Refrigerant Rules in California: What Changes and When, 2025 to 2033
Federal and state dates for commercial refrigeration and air conditioning, each quoted from the rule
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Our timeline lists 23 federal and California refrigerant rule changes dated 2025 to 2033 for businesses with commercial refrigeration or air conditioning. Apart from the leak rules, none of them requires a restaurant to replace equipment it already has: they cover new equipment and which refrigerants can be sold, and EPA says existing systems can be repaired, including with a new condensing unit or compressor. California is stricter about what counts as a repair: a refrigeration system becomes a new system, which may not use R-404A or R-507A, if its compressor capacity goes up or if parts replaced within three years cost more than half of replacing the whole system. Grocery and other food stores with a system holding more than 50 pounds of refrigerant also face California company-wide limits, starting December 31, 2026, for large chains.
Key numbers
- 23refrigerant rule changes dated 2025 to 2033 in our timeline: 17 federal, from EPA, and 6 from CaliforniaSource: 40 CFR part 84 (eCFR as of November 9, 2026), California Air Resources Board; our compilation
- July 27, 2026from this date, a newly installed walk-in or other remote condensing unit needs a refrigerant with a GWP under 1,400 under federal rules; the limit drops to 150 or 300 on January 1, 2032Source: 40 CFR 84.54(c)(11)(i) and 40 CFR 84.54(c)(11)(ii)
- 3,922is the global warming potential (GWP) of R-404A in EPA’s table. Since January 1, 2025, newly produced R-404A may not be sold in California; reclaimed R-404A still can beSource: U.S. EPA Technology Transitions GWP Reference Table; California SB 1206 (CARB)
- 15 lbor more of HFC refrigerant puts a system under EPA’s leak repair rule, since January 1, 2026. For commercial refrigeration, a leak rate above 20% means finding and fixing the leaks within 30 daysSource: 40 CFR 84.106
- December 31, 2026is California’s deadline for food store companies with 20 or more stores in the state, and national supermarket chains, to bring the weighted-average GWP of their refrigerant under 2,500, or cut their total by 25% from 2019 levelsSource: Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95374(d), Table 4
Do I have to replace my walk-in or ice machine?
No federal refrigerant rule makes you stop using equipment you already have. EPA puts it plainly: “There are no requirements to stop using any specific equipment or appliance currently in use.” The one exception is the leak rule: if repairs to a system holding 15 lb or more of HFC refrigerant do not bring its leak rate below the limit, the owner must make and carry out a plan to retrofit the system to another refrigerant or retire it (40 CFR 84.106(c)(1) and (h)). On repairs, EPA says: “Yes, you can continue to repair your existing refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump system. This includes replacing a major component like a condensing unit or compressor.” Its table of restrictions adds: “Components used to repair existing systems are not subject to these restrictions.” California’s rules are stricter about repairs; see “Big changes” below.
What the rules change is what you can buy and install next, how leaks are handled, and which refrigerant can be sold. For a system you already own in California, three things matter most:
- Refrigerant supply. Since January 1, 2025, newly produced bulk HFC refrigerant with a GWP above 2,200, such as R-404A and R-507, may no longer be sold in California; reclaimed refrigerant from an EPA-certified reclaimer still can be. The same applies above 1,500 GWP, such as R-410A, from January 1, 2030, and above 750 GWP, such as R-448A and R-134a, from January 1, 2033. Under federal rules, refrigerant sold as reclaimed may contain no more than 15% newly produced HFC since January 1, 2026, and from January 1, 2029, supermarket systems and automatic commercial ice makers must be serviced with reclaimed refrigerant.
- Leaks. The owner must work out the leak rate every time refrigerant is added. For commercial refrigeration, a leak rate above 20% means the leaks must be found and repaired within 30 days. This applies to systems holding 15 lb or more of HFC refrigerant since January 1, 2026. California’s Refrigerant Management Program adds registration, leak checks and a 14-day repair deadline for systems holding over 50 lb of high-GWP refrigerant.
