--- title: "What Is EPA 608 Certification?" url: https://www.uncap.com/glossary/epa-608-certification author: "Denis Dyli" published: 2026-10-18 updated: 2026-10-28 summary: "EPA 608 certification is the Section 608 Technician Certification that EPA rules under the Clean Air Act require for technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants. It also governs the sale: with limited exceptions, refrigerant may only be sold to a certified technician or a buyer that employs one." --- # What Is EPA 608 Certification? > EPA 608 certification is the Section 608 Technician Certification that EPA rules under the Clean Air Act require for technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants. It also governs the sale: with limited exceptions, refrigerant may only be sold to a certified technician or a buyer that employs one. **EPA 608 certification**: EPA 608 certification is the Section 608 Technician Certification that EPA rules under the Clean Air Act require for technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants. It also governs the sale: with limited exceptions, refrigerant may only be sold to a certified technician or a buyer that employs one. ## How it works EPA's rules at 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F, define a technician by the work, such as adding refrigerant to or removing it from an appliance. Apprentices are exempt while a certified technician closely and continually supervises them. A technician earns it by passing an EPA-approved test from an EPA-approved certifying organization. EPA has four types: - Type I: servicing small appliances. - Type II: servicing or disposing of high- or very high-pressure appliances, except small appliances and motor vehicle air conditioners. - Type III: servicing or disposing of low-pressure appliances. - Universal: servicing all types of equipment. The core test must be taken as a proctored exam to attain it. Section 608 Technician Certification credentials do not expire. ## What a refrigerant seller has to do The sales restriction sits in 40 CFR 82.154(c). It says "No person may sell or distribute, or offer for sale or distribution, any substance that consists in whole or in part of a class I or class II substance or, starting on January 1, 2018, any non-exempt substitute for use as a refrigerant" unless an exception applies. Paragraph (c)(1) then lists nine exceptions. Three of them: the buyer is certified; the buyer employs a certified technician "and provides proof of such to the seller"; or the refrigerant is sold only for eventual resale to certified persons or to appliance manufacturers. EPA puts the duty on the seller: "The seller of the refrigerant is responsible for verifying that the buyer either 1) is a certified technician, or 2) employs a certified technician." Where one party sells and another distributes, both are responsible for verifying. **How a refrigerant sale clears EPA's rule** ### 1. Account, Proof on file The buyer shows it is a certified technician or employs one, for example with a copy of the certification card. ### 2. Order, Allowed buyer The purchasing account holder is the buyer, so a coworker can order under that account. ### 3. Invoice, Sale recorded The invoice shows the name of the purchaser, the date of sale and the quantity of refrigerant purchased. ### 4. Records, Kept three years Invoices and any employment documentation are kept for three years from the date of sale. EPA says "The online sale of refrigerant is subject to the same recordkeeping and technician certification verification requirements as in-person refrigerant sales." The restriction covers refrigerant in cylinders, cans or drums, apart from certain small cans of substitute refrigerant for motor vehicle air conditioners, and not equipment or components containing refrigerant. This page summarizes EPA's published rules; it is not legal advice. ## Example A contractor's office manager, who is not certified, orders 3 cylinders of refrigerant on the company account. The company employs 2 certified technicians, and their card copies are on file with the distributor. The sale can go ahead. The invoice records the company name, the sale date and the quantity: 3 cylinders. The distributor also keeps the employer documentation the buyer provided. For a sale on March 4, 2026, three years from the date of sale runs to March 4, 2029. ## On Shopify On Shopify B2B, catalogs determine the products and pricing your B2B customers can access, and you can include or exclude specific products. On the Basic, Grow and Advanced plans you can assign up to 3 active catalogs across your B2B markets; Shopify Plus offers unlimited catalogs and direct assignment to companies and locations. Metafields extend Shopify's data model with your own custom data, and Company is one of the metafield owner types in the Admin API. As a general practice, not a Shopify certification feature, a store can keep a buyer's certification record as custom data on the company. For a rule at checkout, the Cart and Checkout Validation Function API runs checks to ensure orders meet specific criteria before customers can proceed. Stores on any plan can use public App Store apps that contain functions; only Shopify Plus stores can use custom apps that contain Shopify Function APIs. ## How Uncap helps On Uncap's [HVAC equipment and parts page](/industry/hvac-equipment-parts), certification on file at the account level, and refrigerant SKUs that only an account with a card on file can order, are built during implementation. Uncap Portal gives contractors multi-user accounts with roles and permissions, so the office manager orders and the account still carries the card. ## Related terms - Restricted use pesticide - Safety data sheet (SDS) - GHS label - B2B portal - Shopify Functions ## Sources - EPA: Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements - EPA: Questions and Answers about the Refrigerant Sales Restriction - 40 CFR 82.154, Prohibitions (Cornell LII) ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the difference between EPA 608 Type 1 and 2? Type I covers servicing small appliances. Type II covers servicing or disposing of high- or very high-pressure appliances, except small appliances and motor vehicle air conditioners. ### Does EPA 608 certification expire? No. EPA says Section 608 Technician Certification credentials do not expire. Technicians must keep a copy of their certification at their place of business. ### Can you take your 608 EPA online at home? Some EPA-approved certifying organizations allow online testing, marked "remote testing available" on EPA's list. Universal certification needs every level passed under closed book, secure, proctored conditions.