Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Cancer
    • Chemicals, Toxics, and Pesticide
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Radon
    • Research
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning (MVAC)

Background and Resources

On this page:

  • Title VI of the Clean Air Act
  • MVAC Rulemakings
  • MVAC Regulatory Requirements
  • Clean Air Act Enforcement
  • Additional MVAC Resources

Title VI of the Clean Air Act

EPA regulations under Title VI of the Clean Air Act are designed to protect the ozone layer and to provide for a smooth transition away from ozone-depleting substances.

CAA section 609, included under Title VI of the CAA, directs EPA to issue regulations establishing standards and requirements for the servicing of motor vehicle air conditioners (MVACs) Under CAA section 609, persons servicing or repairing MVACs for consideration (i.e. payment) that involves the refrigerant must use approved refrigerant recovery or recycling equipment, and must be properly trained and certified.

  • Read CAA section 609 42 U.S. Code § 7671h

MVAC Rulemakings

This table provides a summary of all Clean Air Act Section 609 final rules issued since 1992.

Date Type Description of Rule Federal Register Link
3/23/2021 Final Rule Adopted three SAE standards (SAE J2843, SAE J2851, and SAE J3030) for equipment that recovers, recycles, and/or recharges HFO-1234yf in MVAC systems. 86 FR 15587
6/18/2008 Final Rule Adopted SAE standard J2810 for HFC-134a recovery equipment. SAE standard J2810 superseded J1732. 73 FR 34644
11/9/2007 Final Rule Adopted SAE standard J2788 for HFC-134a recover/recycle/recharge equipment. SAE standard J2788 superseded J2210. 72 FR 63490
12/30/1997 Final Rule Adopted SAE standards and established   requirements for the servicing of MVACs that use any refrigerant other than CFC–12.  62 FR 68026
5/2/1995 Final Rule Adopted SAE standards J1989 and J2209 for CFC-12 recover-only equipment. 60 FR 21682
7/14/1992 Final Rule Established standards and requirements for MVAC servicing and restricted the sale of small containers of ozone-depleting substances. Also required technicians to be trained and certified and use certified equipment. 57 FR 31242

MVAC Regulatory Requirements

  • https://www.epa.gov/mvac/epa-regulatory-requirements-mvac-system-servicing

Clean Air Act Enforcement

As noted above, EPA regulations under Title VI of the Clean Air Act are designed to protect the ozone layer and to provide for a smooth transition away from ozone-depleting substances.

EPA is charged with enforcing these regulations. Enforcement actions range from civil fines to criminal prosecutions. Enforcement is performed within EPA by the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

If you suspect or witness unlawful releases of ODS refrigerant or other violations of CAA regulations, report an environmental violation to EPA. See a list of fugitives accused of violating environmental laws, including smuggling ODS and evading arrest, for more information.

  • Enforcement Actions under Title VI of the Clean Air Act 
  • Report Environmental Violations 

Additional MVAC Resources

  • Section 609 Technician Training and Certification Programs
  • Section 609 Certified Equipment
  • Overlap between Section 608 and Section 609
  • Guidance For Safe Handling of Refrigerant-containing Appliances/Vehicles After Natural Disasters (pdf) (28.56 KB)
  • Case Study: Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning Servicing among Tribal Technicians

Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning (MVAC)

  • Regulatory Requirements for MVAC Servicing
  • Technician and Shop Owner Resources
    • Section 609 Technician Training and Certification Programs
    • Certified Equipment
    • Choosing and Using a Retrofit Refrigerant for a CFC-12 MVAC
  • Acceptable Refrigerants and their Impacts
  • Unique Fittings and Label Colors
  • Section 608 and Section 609 Overlap
  • Background and Resources
Contact Us About Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on August 15, 2024
  • Assistance
  • Spanish
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (simplified)
  • Chinese (traditional)
  • French
  • Haitian Creole
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions
  • Site Feedback

Follow.