EPA CFC Certification Required for C-20 and C-38 License Applications
The CSLB requires proof of EPA CFC certification from C-20 HVAC and C-38 Refrigeration applicants. It applies whether you are applying for your first licence or adding one of those classifications to a licence you already hold.
Only Type II or Universal certificates are accepted.
What the certification is
CFC stands for chlorofluorocarbon. The certification comes from Section 608 of the Clean Air Act of 1990 and is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Anyone who installs, maintains, services, repairs or disposes of equipment containing regulated refrigerants has to hold it. It is a federal requirement, not a California one, and it also governs your ability to buy refrigerant.
The CSLB uses it as supporting documentation for claimed journey level experience in the C-20 and C-38 classifications, alongside your Certification of Work Experience.
Why Type II or Universal
EPA 608 is split by equipment category, and the type you hold determines what you can legally work on.
Type I covers small appliances holding five pounds of refrigerant or less. Type II covers medium, high and very high pressure systems, which takes in most residential and light commercial air conditioning. Type III covers low pressure equipment such as large chillers. Universal covers all three.
Type I is too narrow for the scope of a C-20 or C-38 licence, which is why the CSLB will not accept it.
If you are testing anyway, Universal is usually the better call. It is a modest step up in cost and it removes any question about what you are covered for later in your career.
How to get certified
You sit a Core exam plus the exam for the type you are seeking. Universal requires all three type sections.
Testing is available through approved organisations including ESCO Institute, Mainstream Engineering and RSES, as well as many community colleges and trade schools. The pass mark is 70 percent. Type I can be taken open book, but Type II, Type III and Universal are closed book and proctored.
Costs are modest, generally in the region of $20 to $100 depending on the provider and type.
It does not expire
Once you pass, the certification is yours for life. There is no renewal, no continuing education and no refresher requirement. If you leave the trade and come back years later, it is still valid.
Your CSLB licence renewal is a separate matter and is not affected by this requirement.
One thing C-20 contractors should know
C-20 is one of the four classifications brought into the workers compensation requirement early. If you hold or are applying for a C-20, you need a policy on file with the CSLB whether or not you employ anyone.
Applying for a C-20 or C-38?
We can take you through the application, the experience documentation and the exam process, and make sure the certification side is in order before it holds anything up.
If you are unsure what you need, talk to us before you file.
Call us now on (800) 580-8129 or get in touch and we will talk it through.
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