11.12 - Current Versus Historical Rules

Module: Standalone Reference Appendices and Instructor Resources
Purpose: Prevent students from memorizing obsolete EPA Section 608 values, superseded regulatory treatment, old organization names, historical penalty amounts, outdated provider procedures, or old refrigerant-safety classifications as though they were current
Current regulatory verification date: August 14, 2026
Provider-policy verification date: August 14, 2026
Safety-standard verification date: August 14, 2026
Primary controlling authorities: Current 40 CFR Parts 19, 82, and 84; current U.S. EPA Section 608 guidance; current ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 34 information and published addenda; current EPA-approved testing-provider instructions where explicitly identified
Core rule: Historical information can still appear in legitimate old study material and even in current regulations when a historical standard or date-conditioned rule remains relevant. Always determine whether a value is obsolete, historical but still referenced, current date-conditioned, current federal, or provider-specific.

How to Use This Reference

When an older EPA 608 source gives a number, standard, rule, or procedure that conflicts with newer course material, do not automatically choose the older or newer statement.

Use this sequence:

1. IDENTIFY THE TOPIC.
2. IDENTIFY THE DATE / ERA OF THE OLD STATEMENT.
3. DETERMINE WHETHER THE OLD VALUE WAS SUPERSEDED.
4. CHECK THE CURRENT eCFR OR CURRENT OFFICIAL SOURCE.
5. CHECK WHETHER A HISTORICAL DATE-CONDITIONED RULE STILL REMAINS IN FORCE.
6. SEPARATE FEDERAL RULES FROM PROVIDER-SPECIFIC PROCEDURES.
7. RECORD THE CURRENT VERIFICATION DATE.

The most important decision is:

OLD
≠
AUTOMATICALLY WRONG

but also:

OLD STUDY GUIDE
≠
CURRENT AUTHORITY

A historical value may be:

• Fully obsolete.
• Still relevant only to older equipment.
• Still correctly named because the historical standard retains its original designation.
• Superseded by a newer federal rule.
• Replaced by a separate regulatory program.
• A provider policy that has changed without any change to federal law.

1. Status Labels Used in This Appendix

2. Master Current-Versus-Historical Comparison Table

Every row below states the historical wording or value, the current wording or value, why the difference matters, and the controlling source.

3. Leak-Rate Thresholds

3.1 Historical Values

Older EPA 608 material can legitimately contain the former trigger rates:

INDUSTRIAL PROCESS REFRIGERATION
→ 35%

COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION
→ 35%

COMFORT COOLING
→ 15%

OTHER COVERED APPLIANCES
→ 15%

These values were once valid.

They are not the current §82.157 trigger rates.

Historical status

35% / 35% / 15% / 15%
→ HISTORICAL / SUPERSEDED

Why it matters: An older exam-preparation source can have a perfectly authentic historical answer key and still be wrong for a current-rule question.

Current controlling source: 40 CFR §82.157.

3.2 Current Section 608 ODS Values

Current §82.157 applies to appliances with:

50 lb OR MORE

of:

• Class I refrigerant.
• Class II refrigerant.
• A blend containing class I or class II refrigerant.

Current trigger rates:

Current memory pattern

30
20
10

for:

IPR
COMMERCIAL
COMFORT / OTHER

Why it matters: Current trigger rates and current ODS applicability must be learned together. A student who remembers only 20% without remembering the ODS/50-lb context can still answer incorrectly.

Current controlling source: 40 CFR §82.157(a), (c).

4. HFC Leak-Repair Treatment Changed More Than Once

This is one of the most important historical/current distinctions in the entire course.

4.1 2016 Rule Era

EPA’s 2016 refrigerant-management rule extended many Section 608 requirements to substitute refrigerants and extended the appliance leak-repair provisions to qualifying substitute-refrigerant appliances.

A source from the late 2010s can therefore state that:

§82.157 LEAK REPAIR
→ HFC / SUBSTITUTE APPLIANCES

and have been accurate for that regulatory period.

