HVAC-R: Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration: Exams and Certifications

Ready-to-Work Certification

• Technicians entering the field with little to no education or training
• Online only, not proctored
• $50 fee
• More information found here

HVAC Support Technician Certification

• Recommended 6-12 months experience
• Test is monitored and proctored, 2.5 hour time limit, 100 questions
• More information found here

NATE Certification

• Recommended 2 or more years of experience
• Two pathways to earing NATE Certification
  • Traditional Core and Specialty Exam Pathway
    • Must take the NATE Core exam (50 questions) and a specialty exam (100) - specialty exams include: Air Conditioning, Air Distribution, Heat Pump, Gas Heating, Oil Heating
  • Certified HVAC Professional (CHP-5) Pathway
    • Five thirty-minute exams with each exam covering a different topic. These topics are: HVAC Fundamentals, Electrical and Controls, Comfort and Airflow, Installation, Service
    • Exams can be taken in any order and technicians can wait up to 6 months between each exam to study and prepare
    • Offered in person and online with remote proctoring
• Find more information here 

More information on the exams and certifications that NATE offers can be found here

Certificate Member Certification (CM)

• Covers a broad scope of materials
• After passing the exam, members may list "CM" after their name
• Requirements: Must be an RSES member but not a student or associate member.

• "There are 150 multiple-choice questions on the examination.  A grade of 70% is required to pass. 
  To document the difficulty of the CM examination, RSES International Headquarters keeps accurate records of the examinations given and the results of each.  Current pass rates are roughly 30%." - RSES Testing 

Certificate Member Specialist (CMS)

• Requirements for specialist exams: must be an RSES member. Must pass CM exam. .
  • It is recommended, due to the rigor of these exams, that individuals take RSES courses and have 5-7 years of experience in the area
• Test member's knowledge in a specialty at greater detail and depth than the general exam.
• These exams change to reflect current standards and practices
• How is the test formatted
  • Questions include those that require a written, paragraph length answer, fill-in-the-blank, drawing sketches, completing wiring diagrams, and solving complex technical math problems.
• Specialist Exams:
  • Commercial Air Conditioning
  • HVACR Electrical
  • Commercial Refrigeration
  • Heating
  • Controls
  • Domestic Service
  • Heat Pump
  • Dynamic Compression

Find more information here

R-140A Certification

"...any HFC refrigerants, such as R-410A, operate at considerably higher pressures than many other refrigerants, safety training is imperative."

• This certification shows ability to handle R-140 safely. 
• Free study resource: https://www.rses.org/410a.aspx 

Industry Competency Exams

• Measure industry-agreed standards of basic competency for entry-level (one year or less) technicians.
• Can be taken in person or online. 
• To earn a Residential ICE Certification, you will have to pass the Core section and one specialty section. The Light Commercial HVAC Exam and the Commercial Refrigeration exam do not require the Core exam.
• The exam includes:
  • Core
    • Safety, Tools, Soft Skills
    • Heat Transfer and Comfort
    • Electrical
  • Specialty Sections (Air Conditioning, Air Distribution, Heat Pumps, Gas Furnaces, Oil Furnaces)
    • Installation
    • Service
    • Components
    • Applied Knowledge
  • Light Commercial A/C and Heating
    • Start-up Heating
    • Start-up A/C
    • Service Heating
    • Refrigerant Recovery
    • Installation
  • Commercial Refrigeration
    • System Design
    • Installation Start-up
    • Prevention Maintenance
    • Service and Repair

More information can be found here 

HVAC Excellence

• Offers "stackable credentials" that allow you to earn certifications based on where you are at in your career. 
• These exams include
  • EPA 308 and EPA 609 Certifications
    • Required to for working on stationary HVAC equipment (608) or motor vehicle air conditioning (609)
  • Student Outcome Assessments (H.E.A.T.)
    • Created specifically for high school students
  • Employment Ready Certifications
    • Created for students and entry-level technicians
    • These Certifications provide employers with a standardized measurement of a job applicant's knowledge
  • Specialty Certifications
    • These exams test in specific fields knowledge that goes beyond industry requirements. 
    • There are specialty certifications in
      • Low GWP Refrigerant Safety: A2Ls
      • System Performance
      • Residential Heat Load Analyst
      • Green Awareness
      • Duct and Envelope Testing
      • R-410A
      • Hydrocarbon Refrigerants Certificate of Completion
      • Residential Energy Auditor
  • Professional Level Certifications
    • Intended for experienced technicians.
    • Closed book, comprehensive exams with 100 questions each
    • Prerequisite: Two or more years of verified field experience PLUS the CORE exam (Principles of Electrical and Refrigeration Theory)
    • Professional Level Certifications are available on the following:
      • Electric Heat
      • Heat Pump Installer
      • Light Commercial Air Conditioning
      • Residential Air Conditioning
      • Combustion Analysis
      • Gas Heat
      • Heat Pump Service
      • Light Commercial Refrigeration
      • Residential & Light Commercial Hydronic Heat
  • Master Specialist Technical Certifications
    • Hands-on practical exam
    • Demonstrate retention of material and practical use of knowledge
    • Prerequisites: MUST have a minimum of 3 years of field experience AND have a passing score on the related Professional Level HVAC Excellence Technician Certification (OR the equivalent NATE, RSES CM, SM, CMS, UA Star).
    • To see a list of the exams offered at this level, visit the webpage here
  • Educator Credentialing Exams
    • Standardized teacher certification exam
    • No prerequisites
    • Instructors are encouraged to take the exam that correlates with the competencies they teach plus the Teaching, Methodologies, Principles, and Practices Exam. 
    • For more information on subjects offered, see the list here

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Free Study Resources

• Competency List 

Section 608 Technician Certification

Clean Air Act requires that technicians who "maintain, service, or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants into the atmosphere must be certified" - https://www.epa.gov/section608/section-608-technician-certification-0

• Most be administered by EPA-approved certifying agency
• Do not expire
• Types of EPA 608 Certifications:
  • Type I - Small appliances
  • Type II - Servicing or disposing of high or very high-pressure appliances, except small appliances and MVACs
  • Type III - Servicing or disposing of low-pressure appliances
  • Universal - Covers Types I, II and III. Servicing all types of equipment.
• More information on each type of exam and what is covered in each can be found here

Free Test Prep

• ESCO Practice Test