EPA 608 passing score: how many questions you need to pass each section

EPA 608 passing score by section

Each section of the EPA 608 exam requires 72% (18 of 25) to pass, and sections are scored independently. You have to reach the threshold in every section you take. For Universal certification, all four sections must pass independently, which is 100 questions in total across Core, Type I, Type II, and Type III.

Section	Total questions	Correct to pass	Primary content area
Core	25	18 correct	Federal regulations, refrigerant law, civil penalties
Type I	25	18 correct	Small appliances, hermetically sealed systems
Type II	25	18 correct	High pressure refrigerants, R-410A systems
Type III	25	18 correct	Low pressure centrifugal chillers

How EPA 608 exam scoring works

Every question carries equal weight and there is no partial credit. Unanswered questions count as wrong. Every section has 25 questions, so the math is the same across Core, Type I, Type II, and Type III: 18 correct (72%) is the minimum pass, and 17 of 25 (68%) fails. For Universal certification, the Core section must be taken proctored, because an open book Core cannot count toward Universal.

What happens if you fail one section

• Failed sections are retaken at the provider's per section retake fee ($10 to $30 at most providers)
• Sections you passed are retained, so you do not retake the entire Universal exam
• No mandatory waiting period; most providers allow retake scheduling within days
• Some providers allow a retake on the same day if testing slots are open

Open book vs proctored passing score

The 72% threshold applies to the proctored exam. Two sections can be taken open book by mail (Type I and Core), and those open book versions use a higher bar: 84% (21 of 25). The catch is that an open book Core cannot count toward Universal certification, so anyone going for Universal has to sit Core proctored. If you only need Type I to handle small appliances, the open book route is valid, just held to the 21 of 25 standard.

How score reports work

Online proctored exams (ESCO Institute, Mainstream Engineering, SkillCat) display results right after you submit each section. The score report shows the number correct per section and pass or fail status for each. Mail in open book exams have results returned within a few weeks. See our EPA 608 exam results guide for details on certification card processing and temporary pass sheets.

How to reach the passing score on every section

Core is the most failed section. Focus on Section 608 statutory language, the civil penalty amount (over $44,539 per day per violation under EPA Section 608), refrigerant venting prohibitions, and the technician certification categories. Practice questions that test regulatory specifics, not HVAC field knowledge.

Type I is narrower. Focus on recovery requirements for small appliances, evacuation levels, and safe disposal procedures for equipment with 5 lbs or less of refrigerant.

Type II is the second most failed section. Focus on high pressure refrigerant pressure to temperature relationships, the leak rate thresholds for comfort cooling (10% per year) and commercial refrigeration (20% per year), and R-410A system characteristics.

Type III covers low pressure system operating characteristics, R-11 and R-123 properties, purging procedures, and pressure to temperature relationships for centrifugal chillers.

Section by section content and strategy

Core section (25 questions, pass: 18 of 25)

The Core section is mandatory for all certification types. It tests the regulations that apply to every refrigerant handling technician regardless of equipment type. Common Core topics:

• Clean Air Act Section 608 requirements: who must be certified, what activities require certification, purchase restrictions on refrigerant
• Venting prohibition: no intentional venting of regulated refrigerants; the de minimis exemption (0.1 oz or less) applies only to releases during the normal course of maintenance
• Civil penalties: over $44,539 per day per violation under 40 CFR Part 82.169 (know the dollar figure; it is heavily tested)
• Refrigerant safety classifications: A1, A2, A2L, B2L flammability and toxicity ratings; ODP vs GWP
• Recovery requirements: system dependent vs active recovery, equipment certification, cylinder requirements
• Record-keeping obligations: service records for systems above leak repair thresholds, sales records for wholesalers

Type I section (25 questions, pass: 18 of 25)

Type I covers small appliances, meaning hermetically sealed systems with a manufactured refrigerant charge of 5 lbs or less. The questions are narrower because the equipment category is limited:

• Definition of a small appliance under Section 608 (hermetically sealed, 5 lbs or less manufactured charge)
• System dependent recovery, recovering refrigerant using the appliance's own compressor
• Recovery efficiency: 90% with a working compressor, 80% if the compressor does not work
• Safe disposal of small appliances before sending to scrap metal recyclers
• The de minimis exception: what counts and what does not

Type II section (25 questions, pass: 18 of 25)

Type II is the most commercially relevant section. It covers high pressure refrigerants used in most residential and commercial HVAC work:

• Pressure to temperature relationships for R-22, R-410A, and R-454B
• Recovery cylinder pressure and fill weight limits
• Leak rate thresholds: 10% per year for comfort cooling, 20% per year for commercial refrigeration, 35% per year for industrial process refrigeration
• Refrigerant identification, field testing, and handling contaminated refrigerant
• Safe charging procedures, superheat and subcooling measurement
• Equipment disposal requirements for high pressure systems

Type III section (25 questions, pass: 18 of 25)

Type III covers low pressure appliances, the centrifugal chillers using refrigerants like R-11, R-113, and R-123. These run below atmospheric pressure, which creates a different set of handling considerations:

• Low pressure system characteristics: sub atmospheric pressure, high risk of air infiltration
• Purging procedures to remove non condensable gases that infiltrate low pressure systems
• Rupture disc setpoints, the safety relief settings for low pressure equipment
• Economizer cycle operation and purging in centrifugal chillers
• R-123 properties: HCFC, lower ODP than R-11, toxicity considerations

How many can you miss and still pass?

Knowing exactly how many questions you can afford to miss reduces exam anxiety and helps you pace your study. Here is the full picture:

Section	Questions	Max you can miss	Minimum to pass
Core	25	7	18
Type I	25	7	18
Type II	25	7	18
Type III	25	7	18

Every section gives you the same margin: miss up to 7 of 25 and you still pass. Type I is the narrowest in scope (small appliances only) and the easiest to prepare for specifically. A focused Type I review covering system dependent recovery and the 5 lb charge definition covers most of what the section tests.

Retake strategy: which section to prioritize

If you fail one or more sections, knowing what each section rewards helps you build an efficient retake plan:

• Core failures usually come from regulatory specifics: civil penalty amounts, exact venting prohibition language, certification category definitions. Build a flashcard set of the specific facts and numbers.
• Type I failures usually come from the system dependent recovery procedure details or the recovery efficiency percentages for small appliances.
• Type II failures often come from pressure to temperature relationships and leak threshold percentages, the two most number heavy topics in the section.
• Type III failures typically stem from unfamiliarity with centrifugal chiller operation and purging, since most technicians never work with low pressure systems in the field.

Before retaking, take a full length practice test on the failed section under timed conditions. That tells you whether you have actually improved enough to pass, versus feeling ready but still being borderline.

EPA 608 passing score FAQ