Techs Must Be Compliant With EPA Recycle Regulations for A/C

May 2026 | Pennsylvania Automotive Association

Any person who repairs or services a motor vehicle air conditioning (MVAC) system must be properly trained and certified under Section 609 (see below) of the Clean Air Act by an EPA-approved program. Technicians need to obtain A/C Technician Certification only once; but, because of turnover, service managers need to be sure technicians doing AC-related work are certified. 

The Pennsylvania Automotive Association (PAA) offers an on-line Freon Certification Training and Testing Program. To register, visit https://apps.paa.org/EducationOnline/.

The chart below summarizes the regulatory requirements under Section 609. 

In addition to properly training technicians, dealers are required to use approved recover/recycle equipment, and submit certification of equipment to the EPA. Currently Intertek and Underwriters Laboratory are the primary organizations approved to certify refrigerant handling equipment.

Recordkeeping Requirements
Service stations must maintain on-site records proving that each person using servicing equipment has been properly trained and certified. Records must also be kept on-site of the name and address of any facility to which they send recovered refrigerant. Records must be maintained for 3 years.
For more information on Section 609, go to www.epa.gov/mvac.