Status

HISTORICAL FOR CURRENT 2026 USE

4.2 April 10, 2020 Change

Current §82.157 states that, as of:

APRIL 10, 2020

the section applies only to appliances with:

50 lb OR MORE

of class I/class II refrigerant or a blend containing class I/class II refrigerant.

It explicitly excludes appliances containing solely substitute refrigerants.

Therefore:

HFC-ONLY APPLIANCE
→ NOT CURRENT §82.157 LEAK-REPAIR APPLICABILITY

Why it matters: A 2017-2019 source and a current source can disagree because the rule actually changed.

Current controlling source: 40 CFR §82.157(a).

4.3 Other Section 608 HFC Requirements Did Not Disappear

The 2020 leak-repair change did not mean:

HFC
→ NO SECTION 608 REQUIREMENTS

Current Section 608 still includes important requirements affecting non-exempt substitutes, including relevant:

• Technician certification.
• Sales restriction.
• Recovery/service practices.
• Recovery-equipment requirements.
• Venting prohibition.
• Safe disposal.
• Reclamation/used-refrigerant transfer rules.

Exam trap

Incorrect:

EPA REMOVED HFCs FROM §82.157
→ HFCs ARE UNREGULATED UNDER SECTION 608

Correct:

§82.157 LEAK-REPAIR APPLICABILITY CHANGED
→ OTHER SECTION 608 REQUIREMENTS REMAIN

Current controlling sources: 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F; current EPA Section 608 guidance.

5. Current AIM Act HFC Leak Repair

Beginning:

JANUARY 1, 2026

a separate current program under:

40 CFR §84.106

applies to qualifying refrigerant-containing appliances.

5.1 Current Applicability

The current rule generally applies at:

15 lb OR MORE

full charge where the refrigerant contains:

• A regulated substance under Part 84, or
• A substitute for a regulated substance with GWP greater than 53 using the Part 84 table specified by the rule.

Important exclusions include:

• Appliances containing solely an ozone-depleting substance.
• Appliances in the residential and light commercial air-conditioning and heat-pump subsector.

5.2 Current AIM Trigger Rates

Critical Comparison

SECTION 608 §82.157
→ qualifying ODS
→ ≥50 lb

AIM §84.106
→ qualifying HFC / substitute
→ ≥15 lb
→ stated exclusions

Why it matters: The percentages look similar, but the refrigerant scope and full-charge thresholds are different.

Current controlling source: 40 CFR §84.106.

6. Refrigerant Sales Restrictions

6.1 Historical Simplification

Older sources may state:

REFRIGERANT SALES RESTRICTION
→ CFCs / HCFCs / ODS ONLY

That no longer describes the complete current federal stationary-refrigerant sales restriction.

Historical status

INCOMPLETE / OUTDATED FOR CURRENT USE

6.2 Current Rule

Beginning:

JANUARY 1, 2018

the sales restriction extended to non-exempt substitute refrigerants, including common HFC refrigerants.

Current EPA guidance states that Section 608 certified technicians or qualifying employers may purchase refrigerant for stationary refrigeration/A/C use, subject to the regulatory exceptions.

Small MVAC Can Exception

Qualifying small cans of substitute refrigerant for MVAC service can be sold to uncertified persons when the federal conditions are met, including:

2 lb OR LESS

and the required container/fitting features.

Do not generalize that exception to stationary HVAC refrigerant cylinders.

Why it matters: A homeowner or uncertified worker cannot assume that HFC refrigerant for stationary equipment is unrestricted merely because HFCs do not deplete ozone.

Current controlling source: 40 CFR §82.154(c); EPA Refrigerant Sales Restriction.

7. Recovery-Equipment Standards

Recovery-equipment rules are a strong example of a historical date becoming part of the current rule.

7.1 Current Regulatory Timeline

For recovery/recycling equipment used with appliances other than small appliances, MVACs, and MVAC-like appliances:

Why the Date Matters

The relevant date is the date the recovery/recycling equipment was:

MANUFACTURED OR IMPORTED

It is not:

• Appliance manufacture date.
• Technician certification date.
• Service date.
• Date the technician bought the machine.

