EPA 608 Practice Test with Answers: 25 Questions with Explained Answers
Sample questions across all four EPA 608 exam sections with full explanations — including the wrong-answer logic that causes most first-attempt failures.
EPA 608 practice tests are the most effective preparation tool available for the certification exam — but only if you use them with explained answers. Each section requires 70% to pass — see the exact question count and minimum correct answers in our EPA 608 passing score guide. A correct answer without understanding why the other options are wrong leaves the underlying knowledge gaps intact. This page provides sample questions across all four EPA 608 exam sections with full explanations, including the wrong-answer logic that causes technicians to miss questions they thought they understood.
EPA 608 Practice Test: 25 Sample Questions with Answers
The questions below cover all four exam sections proportionally: 7 Core, 6 Type I, 6 Type II, 6 Type III. Each answer includes an explanation of the correct choice and why common wrong answers fail.
Sample Question 1 (Core)
Under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, when was the venting prohibition extended to cover HFCs?
A) July 1, 1992 B) November 15, 1993 C) November 15, 1995 D) January 1, 2000
Correct Answer: C — November 15, 1995
The July 1, 1992 date covers CFCs and HCFCs — not HFCs. The November 15, 1993 date applies to recovery equipment manufacture standards — also not HFC venting. HFCs were added to the venting prohibition on November 15, 1995. Technicians who memorize only one date consistently select A (1992) on this question.
Sample Question 2 (Core)
A technician removes refrigerant from a system and stores it in a recovery cylinder without further processing. This is called:
A) Reclamation B) Recycling C) Recovery D) Reprocessing
Correct Answer: C — Recovery
Recovery is removing refrigerant and storing it without processing. Recycling adds oil separation and filter-drier passes. Reclamation reprocesses to ARI-700 purity at an EPA-certified facility. The trap: "recycling" sounds more positive and is chosen by technicians who conflate it with recycling in everyday language.
Sample Question 3 (Type I)
A technician uses a small appliance's own compressor to draw refrigerant into a recovery cylinder. This is called:
A) Self-contained recovery B) System-dependent recovery C) Active recovery D) Passive recovery
Correct Answer: B — System-dependent recovery
System-dependent recovery uses the appliance's compressor. Self-contained recovery uses a separate machine with its own compressor. The trap: "self-contained" sounds like it describes the technician working independently, but it actually refers to the recovery machine having its own contained compressor.
Sample Question 4 (Type II)
A comfort cooling system with 75 lbs of R-410A is found to have lost 8 lbs in the past year. Is mandatory leak repair required?
A) Yes — 8 lbs exceeds the 10% threshold B) No — 8 lbs is less than the 10% threshold (7.5 lbs) C) Yes — all leaks over 1 lb require mandatory repair D) No — only commercial refrigeration systems have mandatory leak repair requirements
Correct Answer: A — Yes, mandatory repair is required
10% of 75 lbs = 7.5 lbs. The system lost 8 lbs — exceeding the 10% comfort cooling threshold. Mandatory repair is required within 30 days. The trap: technicians calculate incorrectly or confuse 10% with 20% (the commercial refrigeration threshold).
Sample Question 5 (Type III)
Why should a technician never use refrigerant vapor to pressurize a low-pressure chiller for leak testing?
A) Refrigerant vapor is too expensive to waste B) The high pressure would damage the chiller compressor C) Pressurizing with refrigerant would push refrigerant out through leaks, constituting venting prohibited under Section 608 D) Low-pressure chillers cannot withstand any positive pressure
Correct Answer: C
Low-pressure systems operate in vacuum — pressurizing with refrigerant creates positive pressure that forces refrigerant out through leaks. This constitutes intentional venting, prohibited under Section 608. Dry nitrogen at 0 psig is the approved alternative. The trap: option D sounds plausible but low-pressure chillers can withstand some positive pressure; the prohibition is regulatory, not a hardware limitation.
