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United States · Certification test

Free EPA 608 practice tests and study options

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) doesn’t publish a practice test for Section 608, but it says some websites have free practice questions. Among the programs EPA has approved to give the real test, Mainstream Engineering gives away Type I training software with unlimited practice exams for Windows computers. For Type II, Type III or Universal, a free EPA 608 practice test from these programs means a trial: SkillCat’s app, with practice tests for every type, is free for 3 days and then $10 a month.

  • NonePractice tests published by EPA
  • OptionalClasses and courses, called voluntary by EPA
  • Not reviewed by EPAPrep courses, manuals and practice tests
Where to study

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

EPA 608 practice tests and courses compared

OptionPriceFree to useLinks
From EPA
EPA Section 608 Test TopicsOfficial topic listWhat each section of the test covers, from environmental impacts and the venting ban to recovery levels and chiller recharging. EPA doesn’t publish a study guide or practice test; this is its outline.
No charge; it’s a public EPA web pageThe whole list for Core, Type I, Type II and Type III
EPA: Section 608 Test Topics ↗
Approved programs
Mainstream Engineering (EPATest.com)Approved certifying organization: software, manuals, online and in-person testsApproved by EPA since January 26, 1994. Universal is offered online through ProctorU or in person with a proctor found through its testing locator. The course for the other types needs a purchased download code, and open-book exams are now bought and taken through an account on its site.
Type I open-book test $26.95 for the first attempt, $7.95 for each extra attempt, card includedType I training software for Windows with electronic manuals, interactive tools and unlimited practice exams, now with Spanish
Mainstream Engineering: Free Software ↗Mainstream Engineering: Section 608 ↗
SkillCatApp with training, practice tests and a proctored online examApproved by EPA since November 18, 2020, for online testing only, with Spanish. The exam runs in the app on a phone, computer or iPad with a virtual proctor, and SkillCat says the membership includes four attempts.
$10 a month after a 3-day free trialThe 3-day trial
SkillCat: EPA 608 Certification Online ↗
FaradayOnline course with a proctored online examOn-demand videos, a study guide, unlimited practice exams and hundreds of practice questions, with lifetime access. Exams are proctored online on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, on a computer only.
$199 for the course, the online exam and a physical cardNot listed
Faraday: EPA 608 Course and Exam ↗
Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)Paper test through registered proctors, plus a guide and an online prep courseClosed-book paper tests in English, given by vocational schools, manufacturers, utilities and contractors acting as ACCA proctors. No online test yet. ACCA also sells a Technicians Guide and Workbook and a self-paced online prep course.
$32.95 a test when your proctor orders it, plus shippingNot listed
ACCA: EPA 608 Certification ↗
Interplay LearningVideo courses and practice tests for teamsCourses for Core, Type I, Type II and Type III on desktop, laptop, mobile or VR, with live online proctoring for the Universal exam. Built for employers, with an admin dashboard to assign courses and track results.
Not on its EPA 608 pageNot listed
Interplay Learning: EPA 608 Certification ↗
ESCO InstituteApproved certifying organizationApproved by EPA since December 28, 1993. EPA’s list notes remote testing, a training manual and locations nationwide, and EPA names ESCO as a program that replaces lost cards.
Set by ESCO on its own siteNot listed
ESCO Institute ↗

Prices and ratings checked October 2026.

Where can you find a free EPA 608 practice test?

Mainstream Engineering’s free training software covers Type I open-book certification. It has electronic manuals, interactive learning tools and unlimited practice exams, and it now comes in Spanish. It runs on Windows only; Mainstream says it isn’t available for Android, ChromeOS, iPhone or iPad. Practice for the other types and Universal needs a software download code, which you buy.

EPA’s own help is the list of topics each section covers. It isn’t a practice test, but it’s the outline EPA gives for each section.

EPA 608 study guide: the topics for each section →

EPA 608 practice tests for Core, Type I, Type II and Type III

Everyone takes Core, plus one section for each type. These are the programs’ own descriptions of what their practice material covers:

  • Mainstream Engineering: Type I and its Core section in the free software; Type II, Type III and Universal in the paid download.
  • SkillCat: training videos, study guides and practice tests for Type I, Type II, Type III and Universal in its app.
  • Interplay Learning: video courses and practice tests for Core, Type I, Type II and Type III, aimed at employers training their teams.
  • Faraday: a study guide, unlimited practice exams and hundreds of practice questions in its EPA 608 course.
  • Trade Masters Online: video lectures, practice quizzes and practice exams in every course.
  • Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA): a Technicians Guide and Workbook for the 608 test, and a self-paced online prep course.

If you’re aiming past Type I, practice Core for a closed-book test; the universal page explains why an open-book Core score won’t carry over.

EPA Type 1 certification →EPA Type 2 certification →EPA Type 3 certification →

EPA 608 classes and courses, near you or online

EPA says all training and review classes for Section 608 are voluntary; only passing the test is required. If a program offers training as well as the test, EPA’s rules keep the two completely separate.

For a class near you, EPA’s approved list includes trade schools and colleges, such as Harper College and Rock Valley College in Illinois, Hudson Valley Community College in New York and Ranken Technical College in Missouri. ACCA’s tests are given by vocational schools, manufacturers, utilities and contractors acting as its proctors. Online, SkillCat, Faraday, Trade Masters Online and Interplay Learning sell self-paced courses that end with an online exam.

How to get EPA 608 certification →EPA 608 certification cost →

How to choose an EPA 608 course

  • Check the device: Mainstream’s software needs Windows, Faraday’s online exam needs a computer, and SkillCat’s exam runs on a phone.
  • Check the types it covers. A Type I course won’t get you ready for Type II or Type III.
  • Check how the exam is given. Some courses end with an open-book Type I test, others with a proctored Universal test.
  • Check the language. EPA’s list marks programs that test in Spanish, and Mainstream’s free software includes Spanish.
  • Check the retake terms. SkillCat says its membership includes four attempts; Mainstream charges for each extra Type I attempt.
Sources: EPA · eCFR · Mainstream Engineering and 7 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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