change, and why those are different effects (EPA).
Section 609 requirements	Who must be certified, what counts as paid service, the sales rules, and shop recordkeeping.

How to study:

Read your program's manual once, start to finish. The test follows it. For a program that permits the manual during testing, you're learning where things are as much as memorizing them.
Lock in the scope rules. Paid MVAC top-offs count. Barter counts. The qualifying small-can exception includes exactly two pounds, with the fitting and valve conditions above. Section 609 alone does not qualify you to buy R-22.
Know the refrigerant lineup. CFC-12 depletes ozone. EPA's MVAC impacts table lists HFC-134a with a GWP of 1,430 and HFO-1234yf with a GWP of 4. The same page describes HFO-1234yf as mildly flammable (A2L).

Sources

Last verified September 28, 2026: the federal rules below, EPA's approved-program list, and the four programs' published fees, test formats, and credential terms. We read these public pages and documents. We didn't enroll in or take any program's test, and we didn't test credential delivery or replacement.

By the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team.

AI tools assisted drafting and source checks. This is source verification and editorial checking, not credentialed subject-matter review. Our editorial standards explain those distinctions.

Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or any Section 609 training and certification program, including ESCO Institute, Mainstream Engineering, ASE, and MACS. Program and credential names identify their subjects, and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Our practice questions are original and are not official test questions.