State by state
608 is federal.
Every state, same card.
Searching for your state's version of the EPA 608? There is not one, and that is the useful answer: certification comes from 40 CFR Part 82 Subpart F, the exam structure is identical everywhere, and the card is valid in all fifty states.
What actually varies by state
Contractor and mechanical licensing. Many states or cities require an HVAC contractor or mechanical license to run jobs or pull permits, and those requirements genuinely differ by jurisdiction. That license is a separate credential from a separate authority; the 608 card is the federal floor underneath it, required for refrigerant handling no matter where you work.
The practical sequence
Get 608 first, since it is identical everywhere and moves with you:the exam, verified and free cited practice. Then check your state and city's contractor licensing rules with their licensing authority; our network's state-by-state contractor licensing reference maps who licenses where.
The 608 fact sheet, free
Every verified 608 number on one printable page: the four types, the exam structure, the leak-rate and recovery figures. Enter your email and we will send you straight to it.
No spam. One useful sheet and occasional notes.