REFCOM Certification: F-Gas Company Registration, Licence to Handle Refrigerants and Annual Returns

Summary

The UK F-Gas Regulations create two distinct layers of compliance: individual technician certification (proving the person handling refrigerant is competent) and company certification (proving the organisation employing them has the systems, records, and oversight in place to operate legally). A sole trader who holds a personal City & Guilds 2079 qualification is not automatically compliant at company level — they also need to be registered as a certified company to legally purchase bulk refrigerant and take on F-Gas work commercially.

REFCOM is the dominant company certification scheme in the UK, operated on behalf of the air conditioning and refrigeration industry. It is recognised by the Environment Agency as an approved certification body under the F-Gas Regulations. Other approved schemes exist — including Shecco and Bureau Veritas — but REFCOM has the broadest industry recognition, particularly for air conditioning contractors, and is often specified by procurement teams and building owners as a pre-qualification requirement for tender.

REFCOM offers two main levels of company certification: standard REFCOM registration and REFCOM Elite. Both provide the company certification required under the F-Gas Regulations, but Elite involves a more rigorous assessment process and carries greater credibility when tendering for commercial contracts. Understanding which level is appropriate, what the annual obligations involve, and how to maintain compliance without bureaucratic pain is essential for any F-Gas contractor in the UK.

It is worth noting that REFCOM registration does not replace or substitute for individual technician certification. Both must be in place. An engineer who works for a REFCOM-registered company but does not hold a personal F-Gas qualification (e.g. City & Guilds 2079) is still acting unlawfully if they handle refrigerant. The two systems work in parallel, not as alternatives.

Key Facts

• REFCOM — Register of Companies Handling Refrigerants; operated by ACRIB (Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board)
• Legal basis — company certification is required under UK F-Gas Regulations SI 2015/310 (as amended by SI 2022/1013)
• Two tiers — REFCOM (standard) and REFCOM Elite; both provide the required company-level F-Gas certification
• REFCOM Elite — requires on-site assessment visit, more detailed documentation review; higher credibility for commercial tenders
• Annual return — all REFCOM-registered companies must submit an annual return by 31 March each year covering the previous calendar year's refrigerant handling
• Annual return contents — quantities of each refrigerant purchased, sold, recovered, reclaimed, and destroyed; must be broken down by refrigerant type
• Technician records — registered companies must maintain up-to-date records of all certified technicians employed or subcontracted, with their certification numbers
• Refrigerant purchase — REFCOM-registered companies can purchase bulk HFC refrigerants; without certification, purchasing from wholesalers is unlawful
• Inspection frequency — REFCOM Elite companies undergo periodic on-site inspections; standard REFCOM is primarily documentation-based
• Public register — REFCOM maintains a publicly searchable register of certified companies at refcom.org.uk; customers and procurement teams can verify status online
• Contractor Competency Scheme (CCS) — a separate REFCOM initiative for companies handling natural refrigerants (R290, R744, NH₃); covers competency requirements beyond standard F-Gas
• Cost — REFCOM registration fees vary by company size; Elite fees are higher due to assessment costs; check current rates at refcom.org.uk
• Renewal — annual renewal required; failure to renew results in removal from the register and loss of legal authority to purchase refrigerant
• Enforcement — the Environment Agency can check REFCOM status during inspections and when investigating F-Gas offences

Quick Reference Table

Detailed Guidance

What REFCOM Registration Actually Covers

REFCOM company certification demonstrates that your business has the organisational competence to handle F-Gas refrigerants lawfully. This means:

1. Your technicians hold valid individual F-Gas qualifications — REFCOM verifies this at registration and renewal
2. Your company has systems for record-keeping — including equipment logbooks, refrigerant purchase records, and leak check records
3. You have procedures for refrigerant recovery and handling — appropriate equipment, storage, and disposal routes
4. You submit annual returns accurately reporting your refrigerant handling activity

REFCOM registration does not certify that every piece of work you carry out is compliant — it certifies that your company has the baseline competence and systems to operate within the regulations. Ongoing compliance is your responsibility.