- Big changes can count as a new system. Under federal rules, these count as installing a new system, so the limits for new systems apply: assembling a system for the first time from used or new components; increasing the cooling capacity of an existing system, such as a walk-in, by any amount (for a supermarket system, by more than 15%); or replacing 75% or more of the evaporators (by number) and all of the compressor racks, condensers and connected evaporator loads (40 CFR 84.54(e)). So a replacement condensing unit that adds cooling capacity to a walk-in is treated as a new installation. California’s definitions go further. A refrigeration system counts as new if its nominal compressor capacity is increased, or if parts replaced within any three years cost more than 50% of replacing the whole system, display cases excluded; smaller replacements are normal maintenance (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95373 (“New Refrigeration Equipment”); Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95375(a)(2)(C)). A new system may not use R-404A or R-507A (see the 2019 row below), so swapping the condensing unit on an older walk-in can bring it under that ban. For air conditioning, a system with one condenser and one evaporator counts as new equipment when it gets a new outdoor condenser or condensing unit, and new equipment in California needs a refrigerant with a GWP under 750 (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95373 (“New Air-conditioning Equipment”)).
Timeline, 2025 to 2033
EPA changed several of these federal limits in a rule published May 26, 2026, effective July 27, 2026 (91 FR 31284). The dates below are the rule text as it stands after that change. For self-contained equipment, a date applies to units made or imported from then on; for other systems, it applies to installation.
| Date | Rule from | Applies to | What changes | Rule text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2025 | Federal EPA | Stand-alone (self-contained) retail food refrigeration units, such as reach-in coolers and freezers | Units made or imported from this date must use a refrigerant with a GWP under 150. | 40 CFR 84.54(a)(4) |
| January 1, 2025 | Federal EPA | Residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump systems (not variable refrigerant flow systems) | Newly installed systems must use a refrigerant with a GWP under 700. A system whose parts were all made or imported before January 1, 2025, can still be installed. | 40 CFR 84.54(c)(1) |
| January 1, 2025 | California CARB (SB 1206) | Newly produced bulk HFC refrigerant with a GWP above 2,200, such as R-404A and R-507 | May no longer be sold in California. Reclaimed refrigerant from an EPA-certified reclaimer can still be sold. | SB 1206 (2022) and AB 663 (2025), CARB summary |
| January 1, 2025 | California CARB | Air conditioning for homes and businesses, other than room, window and portable units and variable refrigerant flow systems | New systems must use a refrigerant with a GWP under 750. An existing system with one condenser and one evaporator counts as new when it gets a new outdoor condenser or condensing unit. | Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95374(c), Table 3, and § 95373 |
| January 1, 2026 | Federal EPA | Self-contained ice machines making up to 1,000 lb of ice a day (batch type) or up to 1,200 lb (continuous type) | Machines made or imported from this date must use a refrigerant with a GWP under 150. | 40 CFR 84.54(a)(8)(i) |
| January 1, 2026 | Federal EPA | Refrigeration and air conditioning equipment holding 15 lb or more of HFC refrigerant, or of a substitute with a GWP above 53 (home and light commercial air conditioning excluded) | The owner must work out the leak rate every time refrigerant is added. For commercial refrigeration, a leak rate above 20% means the leaks must be found and repaired within 30 days. | 40 CFR 84.106 |
| January 1, 2026 | Federal EPA | Refrigerant sold as reclaimed | May contain no more than 15% newly produced (virgin) HFC by weight. | 40 CFR 84.112(a) |
| July 27, 2026 | Federal EPA | Remote condensing units in retail food refrigeration, such as a walk-in cooler or freezer with a separate condensing unit | Newly installed systems must use a refrigerant with a GWP under 1,400. This is an interim limit; see January 1, 2032. | 40 CFR 84.54(c)(11)(i) |
| July 27, 2026 | Federal EPA | Cold storage warehouse systems | Newly installed systems must use a refrigerant with a GWP under 700. This is an interim limit; see January 1, 2032. | 40 CFR 84.54(c)(9)(i) |
| December 31, 2026 | California CARB | Companies with 20 or more retail food facilities (food stores) in California, and national supermarket chains; refrigeration systems holding more than 50 lb | Must reach a company-wide weighted-average GWP under 2,500, or cut total greenhouse gas potential by 25% or more below 2019 levels. | Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95374(d), Table 4 |
| January 1, 2027 | Federal EPA | Supermarket systems | Newly installed systems must use a refrigerant with a GWP under 1,400. This is an interim limit; see January 1, 2032. | 40 CFR 84.54(c)(12)(i) |
