It's been awhile since I read about this, but certain areas have their own rules. Austin, Tx., Wisconsin; California and perhaps other areas. I haven't kept up with it.

In every case I've read about, you needed to actually be involved in the automotive service field as a professional. I don't know if only shops in Austin can buy it on behalf of their techs or if a tech could go out on his own and buy it with ASE credentials and a 609 cert.

If I were you, I'd call around to the various auto parts stores and see if you can even find it. More and more local retailers are no longer carrying it.

Someone here mentioned refrigerantsales.com the other day. Maybe they will sell it; then again, maybe they won't sell it to an Austin resident.

If you have a 609 and can't buy it in Austin, drive south 80 miles to San Antonio. The local Napa and Car Quest places still sell the 12 oz. cans for about $26-$28.