Wrong-Answer Logic: Why Technicians Miss These Questions
The EPA 608 exam uses specific distractor patterns that consistently mislead unprepared technicians. Understanding these patterns before your exam is as valuable as memorizing the facts themselves.
Trap 1: Date Confusion — 1992 vs 1993 vs 1995
Three dates appear in Core exam content:
- July 1, 1992 — Venting prohibition effective for CFCs and HCFCs
- November 15, 1993 — Recovery equipment manufacture cutoff (80/90% thresholds)
- November 15, 1995 — HFCs added to venting prohibition
Questions mix these dates as distractors. A technician who memorizes only "1992" selects it for all three fact types. The solution: create a 3-row table and memorize what each date applies to, not just the date itself.
Trap 2: Recovery vs Recycling vs Reclamation
Technicians consistently confuse recycling and reclamation. The correct test:
- Can it be done on-site? Yes = Recycling. No (must go to facility) = Reclamation.
- Can the refrigerant be sold to a new owner? Only if Reclaimed.
- Does it meet ARI-700 purity? Only Reclaimed refrigerant.
Trap 3: System-dependent vs Self-contained
"Self-contained" does not mean the technician works alone — it means the recovery machine has its own self-contained compressor. "System-dependent" means the recovery depends on the appliance's own system compressor. Reverse the assumption your first instinct applies.
Trap 4: Terminology — Venting vs Purging
The EPA 608 exam uses "venting" to mean intentional or uncontrolled release of refrigerant — prohibited under Section 608. "Purging" refers to removing non-condensable gases from a system using a purge unit — a legitimate service procedure for low-pressure chillers. Questions that offer both as answer choices are testing whether you know the regulatory distinction, not just the vocabulary.
Trap 5: The Three-Tier Leak Rate System
Technicians who know only one leak rate threshold (typically "10%") fail questions about commercial refrigeration (20%) or industrial process (35%) systems. When a leak rate question describes a walk-in cooler or commercial refrigeration rack, the threshold is 20%, not 10%. Always identify the equipment category before selecting a leak rate answer.
How to Use Practice Tests Effectively
Practice one section at a time. The Core section establishes the legal framework that all type-specific content builds on. Master Core before moving to Type I, Type II, or Type III.
Review every wrong answer. Don't mark wrong answers and move on — identify whether you missed the fact (knowledge gap) or misread the question (test-taking error). Different errors require different fixes.
Practice under time pressure. Each 25-question section should take no more than 45 minutes. Time yourself during practice — rushing near the end of a section is a common source of avoidable errors.
Hit 75%+ before scheduling. If you're scoring 75% or higher consistently on practice tests, you have adequate margin above the 70% passing threshold to account for exam-day pressure and unfamiliar question phrasing.
Practice Test FAQ
EPA 608 Practice Questions
A) Venting B) Purging C) Recovery D) Recycling
A) July 1, 1992 B) November 15, 1993 C) November 15, 1995 D) January 1, 2000
A) Yes — 8 lbs exceeds the 10% threshold (7.5 lbs) B) No — only commercial refrigeration systems require mandatory repair C) No — the threshold is 20% for R-410A systems D) Yes — any leak exceeding 5 lbs requires mandatory repair
A) Recovery B) Recycling C) Reclamation D) Reprocessing on-site
A) Self-contained recovery B) System-dependent recovery C) Active recovery D) Passive recovery
A) 70% B) 80% C) 90% D) 95%
A) Illegally venting refrigerant B) Removing non-condensable gases (air and moisture) using a purge unit C) Recovering all refrigerant before service D) Pressurizing the system with nitrogen
A) Type II — the most common certification B) Universal — the highest level C) Core — required for all certification types D) Type I — required as a prerequisite
A) 10% B) 15% C) 20% D) 35%
A) True B) False
Ready for Full Timed Practice?
Practice all Core section content with 25 timed questions covering venting prohibitions, civil penalties, and the recovery-recycling-reclamation distinction. Type II content covers leak rate thresholds and vacuum level questions.