What changed with EPA Section 608 in January 2026?

The AIM Act (40 CFR § 84.106, effective January 1, 2026) lowered the appliance charge threshold from 50 lbs to 15 lbs for HFC refrigerants and high-GWP substitutes. Systems with 15 lbs or more of regulated refrigerant are now generally subject to leak rate monitoring and repair obligations. Legacy ODS appliances (e.g., R-22) remain under 40 CFR § 82.157 (Section 608) with a ≥ 50 lb threshold. Facilities that were previously exempt may now face civil penalties per day per violation under the Clean Air Act, adjusted annually for inflation. Consult the EPA or a qualified compliance professional to confirm your specific obligations.

What is the leak rate threshold for my system type?

Under 40 CFR § 84.106(c)(2) (AIM Act, effective January 1, 2026), commercial refrigeration systems must maintain a leak rate below 20% annually. Comfort cooling systems (AC, heat pumps) have a 10% threshold — not 30%. Industrial process refrigeration (IPR) has a separate 30% threshold. If your system exceeds the applicable threshold, EPA regulations require repairing the leak within 30 days (§ 84.106(d)) or developing a retrofit/retirement plan within 30 days (§ 84.106(h)). Source: 40 CFR § 84.106, verified June 2026. Specific obligations may vary — consult the EPA or a compliance professional.

How long must I keep refrigerant records?

EPA Section 608 requires records to be kept for a minimum of 3 years. Records must include the date of service, the technician's name and certification number, the amount of refrigerant added and recovered, whether a leak check was performed, and whether a leak was found and repaired.

Does RefrigerantTrack work for R-22 systems?

Yes. R-22 is fully supported, though new production has been phased out since 2020. R-22 systems are still subject to Section 608 leak rate requirements as long as they are in service. RefrigerantTrack tracks R-22 alongside R-410A, R-454B, and all other common refrigerants.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. Cancel from your billing dashboard at any time. Your data remains accessible and exportable for 30 days after cancellation.

EPA Rule Change — January 2026

AIM Act 2026 Compliant

The EPA Lowered the Threshold. Are Your Systems Compliant?

The AIM Act (40 CFR § 84.106) lowered the appliance charge threshold from 50 lbs to 15 lbs for HFC refrigerants, effective January 1, 2026. Hundreds of thousands of additional commercial HVAC systems may now be subject to leak rate tracking and repair requirements. Violations can result in civil penalties per day per violation under the Clean Air Act.

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Free up to 5 systems No credit card required

15 lbsNew EPA ThresholdDown from 50 lbs

$124,426Civil PenaltiesPer day per violation (CAA)

30 daysRepair DeadlineAfter leak detected

3 yearsRecord RetentionEPA minimum

Built for compliance with

40 CFR Part 82

Subpart F

Clean Air Act

Section 608

AIM Act

2020

EPA Enforcement

Active

EPA civil penalties accrue per day per violation under the Clean Air Act — uncapped for ongoing non-compliance.

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Regulatory Reference

AIM Act & EPA Section 608 — What You Need to Know

The January 2026 rule update expanded coverage significantly. These are the compliance requirements currently in effect.

Last updated: January 2026

Researched by the RefrigerantTrack Research Team

New 15 lb Threshold

The appliance charge threshold dropped from 50 lbs to 15 lbs as of January 2026. Commercial systems with 15 lbs or more of regulated refrigerant are now generally subject to leak rate tracking requirements.

Previously exempt systems may now require active monitoring.

Leak Rate Limits

Annual leak rate thresholds vary by system type. Exceeding the applicable rate triggers mandatory repair within 30 days and a follow-up verification leak check.

Commercial refrigeration20% / yr
Industrial process (IPR)30% / yr
Comfort cooling / other10% / yr

40 CFR § 84.106(c)(2), verified June 2026.

Civil Penalties

EPA enforcement actions under Section 608 can result in substantial daily fines. Penalties accrue for each day a violation continues without remediation.

Civil penalties per day, per violation

Under the Clean Air Act, adjusted annually for inflation

Platform Features

Everything compliance requires, nothing it does not

Built around the actual EPA recordkeeping requirements — not a generic SaaS template.

Instant Leak Rate Calculation

Enter your service records and get an annualized leak rate in seconds. Know whether you are compliant before the EPA does.

New 15 lb Threshold Alerts

Systems between 15 and 49 lbs are newly subject as of January 2026. We flag every system that crossed the threshold automatically.

EPA-Ready Report Generation

Generate formatted compliance reports and service logs that satisfy Section 608 record-keeping requirements in one click.

30-Day Repair Deadline Tracking

When a leak is found, the clock starts. We track every open repair deadline and remind you before the 30-day window closes.

