A previous thin film infrared spectroscopy study on acrylic/melamine coatings revealed that cross-link scission accelerates during exposure to ultraviolet light. Cross-link scission results in regeneration of copolymer hydroxyl consumed during cure and production of melamine methylol groups. These products suggested a hydrolytic process. Condensation of melamine methylol groups was found to yield melamine-melamine cross-links, releasing formaldehyde as a byproduct. The present work reexamines the nature of the cross-link scission process. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy is used to follow formaldehyde release during exposure as a function of exposure conditions and coating composition. Coating doped with a hindered amine light stabilizer based nitroxide is found to release formaldehyde at a greatly reduced rate. This result indicates that the mechanism for cross-link scission during ultraviolet light exposure is free-radical in nature. Comparing formaldehyde release rate with cross-link scission rate during photolysis reveals that >75% of the formaldehyde formed as the result of melamine methylol condensation fails to escape the coating. The implications of low levels of formaldehyde on coating oxidation chemistry are discussed.