Current controlling source: 40 CFR §82.158.

7.2 Older Recovery Equipment Is Not Automatically Illegal

Incorrect:

PRE-2017 RECOVERY MACHINE
→ AUTOMATICALLY ILLEGAL

Correct:

CHECK THE MACHINE'S
DATE-BASED REGULATORY PATHWAY
+
CERTIFICATION / PERFORMANCE
+
REFRIGERANT COMPATIBILITY
+
CONDITION
+
INTENDED APPLIANCE CATEGORY

A historical standard can remain legally relevant because the current regulation uses it to classify equipment from an earlier manufacture/import period.

7.3 Former Equipment-Acquisition Filing

Older Section 608 material can discuss an owner/service-entity certification to EPA stating that recovery/recycling equipment had been acquired.

Current EPA recovery-equipment guidance states that persons servicing stationary A/C and refrigeration equipment are no longer required to make that former equipment-acquisition certification to EPA.

This does not remove the requirement to use compliant recovery/recycling equipment.

Comparison

FORMER EQUIPMENT-ACQUISITION CERTIFICATION FILING
→ NO LONGER REQUIRED

but:

RECOVERY EQUIPMENT
→ STILL MUST MEET APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS

Current controlling source: EPA Refrigerant Recovery and Recycling Equipment Certification; 40 CFR §82.158.

8. ARI Versus AHRI Terminology

8.1 Historical Organization Name

Historical recovery-equipment standards correctly include:

ARI STANDARD 740-1993

and:

ARI STANDARD 740-1995

Do not rewrite them as:

AHRI 740-1993
AHRI 740-1995

8.2 Current Organization Name

The current organization is:

AHRI
→ Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute

Current §82.158/Appendix B3 uses:

AHRI STANDARD 740-2016

Correct Naming Rule

HISTORICAL STANDARD
→ KEEP HISTORICAL NAME

CURRENT ORGANIZATION
→ AHRI

Why It Matters

Seeing the word:

ARI

inside the current eCFR does not prove the regulation is outdated.

The current regulation may be accurately referring to a historical incorporated standard.

Controlling sources: 40 CFR §82.158; Appendix B3; current AHRI organization/standards information.

9. Civil Penalty Values

Penalty numbers are among the least safe EPA 608 facts to memorize from an old book.

9.1 Historical Figures

Older Clean Air Act/EPA training material may list maximum civil penalties such as:

$25,000 per day

$27,500 per day

$32,500 per day

$37,500 per day

These values correspond to earlier statutory/inflation-adjusted periods.

The current eCFR still displays those historical amounts in its historical penalty table.

Status

HISTORICAL
→ DO NOT TEACH AS A TIMELESS CURRENT MAXIMUM

9.2 Current Penalty Structure

Current 40 CFR §19.4 uses inflation-adjusted penalty amounts and distinguishes the statutory enforcement pathway.

Current Table 1 lists the following Clean Air Act amounts:

42 U.S.C. §7413(b)
→ $124,426

for the current judicial civil-penalty maximum applicable under the table’s stated timing conditions.

The same table separately lists:

42 U.S.C. §7413(d)(1)
→ $59,114 / $472,901

for the current administrative penalty per-day / total structure under that statutory provision.

It also lists a separate current field-citation amount under §7413(d)(3).

Critical Wording

Do not teach:

"THE SECTION 608 FINE IS $124,426 PER DAY"

as a universal statement.

Teach:

Clean Air Act civil monetary penalties are inflation-adjusted and depend on the applicable statutory/enforcement pathway. Always verify the current 40 CFR §19.4 table.

Why It Matters

A technically old exam source can have a penalty amount that was correct when published but is no longer the current maximum.

Current controlling source: 40 CFR Part 19, especially §19.4.

10. Recordkeeping Changes

Recordkeeping rules have changed in scope and organization over time.