| January 1, 2027 | Federal EPA | Larger self-contained ice machines: over 1,000 lb of ice a day (batch type) or over 1,200 lb (continuous type) | Machines made or imported from this date may not use the HFCs the rule lists, which include R-404A, R-410A and HFC-134a. | 40 CFR 84.54(a)(8)(ii) |
| January 1, 2027 | Federal EPA | Ice machines with a remote condenser | Newly installed machines may not use the HFCs the rule lists, which include R-404A. | 40 CFR 84.54(c)(14) |
| January 1, 2027 | Federal EPA | Commercial refrigeration systems holding 1,500 lb or more of HFC refrigerant, installed between January 1, 2017, and January 1, 2026 | Must have an automatic leak detection system by this date. Systems installed from January 1, 2026, need one from the start. | 40 CFR 84.108 |
| January 1, 2028 | Federal EPA | Stand-alone retail food units made or imported before January 1, 2025, with a refrigerant GWP of 150 or more | May no longer be sold, three years after the limit for new units began. | 40 CFR 84.54(b) |
| January 1, 2029 | Federal EPA | Self-contained ice machines up to 1,000 lb a day (batch) or 1,200 lb (continuous) made or imported before January 1, 2026, with a refrigerant GWP of 150 or more | May no longer be sold, three years after the limit for new machines began. | 40 CFR 84.54(b) |
| January 1, 2029 | Federal EPA | Supermarket systems and automatic commercial ice makers that use HFC refrigerant | Must be serviced and repaired with reclaimed refrigerant. | 40 CFR 84.112(e) |
| January 1, 2030 | California CARB (SB 1206) | Newly produced bulk HFC refrigerant with a GWP above 1,500, such as R-410A | May no longer be sold in California. Reclaimed refrigerant can still be sold. | SB 1206 (2022) and AB 663 (2025), CARB summary |
| January 1, 2030 | California CARB | Every company with retail food facilities (food stores) in California, large chains included; refrigeration systems holding more than 50 lb | Must reach a company-wide weighted-average GWP under 1,400, or cut total greenhouse gas potential by 55% or more below 2019 levels. | Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95374(d), Table 4 |
| January 1, 2032 | Federal EPA | Remote condensing units in retail food refrigeration, such as a walk-in cooler or freezer with a separate condensing unit | Newly installed systems must use a refrigerant with a GWP under 150 if they hold 200 lb or more, or under 300 if they hold less than 200 lb or are the high-temperature side of a cascade system. | 40 CFR 84.54(c)(11)(ii) |
| January 1, 2032 | Federal EPA | Supermarket systems | Newly installed systems must use a refrigerant with a GWP under 150 if they hold 200 lb or more, or under 300 if they hold less than 200 lb or are the high-temperature side of a cascade system. | 40 CFR 84.54(c)(12)(ii) |
| January 1, 2032 | Federal EPA | Cold storage warehouse systems | Newly installed systems must use a refrigerant with a GWP under 150 if they hold 200 lb or more, or under 300 if they hold less than 200 lb or are the high-temperature side of a cascade system. | 40 CFR 84.54(c)(9)(ii) |
| January 1, 2033 | California CARB (SB 1206) | Newly produced bulk HFC refrigerant with a GWP above 750, such as R-448A and R-134a | May no longer be sold in California. Reclaimed refrigerant can still be sold. | SB 1206 (2022) and AB 663 (2025), CARB summary |
23 rows: 17 federal (EPA) and 6 California (CARB and SB 1206). Each row quotes its rule text in our build files. Download the timeline (CSV).
Already in force in California
California set some limits years before the federal ones. Because of the first row below, R-404A has been barred in new walk-in condensing units here since January 1, 2019, so the federal limit that starts July 27, 2026, changes less in California than elsewhere. It still rules out other refrigerants: HFC-134a (1,430), R-407C (1,774) and R-410A (2,088) are all above the federal cap of 1,400 for new remote condensing units.
| Date | Rule from | Applies to | What changes | Rule text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2019 | California CARB | Remote condensing units (such as walk-in coolers and freezers with a separate condensing unit) and supermarket systems | R-404A, R-507A and several other HFCs may not be used in new systems, or as the replacement refrigerant when an existing system is converted to a different refrigerant. An existing system counts as new if its compressor capacity is increased, or if parts replaced within any three years cost more than 50% of replacing the whole system (display cases excluded). | Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95374(a), Table 1 |
| January 1, 2022 | California CARB | Refrigeration systems holding more than 50 lb in new retail food facilities (food stores) | Must use a refrigerant with a GWP under 150. | Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95374(d), Table 4 |
| In force | California CARB | Any facility with a refrigeration system holding over 50 lb of high-GWP refrigerant (the Refrigerant Management Program) | The facility must register, check for leaks and fix leaks within 14 days. Facilities whose largest system holds 200 lb or more also file an annual report. | Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95380 and following; CARB summary |
California rules that took effect before 2025 and still apply.