Technician Certification Tracking

Log EPA 608 certification numbers for every technician. Get warnings when certifications are expiring before a service visit.

Multi-Location Fleet View

Manage hundreds of systems across multiple sites from a single dashboard. Export fleet-wide compliance summaries on demand.

Built on EPA Standards

EPA-Aligned Calculations

Leak rate formula follows EPA Section 608 methodology exactly. No shortcuts, no approximations.

Audit-Ready Reports

Generate compliance reports formatted for EPA record-keeping requirements. One click, not hours of spreadsheet work.

30-Day Deadline Tracking

Never miss a repair deadline. Automatic countdown from leak detection to required repair completion.

Free Tool

Calculate Your Leak Rate in Seconds

Enter the full charge of your system and the refrigerant added during service. The calculator instantly computes your annualized leak rate and tells you whether you are within the applicable EPA threshold.

Supports all common refrigerant types
Handles multiple service records
Shows compliance status instantly
No account required

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How It Works

Up and running in under ten minutes

Add your HVAC systems

Enter refrigerant type, full charge weight, and install date. Import from a CSV if you have existing records.

Log service records

Record refrigerant added and recovered after each service visit. The leak rate recalculates automatically.

Get your compliance status

See which systems are compliant, which have exceeded the leak threshold, and exactly what action is required — with deadlines.

Built For

Who uses RefrigerantTrack

HVAC Contractors

Service multiple client sites and need clean records for every job. Generate per-site compliance reports and track open repair deadlines across your entire customer base.

Track certifications for every technician on your team.

Facilities Managers

Own the compliance obligation for the building and need a defensible paper trail. Log every service visit, monitor leak rates across all roof units and chillers, and never miss a 30-day repair window.

Audit-ready records available for immediate download.

Property Management

Managing multiple properties means managing multiple compliance timelines. Fleet view gives you the status of every system across every property at a glance.

Multi-location dashboard on the Enterprise plan.

Pricing

Start free. Scale when you need to.

No contracts. No credit card required for the Starter plan. Cancel or downgrade at any time.

Starter

Free

Up to 5 systems
Leak rate calculator
Basic compliance check

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Pro

$49/mo

Unlimited systems
Automatic leak rate monitoring
EPA report generation
Technician certification tracking
Email alerts
Service history log

Enterprise

$99/mo

Everything in Pro
Multi-location
Fleet management
Custom reporting
API access
Refrigerant purchasing tracking

FAQ

Common questions

What changed with EPA Section 608 in January 2026?: The AIM Act (40 CFR § 84.106, effective January 1, 2026) lowered the appliance charge threshold from 50 lbs to 15 lbs for HFC refrigerants and high-GWP substitutes. Systems with 15 lbs or more of regulated refrigerant are now generally subject to leak rate monitoring and repair obligations. Legacy ODS appliances (e.g., R-22) remain under 40 CFR § 82.157 (Section 608) with a ≥ 50 lb threshold. Facilities that were previously exempt may now face civil penalties per day per violation under the Clean Air Act, adjusted annually for inflation. Consult the EPA or a qualified compliance professional to confirm your specific obligations.
What is the leak rate threshold for my system type?: Under 40 CFR § 84.106(c)(2) (AIM Act, effective January 1, 2026), commercial refrigeration systems must maintain a leak rate below 20% annually. Comfort cooling systems (AC, heat pumps) have a 10% threshold — not 30%. Industrial process refrigeration (IPR) has a separate 30% threshold. If your system exceeds the applicable threshold, EPA regulations require repairing the leak within 30 days (§ 84.106(d)) or developing a retrofit/retirement plan within 30 days (§ 84.106(h)). Source: 40 CFR § 84.106, verified June 2026. Specific obligations may vary — consult the EPA or a compliance professional.
How long must I keep refrigerant records?: EPA Section 608 requires records to be kept for a minimum of 3 years. Records must include the date of service, the technician's name and certification number, the amount of refrigerant added and recovered, whether a leak check was performed, and whether a leak was found and repaired.
Does RefrigerantTrack work for R-22 systems?: Yes. R-22 is fully supported, though new production has been phased out since 2020. R-22 systems are still subject to Section 608 leak rate requirements as long as they are in service. RefrigerantTrack tracks R-22 alongside R-410A, R-454B, and all other common refrigerants.
Can I cancel anytime?: Yes. Cancel from your billing dashboard at any time. Your data remains accessible and exportable for 30 days after cancellation.

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A missed repair deadline or an untracked system can cost tens of thousands of dollars per day. RefrigerantTrack keeps you covered — free for up to 5 systems.

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