Certification Terms & Refund Policy

Effective date: September 26, 2026 · The Cold Standard LLC, San Diego, CA

1. Agreement

These Certification Terms ("Terms") are an agreement between you and The Cold Standard LLC ("The Cold Standard," "we," "us"). They apply when you enroll in or use any Cold Standard Certified course or credential, including CSCT (Certified Technician — Cold Plunge), CSST (Certified Sauna Technician) and CSFO (Certified Facility Operator — Plunge & Sauna).

The Candidate Handbook is part of these Terms. If the two conflict, these Terms control. Our general Terms of Use also apply to your use of our website. By checking the agreement box at enrollment or using the course, you accept these Terms. You must be at least 18 years old to enroll.

2. Enrollment & access

• Personal access. Your enrollment gives you a personal, non-transferable right to use the course for your own learning. Don't share your login or let anyone else complete any part of the course, quizzes, capstone or exam for you.
• Accurate information. Use your real name — it's the name printed on your certificate and verification page.
• Our content. Course materials, questions, diagrams and tools belong to The Cold Standard. You may keep notes for your own use, but you may not copy, record, resell, publish or share the course or any exam content.
• Course updates. We update content as equipment, codes and best practices change. If we ever retire a course you've paid for and haven't finished, we'll give you at least 30 days' notice by email and either move you to the updated course or refund the unused enrollment.

3. Fees & payment

• The price for your credential is shown at checkout. Payments are processed by Stripe.
• Pilot pricing is available for a limited number of seats per credential, first come, first served. When pilot seats are gone, retail pricing applies. Pilot pricing applies to tuition only, not to retake or recertification fees.
• Tuition includes the course, module quizzes, one final exam attempt and, for CSCT and CSST, capstone review.
• Exam retakes are $99 per attempt (up to 3 attempts per enrollment in total). Recertification is $295 for CSCT and $195 for CSST and CSFO, at the time of renewal.
• Applicable taxes, if any, are added at checkout. A price change never affects an enrollment you've already paid for.

4. Refund policy

• After 7 days, or once you've completed 10% or more of the course, tuition is non-refundable.
• No refund once you've started a final exam attempt, or once a certificate has been issued.
• Retake and recertification fees are refundable only if you ask before starting the attempt or assessment they pay for. Once it has started, the fee is non-refundable.
• Complimentary, promotional or discounted-by-code seats are non-refundable and have no cash value.
• If we can't deliver — for example we cancel a course before you finish — we'll refund the unused enrollment in full.
• How to request: email service@coldstandardservice.com from your account email with the subject "Certification refund request." Approved refunds go back to your original payment method through Stripe; your bank may take several business days to post them.
• A refund ends your enrollment and course access, and no credential will be issued for it.
• Nothing in this policy limits any refund right you have under applicable law.

5. Exams, capstone & integrity

The passing standards, exam blueprints, attempt limits, cooldowns, capstone review and exam rules are in the Candidate Handbook. In summary: every exam requires 80% to pass; you get up to 3 attempts per enrollment (first included, $99 per retake, 7 days between attempts); final exams are monitored online — timed, server-graded, with browser activity logged — and closed-book.

You agree to follow the exam and capstone rules and the Code of Ethics. We may hold, void or refuse to score an attempt or capstone where we have reasonable grounds to believe the rules were broken, subject to the appeal process in Section 8.

6. Credential & logo use

When you earn a credential, we issue a digital certificate, a public verification page and a digital badge. The credential record belongs to The Cold Standard; you receive a limited, revocable, non-exclusive license to display the badge and credential name while your credential is current.

You may

• Show your badge and credential code on your website, business cards, vehicle, invoices and social profiles while the credential is current.
• Share your verification link or QR code.