10.1 Leak-Repair Records

Older material can direct the student to:

§82.166

for leak-repair records or contain older pre-2019 regulatory organization.

Current ODS leak-repair recordkeeping is in:

§82.157(l)

with reporting provisions in the current section.

Many current records are kept for at least:

3 YEARS

unless a different duration is specified.

Full-charge records are maintained until:

3 YEARS AFTER APPLIANCE RETIREMENT

Why It Matters

An old section citation can be as misleading as an old numerical value.

Current controlling source: 40 CFR §82.157(l)-(m).

10.2 Disposal Records

Some summaries use shorthand:

5-50 lb

Current §82.156(a)(3) is more precise:

MORE THAN 5 lb
AND
LESS THAN 50 lb

for the technician disposal-recovery records covered by that paragraph.

Retention:

3 YEARS

Boundary Check

EXACTLY 5 lb
→ NOT IN THIS SPECIFIC RANGE

EXACTLY 50 lb
→ NOT IN THIS SPECIFIC RANGE

Why it matters: A shorthand summary can silently change the endpoints.

Current controlling source: 40 CFR §82.156(a)(3).

10.3 Refrigerant Retailer Records

Current retailer records for applicable refrigerant sales include:

PURCHASER NAME
DATE OF SALE
QUANTITY PURCHASED

with the applicable records retained:

3 YEARS

An old source that describes sales restrictions only for ODS may also contain outdated retailer-record scope.

Current controlling source: 40 CFR §82.154(c); current EPA retailer guidance.

11. Evacuation Tables: Historical Dates That Are Still Current

The current Table 1 of §82.156 includes two recovery-equipment date columns:

MANUFACTURED / IMPORTED
BEFORE NOV. 15, 1993

and:

MANUFACTURED / IMPORTED
ON OR AFTER NOV. 15, 1993

These are not “old table versus new table.”

They are two columns in the current table.

11.1 Current Table 1 Summary

Important Status

PRE-1993 COLUMN
→ CURRENT DATE-CONDITIONED RULE

not:

PRE-1993 COLUMN
→ OBSOLETE

Why it matters: A “historical versus current” appendix must not accidentally delete a historical date condition that remains part of current law.

Current controlling source: 40 CFR §82.156(a), Table 1.

12. Type I Recovery Date Condition

The same principle applies to small-appliance recovery.

Current §82.156(b) retains:

RECOVERY EQUIPMENT
MANUFACTURED BEFORE NOV. 15, 1993
→ 80%

and for equipment manufactured on/after that date:

FUNCTIONING COMPRESSOR
→ 90%

NONFUNCTIONING COMPRESSOR
→ 80%

with the current alternative:

4 in. Hg vacuum

Historical-versus-current lesson

The date is old.

The rule is current.

Current controlling source: 40 CFR §82.156(b).

13. Testing-Provider Procedures

Federal EPA test requirements and provider-specific testing procedures must be kept separate.

13.1 Federal Baseline

Current federal rules require:

• EPA-approved certifying program.
• At least 25 Core questions and at least 25 questions from each relevant technical group.
• Universal coverage of Core + Type I + Type II + Type III.
• Proctored Core when it is to count toward Universal certification.

EPA maintains the current list of approved certifying programs.

Current EPA-approved-provider example

EPA’s current certification-program list identifies SkillCat as:

SKILLCAT EPA CERTIFICATION
→ EPA-APPROVED
→ ONLINE TESTING ONLY

Current controlling source: 40 CFR §82.161 and Appendix D; EPA Certification Programs for Section 608 Technicians.

13.2 Why Older Testing Instructions Can Be Obsolete

Older sources may emphasize:

• Paper exams.
• In-person exams only.
• Mail-in Type I testing.
• Old provider fees.
• Old time limits.
• Old retake policies.
• Old proctoring methods.

