Pass608

    The 2026 EPA 608 question bank: what's reported, what's confirmed

    ESCO Institute now offers a "2026" version of the EPA 608 exam alongside the "2018" version, and ACHR News reported on Sept 19, 2026 that exams based on the previous question bank "can be administered only through Jan. 1, 2027." EPA has not published the change on its own pages as of Sept 24, 2026, so everything beyond ESCO's two exam links is reported, not confirmed.

    Below: what each source says, with dates, and what it means for your test date.

    What we know, who said it, what EPA has published

    What's reportedWho said itWhat EPA has published (checked Sept 24, 2026)
    Two versions of the exam: "Take the 2018 EPA Exam Online" and "Take the 2026 EPA Exam Online"ESCO Institute's homepage and EPA 608 page (checked Sept 24, 2026)Nothing. EPA's program list (updated Aug 20, 2026) doesn't mention a 2026 exam
    EPA is "significantly updating" the exam, for "only the second time" since it began more than 30 years agoACHR News, Sept 19, 2026No notice on EPA's Section 608 pages or in the Federal Register
    Old-bank exams "can be administered only through Jan. 1, 2027"; "on Jan. 1, 2027, exams developed from the previous question bank will no longer be accepted"ACHR News, quoting ESCO's Jason ObrzutNo date published
    A bank of "roughly 400 questions divided among the Core, Type I, Type II, and Type III sections"; programs will create "10 different versions of the exam"ACHR NewsNot published
    The bank adds A2L/A3 content: "the addition of general knowledge questions on A2L and A3 refrigerants — specifically newer refrigerants such as R-32, R-454B, and R-1234yf"ACHR NewsTest Topics page (last updated Dec 5, 2025) lists no A2L, flammable-refrigerant or AIM Act topic
    "Stuff from the AIM Act, specifically regulatory stuff from the AIM Act, will not be on the Section 608 exam"ACHR News, quoting ESCONot published
    No separate A2L certification typeACHR NewsNo A2L certification rule; EPA said in 2021 that training "is best left to the industry"
    The 608 bank "already includes questions concerning A2L refrigerants"EPA, 86 FR 24468 (May 6, 2021)Confirmed: EPA's own words in the Federal Register

    We looked for a second source on Sept 24, 2026: EPA's Test Topics, program list, regulatory updates and Section 608 Q&A pages; the Federal Register; other certifying programs' and trade groups' pages; and four other trade publications. None confirms the new bank, its A2L content or the Jan 1, 2027 date. The ACHR article cites no EPA notice.

    What hasn't changed is the rulebook. 40 CFR 82 subpart F, Appendix D (eCFR as of Sept 21, 2026) still sets the format: 25 Core questions plus 25 for each Type, 100 for Universal, and a 70% pass mark on the closed-book test. No Federal Register document since Jan 1, 2025 amends those rules.

    A2L was already in the bank in 2021

    In its May 6, 2021 SNAP rule, EPA wrote that "EPA's 608 test bank already includes questions concerning A2L refrigerants and the appliances covered by this rule, and EPA continues to review the test bank and can consider adding additional questions in the future if appropriate." The same page lists "flammable refrigerants" among the bank's topics.

    So ACHR's "addition" and EPA's "already includes" don't fully match. The fair reading is expanded A2L/A3 coverage in the 2026 bank, as reported. A prep site that says A2L questions only started in 2026 doesn't match what EPA wrote in 2021.

    If you test before Jan 1, 2027

    • Your program may give either version. ESCO sells both. We haven't found whether other programs have switched, or when. Ask your program which bank your exam uses.
    • Don't cut it close. ACHR's article says both "only through Jan. 1, 2027" and "on Jan. 1, 2027 … no longer be accepted". If your test is set for the last days of December, confirm with your program.
    • Study EPA's published topics. The Test Topics page (Dec 5, 2025) is the only topic list EPA has published. Add A2L/A3 basics on top: safety classes, SNAP use conditions, venting rules. Our A2L refrigerants guide covers those with sources.

    If you test on or after Jan 1, 2027

    • Expect a 2026-bank exam, per ACHR's report.
    • Same structure. The 25/25/100 format and 70% mark come from the CFR, not the bank.
    • More A2L/A3 general knowledge, as reported. No topic list for it has been published, so the best guide is EPA's own A2L rules. Our EPA 608 study guide covers the rest of the exam.

    If you're already certified

    EPA says "Section 608 Technician Certification credentials do not expire." Under 40 CFR 82.161, EPA reserves the right to require recertification in the future "by placing a notice in the Federal Register". No such notice exists as of Sept 24, 2026.

    What we changed at Pass608

    • The A2L/A3 set is live now. It's 40 original questions, run as its own drill. A free account gets 10 of them; both paid tiers get all 40.
    • Written from EPA's rules, not a 2026 topic list, because EPA hasn't published one. The questions come from EPA's SNAP rules and the CFR. EPA releases its bank "only to approved technician certification programs", so no one outside those programs can legitimately sell it.
    • Logged-in users see a dated notice with the ESCO and ACHR attribution.
    • Our mocks switch on the date. From Jan 1, 2027, the reported cut-over, our full mocks mix A2L/A3 questions into the Core and Type sections by default. If the date moves or EPA publishes something different, we change the switch and this page.

    Who does what: EPA writes the rules and keeps the bank secret. The 87 approved programs (EPA list, Aug 20, 2026) give the test and issue the card; see the certification hub. Pass608 is an independent study tool.

    Try 10 A2L/A3 questions free — free account, no card.

    We'll update this page

    Last checked: Sept 24, 2026. Until Jan 31, 2027 we re-check weekly: EPA's Test Topics page, EPA's program list and Section 608 news, and ESCO's EPA 608 page. When EPA publishes anything on the new bank, it goes in the table above with its date.

    Sources