You may not

• Use the badge or credential name after it expires or is suspended or revoked.
• Alter the badge, combine it with other marks, or use The Cold Standard's company logo or name as your own.
• State or imply that you're employed by, affiliated with, a franchise of, or endorsed by The Cold Standard, or that the credential makes you a manufacturer-authorized service provider.
• Represent employees, subcontractors or your company as credentialed unless each person holds a current credential.
• Use the credential to market services it doesn't cover.

Your verification page publicly shows your name, credential(s), issue and expiry dates, and status. By enrolling, you agree we may publish that information once a credential is issued.

7. Not a license, job or authorization

• Cold Standard Certified credentials are issued by The Cold Standard, an independent service company. They are not government licenses, are not accredited by a third-party accreditation body, and do not authorize any work that legally requires a license or certification.
• They do not replace EPA Section 608 certification (required to open a sealed refrigerant circuit), pool/spa operator certifications where required, or electrical, plumbing or contractor licensing.
• They are vendor-neutral and are not a manufacturer's authorization or warranty-service approval.
• Enrolling or earning a credential does not make you an employee, contractor, agent or partner of The Cold Standard, and does not guarantee any work, referrals or income. Joining our service network is a separate, optional application governed by its own agreement.

8. Suspension, revocation & appeals

We may suspend or revoke a credential for exam or capstone misconduct, misuse of the credential or badge, unsafe practice or serious ethics violations, or fraud (including payment fraud or chargebacks on a legitimately delivered enrollment). We'll email you the reason and evidence, give you 14 days to respond, and tell you our decision in writing. Suspended and revoked credentials are shown that way on the verification page.

You may appeal an integrity hold, capstone denial, suspension or revocation within 30 days of the decision, as described in the Candidate Handbook. Where practical, someone not involved in the original decision reviews the appeal. The appeal decision is final. Tuition and fees are not refunded for a credential revoked for cause.

9. Accommodations

If a disability or other documented need affects how you take quizzes or exams, request an accommodation before your first exam attempt by emailing service@coldstandardservice.com. We'll work with you in good faith on a reasonable accommodation and keep any documentation confidential. The process is in the Candidate Handbook.

10. AI tutor & course content

• The course includes an AI tutor, and CSCT capstone submissions are scored with AI assistance before human review. These features use Anthropic's Claude.
• AI answers can be wrong. The tutor is a study aid, not professional, engineering, legal or safety advice. The course text, the manufacturer's documentation, applicable code and your own professional judgment take priority.
• Course content is educational. Equipment specs, prices and brand details change; content labeled "as of" a date may be out of date. Always verify with the manufacturer and your local authority.

11. Your work & safety

You are solely responsible for the work you perform, whether or not you hold a credential — including complying with laws, codes, licensing and permit requirements, manufacturer instructions, and carrying appropriate insurance. We don't supervise, direct or guarantee your work. You agree to indemnify The Cold Standard against third-party claims arising from services you provide to others, to the extent permitted by law.

12. Disclaimers & limitation of liability

The course, AI tutor and credential are provided "as is" and "as available." To the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim implied warranties, including merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, and we don't guarantee that you'll pass or that any customer, employer, manufacturer or authority will accept the credential.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, The Cold Standard is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, or for lost profits or business, arising from the course or credential. Our total liability for any claim relating to the course or credential is limited to the amount you paid us for the enrollment in question. Nothing in these Terms limits liability that can't be limited under applicable law.

13. Privacy

We handle your account, progress, exam logs, capstone material and payment information as described in the learner data section of our Privacy Policy.

14. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms. Changes take effect when posted here with a new effective date. A change won't reduce the refund rights that applied when you paid for an enrollment, or retroactively change the result of an exam attempt you've already taken.

15. Governing law & disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-law rules. If you have a concern, please contact us first — most issues can be resolved quickly. If we can't resolve a dispute informally within 30 days, it will be brought in the state or federal courts located in San Diego County, California, unless applicable law gives you the right to bring it elsewhere.

16. Contact

The Cold Standard LLC
San Diego, CA
Phone: (619) 289-9282
Email: service@coldstandardservice.com