Current EPA recognizes approved programs that offer:

REMOTE / ONLINE TESTING

Therefore:

TEST DELIVERY METHOD
→ CAN CHANGE
WITHOUT CHANGING EPA 608 TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE

14. Current SkillCat Procedure Snapshot

The following is a provider-specific snapshot, not a federal regulation.

14.1 Current Published Structure

Current SkillCat 2026 material also describes:

4 ATTEMPTS

and a:

4-HOUR WAIT

after a failed attempt before retesting under the provider’s current procedure.

These are:

PROVIDER-SPECIFIC

not universal federal Section 608 rules.

14.2 Passing-Score Wording Requires Reverification

Current SkillCat public material uses wording that is not perfectly consistent.

Current pages include language such as:

70%

and other current guidance states:

18 CORRECT OUT OF 25
IN EACH REQUIRED SECTION

Since:

$$\frac{18}{25}\cdot 100=72\%$$

the verbal percentage and integer question count should not be casually treated as mathematically identical.

Course Rule

At the time of the official exam, follow the scoring requirement and exam agreement displayed in the current SkillCat application.

Do not rely on:

• An old screenshot.
• An old course note.
• A blog post that conflicts with the actual exam agreement.
• A historical provider policy.

Why It Matters

Provider procedures can change rapidly and are not the controlling source for federal technical regulations.

Controlling source for provider procedure: Current SkillCat application/help materials.

15. Project Readiness Target Is Not a Historical Federal Rule

The course uses a preparation target of:

22 / 25

in each section on two separate closed-book cumulative attempts, with no unresolved high-priority errors.

That is:

$$\frac{22}{25}\cdot 100=88\%$$

This is:

PROJECT READINESS STANDARD

not:

EPA PASSING RULE

and not:

PROVIDER PASSING RULE

Do not confuse an intentionally conservative course target with a legal examination requirement.

16. Refrigerant Safety-Classification Updates

Refrigerant safety classifications are maintained by ASHRAE Standard 34.

Older charts can be outdated even when the refrigerant designation has not changed.

16.1 Historical Class 2 to 2L Change

ASHRAE Addendum h to Standard 34-2010 changed the flammability classification for:

• R-32.
• R-143a.
• R-717.
• R-1234yf.

from Class 2 to the newer:

2L

subclass based on the applicable burning-velocity criterion.

Important Examples

Why It Matters

An old chart that says:

R-32 = A2

can cause incorrect assumptions about:

• Tool compatibility.
• Ignition control.
• Safety training.
• Current equipment standards.

16.2 Current Standard Baseline

ASHRAE’s current published edition is:

ANSI/ASHRAE STANDARD 34-2024

It supersedes Standard 34-2022.

ASHRAE maintains Standard 34 on continuous maintenance.

The current addenda page lists Standard 34-2024 addenda through:

JUNE 30, 2026

including addenda published on that date.

Current Rule for Field Reference

CURRENT STANDARD 34
+
CURRENT PUBLISHED ADDENDA
→ CONTROLS SAFETY-CLASSIFICATION REFERENCE

not:

OLD REFRIGERANT CHART
→ CONTROLS FOREVER

Controlling source: ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 34-2024 and current ASHRAE addenda.

17. Timeline of High-Priority Changes

18. Historical Value Trap Table

19. Values That Look Historical but Must Not Be Deleted

Some old dates are embedded in the current rule.

Do not mark the following as obsolete merely because they refer to the 1990s or 2000s:

19.1 November 15, 1993

Still used in current:

• Table 1 evacuation columns.
• Small-appliance recovery pathways.
• Recovery-equipment certification structure.

19.2 ARI 740-1993

Still correctly referenced in current §82.158 for the applicable recovery-equipment period.

19.3 ARI 740-1995

Still correctly referenced in current §82.158 for the applicable later equipment period.