It is also important to understand what REFCOM does not cover. REFCOM certification does not:

• Replace individual technician certification (City & Guilds 2079 or equivalent)
• Cover natural refrigerants like R290 (propane) or NH₃ (ammonia) unless you also hold the Contractor Competency Scheme (CCS) designation
• Provide insurance or indemnity for F-Gas-related incidents
• Guarantee any particular level of workmanship or quality

REFCOM Elite vs Standard Registration

Standard REFCOM is an entry-level certification suitable for most sole traders and small contractors who primarily work on domestic and light commercial air conditioning. The registration process is largely documentation-based: you provide evidence of your technicians' qualifications, confirm your record-keeping procedures, and agree to submit annual returns. There is no mandatory on-site audit.

REFCOM Elite is the more rigorous tier, involving an on-site assessment by a REFCOM assessor who will review your actual records, inspect your equipment, verify your technicians' qualifications in person, and check that your procedures are being followed in practice. Elite status is increasingly required by public sector procurement frameworks, large FM companies, and commercial building owners as evidence of a higher standard of compliance.

For a sole trader or small two-person operation doing mainly domestic and light commercial splits, standard REFCOM is almost certainly sufficient. If you are tendering for commercial contracts — particularly in the public sector, healthcare, or education — Elite is worth the additional cost and effort, as it may be a pre-qualification requirement.

The Annual Return Process

The annual return is submitted to REFCOM by 31 March each year and covers the previous calendar year (1 January to 31 December). The return is completed online via the REFCOM portal.

What you need before starting:

• A complete record of every refrigerant purchase made in the year, including supplier invoices showing refrigerant type and quantity
• Records of all refrigerant recovered from systems during the year, by type and quantity
• Records of refrigerant sent to reclaim facilities or disposal
• An up-to-date list of all certified technicians employed or subcontracted during the year

Common errors that cause annual return problems:

• Failing to distinguish between different refrigerant types (R32 and R410A are separate entries, not interchangeable)
• Reporting net figures rather than gross purchases and gross recoveries
• Missing small-quantity purchases (including small cylinders purchased for topping up domestic systems)
• Not including sub-contracted engineers who carried out F-Gas work on your behalf

If you outsource work to sub-contractors, you remain responsible for ensuring that their work is carried out by certified technicians and that the refrigerant handling is properly recorded. Many REFCOM-registered companies require sub-contractors to provide copies of their own REFCOM registration and technician certificates before work begins.

Maintaining the Public Register Listing

Once registered, your company appears on the public REFCOM register at refcom.org.uk. Customers, building owners, and procurement teams can search the register by company name, postcode, or registration number. Your listing shows your registration status, registration number, the types of work you are certified for, and whether you hold Elite status.

Keeping your listing current is important. If you add technicians, change your trading name, move premises, or change the scope of work you carry out, you must notify REFCOM promptly. An out-of-date listing can cause problems when customers or procurement officers verify your status.

If your registration lapses — because you missed the renewal deadline or failed to submit the annual return — your listing is removed from the register and you lose the legal authority to purchase bulk refrigerant. Reinstatement requires re-application and may involve additional assessment.

The Contractor Competency Scheme (CCS)

The CCS is a separate certification stream within REFCOM for companies working with natural refrigerants: primarily R290 (propane), R744 (CO₂), and NH₃ (ammonia). These refrigerants are not covered by the F-Gas Regulations (because they are not fluorinated gases), but they present different safety risks — flammability (R290), pressure hazards (R744), and toxicity (NH₃) — that require additional competency.

As R290-based systems become more common in the UK market (driven by the HFC phase-down), the CCS is becoming increasingly relevant for air conditioning contractors. A standard REFCOM registration does not cover work on R290 systems; if you intend to install or service propane-charged units, you need the CCS endorsement as well.

The CCS covers training requirements, safe handling procedures, and record-keeping for natural refrigerant systems. Requirements are evolving as the market develops — check the current REFCOM guidance before taking on R290 work for the first time.