No longer coming: two DOE efficiency standards
Older articles still quote compliance dates for these. They were withdrawn and will not apply.
| Date | Rule from | Applies to | What changes | Rule text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2025 | Federal DOE | Walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers | DOE's energy efficiency standards published December 23, 2024, were withdrawn as of May 20, 2025, after Congress disapproved them, so their new limits will not apply. | 90 FR 21391 |
| May 20, 2025 | Federal DOE | Commercial refrigerators, freezers and refrigerator-freezers (reach-ins, display cases and similar) | DOE's energy efficiency standards published January 21, 2025, were withdrawn as of May 20, 2025, after Congress disapproved them, so their new limits will not apply. | 90 FR 21392 |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) efficiency standards withdrawn under the Congressional Review Act.
Common refrigerants against the limits
| Refrigerant | GWP (EPA) | Under 1,400: new walk-in condensing units, federal, from July 27, 2026 | Under 150: new stand-alone units, federal | Under 750: new air conditioning, California, from January 1, 2025 | Newly produced supply ends in California (SB 1206) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-404A | 3,922 | No | No | No | January 1, 2025 |
| R-507A | 3,985 | No | No | No | January 1, 2025 |
| R-410A | 2,088 | No | No | No | January 1, 2030 |
| R-407C | 1,774 | No | No | No | January 1, 2030 |
| HFC-134a | 1,430 | No | No | No | January 1, 2033 |
| R-449A | 1,396 | Yes | No | No | January 1, 2033 |
| R-448A | 1,386 | Yes | No | No | January 1, 2033 |
| HFC-32 | 675 | Yes | No | Yes | Not covered |
| R-454B | 465 | Yes | No | Yes | Not covered |
| R-290 (propane) | 3.3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not covered |
| R-744 (carbon dioxide) | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not covered |
GWP values from EPA’s Technology Transitions GWP Reference Table. The other columns are our comparison of each value with the limit: SB 1206 ends sales of newly produced HFCs above 2,200 GWP from January 1, 2025, above 1,500 from January 1, 2030 and above 750 from January 1, 2033; propane and carbon dioxide are not HFCs. Being under a GWP limit does not by itself make a refrigerant allowed in a given unit: other federal and state rules and safety standards also apply. Download this table (CSV).
What this means for Bay Area businesses
- Keep repairing what works. Apart from the leak rules and the food store limits below, no rule here makes you retire a working walk-in, reach-in or ice machine. In California, though, a repair that raises compressor capacity, or replacements over three years that cost more than half of a new system, make it a new system under the rules for new equipment. Keep the service records your technician leaves; the leak rules depend on them.
- Plan refrigerant for older systems. Newly produced R-404A and R-507 can no longer be sold in California, so topping up those systems depends on reclaimed refrigerant. Ask your technician what your system uses; it is on the nameplate. Our repair or replace guide covers the decision when a big repair comes up.
- Fix leaks rather than topping off. On a system holding 15 lb or more, each top-off now means working out the leak rate, and a high rate starts a 30-day repair deadline. See refrigerant leak causes and symptoms.
- Buying new: ask which refrigerant. Stand-alone units made or imported since January 1, 2025, must use refrigerant under 150 GWP, and a new walk-in condensing unit needs one under 1,400 from July 27, 2026, with a lower limit from January 1, 2032. Ask your installer which refrigerant the system uses and how it will be serviced.
- Replacing an air conditioner’s outdoor unit. In California, a new outdoor condenser or condensing unit on a system with one condenser and one evaporator makes it new equipment, which needs a refrigerant with a GWP under 750. R-410A’s is 2,088. Ask your installer what the replacement uses.
- Food stores: check the company-wide limits. Food store companies with a system over 50 lb face California limits on their average GWP, from December 31, 2026, for chains and January 1, 2030 for all.
This page is not legal advice. Rules have exemptions, and details such as charge size and equipment type decide which limit applies. Read the rule text linked in each row, or ask EPA or the California Air Resources Board, before you buy. For how these rules play out on service calls, see our guide to refrigerant rules for businesses.
Method
What we included. Federal and California rules with a date from 2025 to 2033 that apply to commercial refrigeration (walk-ins, reach-ins, display cases, ice machines, supermarket and cold storage systems) or to air conditioning in homes and small commercial buildings. We left out refrigerated transport, foams, aerosols, chillers, industrial process refrigeration, data centers, variable refrigerant flow systems, household appliances, very low temperature uses and fire suppression.