General Lesson

HISTORICAL DATE
+
CURRENT REGULATION REFERENCES IT
→ CURRENT DATE-CONDITIONED RULE

This is different from:

HISTORICAL VALUE
+
CURRENT REGULATION REPLACED IT
→ OBSOLETE

20. Values That Should Be Treated as Obsolete for Current-Rule Questions

Unless a question explicitly asks for historical information, reject:

35%
→ current commercial/IPR leak rate

15%
→ current comfort-cooling leak rate

$37,500/day
→ timeless current EPA Section 608 penalty

HFC-only appliance
→ current §82.157 leak-repair applicability

R-32 = A2

R-1234yf = A2

R-717 = B2

Do not “average” old and new values.

Do not select an old value merely because it appears in several older books.

21. Proposed Rules Are Not Current Rules

A proposed rule can appear newer than the current eCFR.

That does not make it controlling.

For this course:

FINAL CURRENT eCFR
→ CONTROLS CURRENT FEDERAL RULE

unless the user is specifically studying a proposed future change.

Rule

PROPOSAL
≠
FINAL RULE

If a current EPA proposal would alter a requirement:

1. Label it proposed.
2. Keep the current final rule as the current answer.
3. Recheck after publication of any final rule.
4. Update the course only when the controlling requirement changes.

22. Current Source Hierarchy

For a current regulatory question, use this hierarchy.

22.1 Federal Requirement

CURRENT eCFR
→ PRIMARY CONTROLLING TEXT

then:

CURRENT EPA IMPLEMENTATION / GUIDANCE
→ EXPLANATION / APPLICATION

22.2 Safety Classification

CURRENT ANSI/ASHRAE STANDARD 34
+
CURRENT PUBLISHED ADDENDA

22.3 Examination Delivery

CURRENT EPA APPROVED-PROVIDER STATUS
+
CURRENT PROVIDER EXAM AGREEMENT / INSTRUCTIONS

22.4 Old Study Material

TOPIC FREQUENCY / HISTORICAL CONTEXT / PRACTICE STYLE

not:

CONTROLLING CURRENT REGULATION

23. Current-Rule Verification Worksheet

Use this worksheet whenever an old and new source disagree.

## Current-versus-Historical Verification Record

- **Topic:**
- **Historical source date:**
- **Historical wording/value:**
- **Was it valid when published?** Yes / No / Unclear
- **Current eCFR section:**
- **Current wording/value:**
- **Current EPA guidance checked:**
- **Separate AIM Act rule relevant?** Yes / No
- **Provider-specific rather than federal?** Yes / No
- **Safety-standard/addendum check needed?** Yes / No
- **Historical value still current under a date condition?** Yes / No
- **Why the difference matters:**
- **Controlling source:**
- **Verification date:**
- **Course files that must be updated:**

24. Exam Strategy for Historical/Current Questions

When a question includes:

CURRENT
TODAY
UNDER CURRENT EPA RULES

use current verified values.

When a question explicitly says:

HISTORICALLY
BEFORE [DATE]
EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURED BEFORE [DATE]

use the corresponding historical/date-conditioned rule.

Key clue

"MANUFACTURED BEFORE NOVEMBER 15, 1993"

is not asking for an obsolete answer.

It is selecting a current date-conditioned requirement.

25. Common Mistakes and Confusing Points

Mistake 1 - Treating Every Old Number as Wrong

Some current rules still depend on historical equipment dates.

Mistake 2 - Treating Every Published Book as Current Authority

Publication date alone does not guarantee current regulatory accuracy.

Mistake 3 - Memorizing 35% / 15%

Those are historical leak-rate values.

Mistake 4 - Applying 30% / 20% / 10% Without Checking Refrigerant Scope

Section 608 §82.157 and AIM §84.106 can use similar percentages but have different applicability thresholds and refrigerant scope.

Mistake 5 - Saying “HFC Leak Repair Was Repealed”

The accurate current statement is:

§82.157 HFC/SUBSTITUTE-ONLY LEAK REPAIR
→ RESCINDED EFFECTIVE APR. 10, 2020

but:

AIM §84.106
→ SEPARATE CURRENT HFC/SUBSTITUTE LEAK REPAIR
→ EFFECTIVE JAN. 1, 2026

Mistake 6 - Calling ARI an Error Everywhere

ARI is correct when naming historical ARI standards.