How to Check if a Contractor is REFCOM Registered

The public register at refcom.org.uk allows anyone to search by:

• Company name
• Company registration number
• Postcode

The search returns the company's registration number, current status (active/lapsed), the type of work they are certified for, and whether they hold Elite status. This search is useful when you are sub-contracting work, when a customer asks for evidence of your status, or when you are verifying a supplier's credentials.

If a contractor claims to be REFCOM-registered but does not appear on the register, they are either lapsed or were never registered. Do not accept verbal assurances — always verify online before allowing unregistered contractors to carry out F-Gas work on your behalf.

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm a sole trader with my own City & Guilds 2079. Do I still need REFCOM registration?

Yes. Individual technician certification (City & Guilds 2079) and company certification (REFCOM) are separate requirements. Your personal qualification proves you are competent to handle refrigerant; REFCOM registration proves your business has the systems and oversight in place to operate lawfully as a company. Without REFCOM (or equivalent company certification), you cannot legally purchase bulk HFC refrigerants from UK wholesalers.

What happens if I miss the annual return deadline?

REFCOM will send reminders before the 31 March deadline. If you miss it, your registration may be suspended and eventually removed from the public register. You should contact REFCOM promptly if you are going to be late — they generally allow a short grace period for late submission. Persistent non-submission is treated as a compliance failure and can result in loss of registration.

Does REFCOM cover my insurance obligations?

No. REFCOM certification is about regulatory compliance, not insurance. You still need appropriate public liability insurance, professional indemnity insurance, and (if relevant) contractors all-risk cover for your work. Some insurers require REFCOM registration as a condition of providing cover for F-Gas work, so the two are related, but REFCOM does not itself provide any insurance.

Can I use sub-contractors who are not REFCOM registered?

Technically, a sub-contractor carrying out F-Gas work must be individually certified (City & Guilds 2079 or equivalent), and the work must be carried out for or on behalf of a REFCOM-registered company. In practice, most reputable sub-contractors will hold their own REFCOM registration. If they do not, you as the principal contractor bear the risk of non-compliance for work carried out in your name. Always verify sub-contractor certification before engagement.

How do I apply for REFCOM registration?

Applications are made online at refcom.org.uk. You will need to provide: company details (name, address, company registration number if a limited company), details of all certified technicians (names and certification numbers), confirmation that you have procedures for F-Gas record-keeping, and payment of the registration fee. REFCOM will verify the technician certifications and, if applying for Elite, arrange an assessment visit. Processing typically takes 2–4 weeks.

Regulations & Standards

• Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/310) — establishes the requirement for company certification for businesses handling F-Gases; REFCOM is an approved certification scheme under this legislation

• Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (SI 2022/1013) — post-Brexit amendments maintaining and updating the company certification framework

• Environment Agency: F-Gas company certification guidance — guidance on approved certification bodies and what company certification must cover

• ACRIB Code of Practice — Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board framework for competent contractor operation [verify current version]

• BS EN 378 — Refrigerating systems and heat pumps: safety and environmental requirements; referenced in REFCOM Elite assessments for system safety compliance

• REFCOM — Register of Companies Handling Refrigerants — official REFCOM website; register search, application, annual return portal

• UK F-Gas company certification — GOV.UK — Environment Agency guidance on the company certification requirement

• ACRIB — Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board — industry body overseeing REFCOM and broader sector competency standards

• Contractor Competency Scheme — REFCOM — CCS details for natural refrigerant work

• City & Guilds 2079 F-Gas qualification — individual technician certification that underpins company registration

• f gas regulations guide — full guide to UK F-Gas Regulations: leak check frequencies, logbook requirements, and HFC phase-down

• refrigerant types comparison — R32 vs R410A vs R290: implications for F-Gas compliance and certification scope

• hvac commissioning and handover — commissioning documentation and handover records that support F-Gas compliance

• ac maintenance annual service — annual service requirements and how they tie into F-Gas logbook obligations