The R-410A phase-out is the series of federal deadlines, driven by the EPA AIM Act, that removes R-410A (GWP ~2,088) from new residential HVAC equipment:
- January 1, 2025 — manufacture and import cutoff for new residential and light-commercial AC and heat-pump equipment using refrigerants with a GWP of 700 or greater, R-410A included; new systems can only be built from components made or imported before that date
- No installation deadline — EPA's May 2026 final rule (effective July 27, 2026) removed the January 1, 2026 cutoff; pre-2025-component R-410A split systems may be installed until inventory runs out
- January 1, 2028 — sale and distribution of pre-2025 self-contained R-410A products (packaged, window, PTAC) ends; there is no installation deadline for them
What the phase-out does not do: force replacements. Existing R-410A systems can continue to be maintained and serviced throughout their useful life — there is no forced replacement, and service work on the installed base remains legal indefinitely.
The primary replacement for residential equipment is R-454B (GWP ~466), an A2L "mildly flammable" refrigerant requiring updated safety protocols — and R-410A systems cannot be retrofitted to use it, because the two refrigerants are not interchangeable.
What it means for your renewal
These deadlines change what you can quote, order, and install — and explaining them to customers is now part of the job. Refrigerant transition topics count toward the 7 flexible hours of your annual 8-hour CE requirement, so a current course covers the rules you will be applying anyway.
Authority: EPA AIM Act (federal)