Mistake 7 - Renaming ARI 740-1995 as AHRI 740-1995

Do not rename a historical standard retroactively.

Mistake 8 - Teaching One Current Penalty Number as Universal

Current penalties depend on statutory/enforcement path and inflation adjustment.

Mistake 9 - Treating Provider Procedures as Federal Law

A provider can change:

• Time limits.
• Attempts.
• Waiting period.
• Device requirements.
• Proctoring workflow.
• Pricing.
• Review process.

without changing §82.156 or §82.157.

Mistake 10 - Assuming Online Testing Is Invalid

EPA’s current approved-provider list includes online/remote testing programs.

Mistake 11 - Using an Old Refrigerant Safety Chart

Current Standard 34 and current addenda control the safety-classification reference.

Mistake 12 - Calling A2L “A2”

That can be a historical classification and is not the current reference for refrigerants such as R-32 and R-1234yf.

Mistake 13 - Calling the Pre-1993 Evacuation Column Obsolete

It remains in the current Table 1.

Mistake 14 - Using “5 to 50 lb” as Exact Regulatory Language

The current disposal-record range is:

>5 lb
AND
<50 lb

26. Quick “Use or Reject” Table

27. Current Verification Checklist Before Teaching

Before each course offering:

• Open current 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F.
• Recheck §82.154 sales restrictions.
• Recheck §82.156 evacuation/service-practice requirements.
• Recheck §82.157 ODS leak-repair applicability and rates.
• Recheck §82.158 recovery-equipment standards.
• Recheck §82.161 technician certification.
• Recheck current 40 CFR §19.4 penalty table.
• Recheck current 40 CFR Part 84, Subpart C.
• Recheck §84.106 AIM leak-repair scope.
• Recheck current EPA Section 608 provider list.
• Recheck the selected provider’s examination agreement/instructions.
• Recheck current ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 34 edition.
• Recheck Standard 34 addenda.
• Search course files for obsolete 35%.
• Search course files for obsolete 15% leak-rate use.
• Search course files for $37,500.
• Search course files for inappropriate AHRI 740-1995.
• Search course files for old A2 classifications that should now be A2L.
• Confirm pre-1993 values are not incorrectly deleted where current regulation still uses them.
• Update verification dates.
• Update affected practice questions and answer keys.
• Update CHANGELOG.md.

The complete maintenance procedure is in:

11.15 - Regulatory Verification and Update Procedure.md

28. EPA 608 Exam Focus

For current Universal preparation, remember:

35 / 35 / 15 / 15
→ HISTORICAL LEAK RATES

30 / 20 / 10
→ CURRENT §82.157 ODS LEAK-RATE PATTERN

§82.157
→ ≥50 lb
→ ODS

AIM §84.106
→ ≥15 lb
→ qualifying HFC / substitute
→ Jan. 1, 2026
→ check exclusions

JAN. 1, 2018
→ SALES / CERTIFICATION EXPANSION TO MANY SUBSTITUTES

APR. 10, 2020
→ §82.157 SUBSTITUTE-ONLY LEAK REPAIR ENDS

NOV. 15, 1993
→ OLD DATE
→ STILL PART OF CURRENT RECOVERY / EVACUATION RULES

ARI 740-1993
ARI 740-1995
→ HISTORICAL NAMES STILL CORRECT

AHRI 740-2016
→ NEWER EQUIPMENT STANDARD NAME

$37,500
→ HISTORICAL PENALTY FIGURE

CURRENT PENALTY
→ CHECK §19.4
→ ENFORCEMENT-PATH SPECIFIC

A2L / B2L
→ CURRENT SAFETY-CLASSIFICATION CONCEPTS

PROVIDER PROCEDURE
→ VERIFY AT TEST TIME

29. Cross-Reference Guide

References

Current Federal Regulatory Sources

1. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR § 82.154 - Prohibitions, accessed August 14, 2026.
   https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.154

2. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR § 82.156 - Proper Evacuation of Refrigerant from Appliances, accessed August 14, 2026.
   https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.156

3. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR § 82.157 - Appliance Maintenance and Leak Repair, accessed August 14, 2026.
   https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.157

4. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR § 82.158 - Standards for Recovery and/or Recycling Equipment, accessed August 14, 2026.
   https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.158

5. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR § 82.161 - Technician Certification, accessed August 14, 2026.
   https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.161

6. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Appendix D to 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F - Standards for Becoming a Certifying Program for Technicians, accessed August 14, 2026.
   https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/appendix-Appendix%20D%20to%20Subpart%20F%20of%20Part%2082

7. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR § 84.106 - Leak Repair, accessed August 14, 2026.
   https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-84/subpart-C/section-84.106

8. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR § 19.4 - Statutory Civil Monetary Penalties, accessed August 14, 2026.
   https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-19/section-19.4

Current EPA Sources

9. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Regulatory Updates: Section 608 Refrigerant Management Regulations, accessed August 14, 2026.
   https://www.epa.gov/section608/regulatory-updates-section-608-refrigerant-management-regulations

10. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Stationary Refrigeration Leak Repair Requirements, accessed August 14, 2026.
    https://www.epa.gov/section608/stationary-refrigeration-leak-repair-requirements

11. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Refrigerant Sales Restriction, last updated March 23, 2026; accessed August 14, 2026.
    https://www.epa.gov/section608/refrigerant-sales-restriction

12. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Refrigerant Recovery and Recycling Equipment Certification, last updated July 6, 2026; accessed August 14, 2026.
    https://www.epa.gov/section608/refrigerant-recovery-and-recycling-equipment-certification

13. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Certification Programs for Section 608 Technicians, accessed August 14, 2026.
    https://www.epa.gov/section608/certification-programs-section-608-technicians

14. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements, last updated July 15, 2026; accessed August 14, 2026.
    https://www.epa.gov/section608/section-608-technician-certification-requirements

15. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements for Stationary Refrigeration, accessed August 14, 2026.
    https://www.epa.gov/section608/recordkeeping-and-reporting-requirements-stationary-refrigeration

Current Safety-Classification Sources

16. ASHRAE, Refrigeration Resources - Standard 34-2024, accessed August 14, 2026.
    https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/bookstore/ashrae-refrigeration-resources

17. ASHRAE, Standards Addenda - ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 34-2024, accessed August 14, 2026.
    https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/standards-and-guidelines/standards-addenda

18. ASHRAE, ANSI/ASHRAE Addendum h to Standard 34-2010, historical 2L-classification source, accessed August 14, 2026.
    https://www.ashrae.org/file%20library/technical%20resources/standards%20and%20guidelines/standards%20addenda/34_2010_efgh_forposting.pdf

Provider-Specific Sources

19. SkillCat, EPA 608 Certification Study Guide 2026, accessed August 14, 2026.
    https://www.skillcatapp.com/post/epa-608-certification-study-guide-1

20. SkillCat, EPA 608 Practice Test 2026: Core & Types I-III Guide, accessed August 14, 2026.
    https://www.skillcatapp.com/post/epa-608-practice-test-guide-core-type-i-ii-iii

21. SkillCat, How to Prepare for the EPA 608 Proctored Exam, accessed August 14, 2026.
    https://www.skillcatapp.com/post/how-to-prepare-for-the-epa-608-proctored-exam

Provider-specific sources are included only for examination-delivery procedures. They do not control federal Section 608 technical requirements.

Course Cross-References

22. 2.8 - Current and Historical Regulation Comparison

23. 10.2 - High-Priority Numbers and Thresholds

24. 11.4 - Refrigerant Pressure and Safety Classification Reference

25. 11.6 - Master Recovery and Evacuation Tables

26. 11.7 - Leak Repair Recordkeeping and Regulatory Reference

27. 11.11 - Safe Disposal and Refrigerant Transfer Reference