Certification path
How to replace a lost EPA 608 card
The program that certified you replaces a lost EPA 608 card; EPA doesn't print cards, so its procedure is four steps that start with that program and end, only if nothing else works, with retaking the test. Losing the card doesn't cancel the certification.
EPA's order of steps
The four steps in detail
Ask the program that certified you
If it still operates, it has your record and issues the replacement. The program name is on your old card; if you don't remember it, think back to who ran the test, whether a school, a union hall, a wholesaler event or an online program.
With proof, go to ESCO Institute or Ferris State University
If the original program can't help but you or your employer have proof of certification, EPA directs you to ESCO Institute (800-726-9696) or Ferris State University (866-880-7674) (EPA lost-card steps, checked October 7, 2026).
Contact EPA if the program has closed
EPA's page names the agency itself as the next contact when the certifying organization no longer exists.
Retake the test
The last resort. You would register with any approved program, and the steps to get EPA 608 certified apply as if it were your first time.
Where your proof might already be
- Your employer's files. Technicians must keep a copy of their certificate at their place of business until 3 years after they stop working as a technician (40 CFR 82.161(a)(4), eCFR as of October 5, 2026), so a current or former shop may have one.
- The program's public list. Certifications from January 1, 2017 onward appear on the issuing program's online list unless you opted out; the EPA 608 certification lookup explains how those lists work.
- Old email and photos. A result email from the program or a phone photo of the old card is worth digging up before you call.
- Your certification number. If you wrote it down anywhere, it shortens every one of the four steps.
Which step fits your situation
Matching your situation to EPA's lost-card steps
| Your situation | Start at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You know who tested you and they are still in business | Step 1, the original program | It holds your record and issues the card |
| The program is gone, but you or an employer have a copy or record | Step 2, ESCO Institute or Ferris State University | EPA names both as the places to send proof |
| The program is gone and nobody kept proof | Step 3, EPA | EPA's page lists itself as the contact for closed organizations |
| None of the above works out | Step 4, retest | A new pass from any approved program gives you a new card |
Order and contacts from EPA's lost-card page, checked October 7, 2026.
If the card is gone for good
Will EPA mail me a new card?
No. EPA does not issue certification cards; the certifying program does. EPA appears in the replacement steps only as the contact when the original program has closed.
My card came from a program that no longer exists. Am I still certified?
Yes. EPA states that cards from programs no longer approved remain valid (EPA certifying programs list, checked October 7, 2026). Use step 2 or 3 to get a replacement.
Why replace the card if the certification doesn't expire?
Because proof gets asked for. You must keep a copy of your certificate at your place of business (40 CFR 82.161(a)(4), eCFR as of October 5, 2026), and refrigerant may be sold only to certified technicians under the sales restriction (40 CFR 82.154(c), eCFR as of October 5, 2026), so supply counters check.
Can this site replace or verify my card?
No. Sight Glass is a study site and holds no certification records. Only a certifying program, ESCO Institute or Ferris State University with your proof, or EPA can help with a replacement.
Sources
- Steps for Replacing a Lost Section 608 Technician Certification Card — checked October 7, 2026US EPA
- Certification Programs for Section 608 Technicians — checked October 7, 2026US EPA
- 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F — eCFR as of October 5, 2026eCFR