ASHRAE certifications are taken by HVAC designers, commissioning providers and healthcare facility designers who want a recognised credential. This page explains how the computer-based exam is delivered, lists the fees and rules we could verify, and gives you free practice sets by topic, with worked explanations and a study plan. Practice with the free ASHRAE - American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers Certification practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (7 questions with answer explanations).
Interactive ASHRAE - American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers Certification resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
The ASHRAE has 115 questions and costs $495[1][2] (ASHRAE, verified Oct 25, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 115 multiple-choice items (100 scored)[1] | ASHRAE · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Time limit (HFDP) | 2 hours[1] | ASHRAE · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Exam fee | $495 member / $745 non-member (application)[2] | ASHRAE · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Wait at least 90 days to reapply[1] | ASHRAE · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Renewal (BCxP) | 50 PDHs + 1 commissioning project[3] | ASHRAE · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Delivery | Computer-based at 1,000+ test centers[2] | ASHRAE · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Eligibility (CHD) | Bachelor's degree + 2 years HVAC design experience[2] | ASHRAE · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Late registration deadline | 45-day extension for $50[2] | ASHRAE · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Registration deadline | Within 90 days of approval[1] | ASHRAE · Oct 25, 2026 |
According to ASHRAE, “Each exam except the Building Commissioning Professional (BCxP) exam consists of 115 multiple-choice items.”[1]
ASHRAE offers several certifications, including Certified HVAC Designer (CHD), Building Commissioning Professional (BCxP) and Healthcare Facility Design Professional (HFDP). Each has its own requirements, so check the page for your credential on the official ASHRAE site before you apply.
Delivery and format. The exam is computer-based, and approved candidates can schedule it at any of over 1,000 test centers. Every exam except BCxP has 115 multiple-choice items, of which 100 are scored. HFDP candidates have 2 hours.
Eligibility. For CHD you need a bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field and 2 years of HVAC design work experience. Requirements for other credentials differ.
Fees and deadlines. The CHD application fee is $495 for ASHRAE members and $745 for non-members. After approval you must schedule and take the exam within 90 days. A 45-day extension is available for a $50 administrative fee.
Retakes and renewal. If you do not pass, you must wait at least 90 days before reapplying. BCxP renewal asks for 50 PDHs plus 1 commissioning project.
Fees and rules can change, so confirm everything with ASHRAE before you pay or book.
Prepare for the ASHRAE - American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers Certification exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What professional responsibility applies when practicing technical specifications?
Answer: B. Holding paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public
Explanation:
The correct answer is holding paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public. This is the first duty in engineering ethics, and it applies to specifications because a specification turns a design intention into something that gets built and occupied.
Maximizing profit for the employer is wrong because commercial interests never outrank public safety. Following only the client's instructions is wrong because an engineer's duty runs beyond the client, and a client cannot waive it. Completing projects as quickly as possible is wrong because speed is a project goal, not a professional responsibility, and it can conflict with careful work.
The rule to remember: when a question asks what comes first in professional conduct, choose the option that protects the public over employer, client or schedule.
Question: In the ASHRAE 55 graphic comfort zone method, what is the upper limit on humidity ratio?
Answer: C. 0.012 lb water/lb dry air
Explanation:
The correct answer is 0.012 lb water/lb dry air. In the ASHRAE 55 graphic comfort zone method, the zone on the psychrometric chart is bounded by a humidity ratio cap, and that cap sits at 0.012.
0.008 is wrong because it is below the cap, so it describes a drier condition inside the zone rather than the limit. 0.010 is also below the cap for the same reason. 0.016 is wrong because it lies above the cap, so air at that moisture level falls outside the comfort zone.
The rule to remember: the graphic method sets a ceiling on humidity ratio, not a floor. When you see several values, find the one that marks the boundary, not the ones that fit comfortably inside it.
Question: What is the primary function of a refrigeration system?
Answer: B. Remove heat to lower temperature.
Explanation:
The correct answer is removing heat to lower temperature. A refrigeration system uses a cycle of evaporation and condensation to carry heat out of a space and reject it elsewhere, so the space gets cooler.
Increasing air pressure within a space is wrong because refrigeration moves heat, not pressure, and changing room pressure is a job for fans and ventilation. Enhancing humidity levels is wrong because cooling coils usually remove moisture from air rather than add it. Reducing air circulation is wrong because refrigeration does not aim to slow air movement, and circulation is usually needed to carry heat to the coil.
The rule to remember: refrigeration is about heat transfer. If an option does not describe heat being removed from the space, it is probably a distractor.
Start with the official material. Download the exam information for your specific certification from ASHRAE and read the content outline and any reference list, since these tell you what the exam can ask. Our sets are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to find gaps, not to predict items.
Take one practice set from each topic area on this page, cold, before you study. Note which topics feel slow or uncertain. Those are your priorities.
Then work in short cycles. Study one weak topic from the official references, take the matching set, and read every explanation, including those for questions you got right. For each miss, write down the rule behind it in a sentence, such as the boundary of a comfort zone or the purpose of a refrigeration cycle.
Move on to the sets for project management, regulatory compliance, safety and quality assurance. These reward careful reading of wording, so practise ruling out options that serve speed or cost over safety.
Near test day, take the full practice test under timed conditions on a screen, since the real exam is computer-based. Confirm your scheduling window with ASHRAE so you book inside your approval period.
Each ASHRAE exam except the Building Commissioning Professional exam has 115 multiple-choice items, and 100 of them are scored. The Healthcare Facility Design Professional exam gives candidates 2 hours. Confirm the details for your own certification on the official ASHRAE site.
For Certified HVAC Designer you need a bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field and 2 years of HVAC design work experience. Other ASHRAE certifications have their own requirements, so check the official page for the credential you want before applying.
The CHD application fee is $495 for ASHRAE members and $745 for non-members. If you cannot test in time, a 45-day extension is available for a $50 administrative fee. Fees can change, so confirm the current amounts with ASHRAE before paying.
You must schedule and take the exam within 90 days of approval. If you need more time, you can request a 45-day extension for a $50 administrative fee. The exam is computer-based and can be scheduled at any of over 1,000 test centers.
You must wait at least 90 days before reapplying to retake the exam. Use that time to review the topics where you lost points. Our practice sets can help you find weak areas, but check ASHRAE for the current reapplication steps.
No. The questions on this page are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions. They are meant to help you practise topics and spot gaps. For the content outline and rules, rely on the official ASHRAE certification pages.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.