Rule text. 40 CFR part 84 as published in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, as of November 9, 2026; the California Air Resources Board’s 2020 HFC regulation and its program pages; EPA’s reference pages; and the Federal Register for EPA’s 2026 change and for DOE. We downloaded every source on November 12, 2026, and keep a dated copy. Each row quotes its rule. Our build script stops if a quote is not in its source, or if a number in our plain-English summary is not in the quote.
Independent check. We checked every row against a second document, downloaded fresh: EPA’s table of restrictions by sector for the federal equipment limits; the Federal Register text of EPA’s 2024 rule for the leak, leak detection and reclaimed refrigerant rows; a retail food fact sheet from the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council, which CARB links to, for the SB 1206 and CARB rows; CARB’s regulation order for the R-404A prohibition; the current text of the California Code of Regulations (the copy at Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute) for the California air-conditioning limit and CARB’s definitions of a new system; and govinfo for the DOE withdrawals and the date EPA’s 2026 change took effect. We also recomputed the GWP of R-404A, R-507A and R-410A from the exchange values in 40 CFR part 84, appendix A, read HFC-134a there directly, and asked the eCFR whether the federal text had changed since our copy. Every row and all four GWP values matched.
Sources
- 40 CFR 84.54, Restrictions on the use of hydrofluorocarbons (eCFR, as of 2026-11-09), National Archives, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-84/subpart-B/section-84.54
- 40 CFR part 84, subpart C, Management of Regulated Substances (eCFR, as of 2026-11-09), National Archives, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-84/subpart-C
- EPA, Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Reconsideration of Certain Regulatory Requirements Promulgated Under the Technology Transitions Provisions (91 FR 31284), Federal Register: www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/26/2026-10387/phasedown-of-hydrofluorocarbons-reconsideration-of-certain-regulatory-requirements-promulgated-under
- DOE, Energy Conservation Standards for Walk-In Coolers and Walk-In Freezers; withdrawal (90 FR 21391), Federal Register: www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/05/20/2025-09029/energy-conservation-program-energy-conservation-standards-for-walk-in-coolers-and-walk-in-freezers
- DOE, Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Refrigerators, Freezers, and Refrigerator-Freezers; withdrawal (90 FR 21392), Federal Register: www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/05/20/2025-09031/energy-conservation-program-energy-conservation-standards-for-commercial-refrigerators-freezers-and
- Technology Transitions HFC Restrictions by Sector, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov/hfcs/technology-transitions-hfc-restrictions-sector
- Technology Transitions GWP Reference Table, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov/hfcs/technology-transitions-gwp-reference-table
- Frequent Questions on the Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov/hfcs/frequent-questions-phasedown-hydrofluorocarbons
- SB 1206 and AB 663: About, California Air Resources Board: ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/sb-1206-and-ab-663/about
- Final Regulation Order, Prohibitions on Use of Certain Hydrofluorocarbons in Stationary Refrigeration, Stationary Air-conditioning, and Other End-Uses (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95371 and following), 2020, California Air Resources Board: ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/barcu/regact/2020/hfc2020/frorevised.pdf
- Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) Prohibitions in California (fact sheet), California Air Resources Board: ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/hydrofluorocarbon-hfc-prohibitions-california
- Refrigerant Management Program: Businesses with Refrigeration Systems, California Air Resources Board: ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/refrigerant-management-program/rmp-businesses-refrigeration-systems
Limits
- Rules change. EPA rewrote several of these limits in 2026, and SB 1206 had CARB publish an assessment of how to move California “away from HFCs and to ultra-low GWP or no-GWP alternatives no later than 2035,” so more California rules may follow. This page reflects the federal text as of November 9, 2026, and CARB’s pages as downloaded on November 12, 2026.
- A one-line summary leaves things out. Some installations get an extra year, for example supermarket and cold storage systems with an approved building permit issued before October 5, 2023, that specifies the restricted refrigerant (40 CFR 84.54(d)). Charge size, cascade systems and equipment definitions also decide which limit applies.
- The California rows come from CARB’s regulation order and CARB’s own pages as downloaded; CARB can amend them.
- Local rules, building codes and safety standards for flammable refrigerants are not covered.
Cite this page
Cool Aid A/C & Refrigeration, “Refrigerant Rules in California: What Changes and When, 2025 to 2033,” November 12, 2026, https://1800coolaid.com/research/refrigerant-rules-timeline-california/. Rule text: eCFR, Federal Register, U.S. EPA and California Air Resources Board.
Download the data: timeline (CSV) · refrigerant GWP values (CSV). Free to use with credit to Cool Aid A/C & Refrigeration and a link to this page (CC BY 4.0).
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