Frequently Asked Questions (Complete List)

California Crane School offers hands-on crane training packages. Our 5-day course comes with additional time in the field and on the cranes as well, which we recommend to anyone new to operating a crane.

California Crane School offers a test preparation course designed to help students pass their National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO), an accredited certification company.

Yes. All your NCCCO mobile crane operator certification exams can being scheduled at the same time with California Crane School.

That depends on the package you choose. With our 3-day crane operator certification course, you’ll receive a 20-minute familiarization session on each crane before taking your NCCCO practical exams. Additional hands-on training for this course is available for purchase separately.

However, if you enroll in our 5-day Beginner Crane Bundle, you’ll receive 16 hours of field operations, including up to 8 hours of practice time for hands-on experience.

California Crane School pioneered the intensive 3-day crane operator certification course. With experience from hundreds of classes, we know exactly how much time is needed to prepare students for both the written and practical exams. Courses that are shorter often don’t provide enough instruction to ensure success, while longer ones tend to fill time with personal stories and off-topic discussions. While sharing experiences can be interesting, our focus is on getting you certified efficiently and effectively. Plus, we back our program with a guarantee: if you don’t pass the written tests after completing our class, you can retake the course with us at no additional cost.

We currently do not offer any crane operator certification in Spanish.

California Crane School offers discounts on crane operator training courses year-round. To see what discounts you may be eligible for, give us a call at 888-967-7277.

Private crane operator NCCCO certification courses are available nationwide. Please fill out the following form or call our enrollment specialists at 888-967-7277 to get started!

California Crane School offers the fastest route to earning your crane operator certification. Our expert training team has helped thousands of operators successfully achieve their NCCCO certification—boasting some of the highest pass rates in the nation. We even guarantee you’ll pass your written exams, or you can retake the next available class with us for FREE until you do.

Classes are conducted every month for each of our locations in Northern & Southern California. We also offer private courses nationwide.

View our Location Calendar here.

Our classes happen once a month in two locations: Ontario, California and Sacramento, California. We also conduct many private classes throughout the month. For information on private classes call California Crane School at (888) 967-PASS (7277).

Yes, we can help you get certified—even if you’ve never operated a crane before. In fact, sometimes candidates with no prior experience perform better on the written exams because they haven’t developed habits that conflict with the “by-the-book” methods used in certification testing.

While we can’t turn someone into an expert crane operator in just three days, we can help you earn your certification. If you can add, subtract, and understand English, we can prepare you to pass the written exams on your first try. We’ve also helped hundreds of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) candidates pass successfully.

For the practical exam, if you can control the load and prevent the hook from swinging—with a few pointers—you can likely pass. If you need hands-on practice, we offer crane time with an instructor for $150 per hour. Most beginners can pass the practical test with less than two hours of instruction.

Keep in mind, our program is not a substitute for years of field experience or a formal apprenticeship. Our goal is to help you meet the certification requirements and get that card in your pocket. We don’t set the standards—we just provide the most effective path to certification.

The NCCCO written and practical exams are designed to assess your knowledge, skills, and abilities as a crane operator. Fortunately, our training team has helped thousands of candidates earn their NCCCO certification—consistently achieving some of the highest pass rates in the nation. The results speak for themselves. And the best part? We guarantee you’ll pass the NCCCO written exams, or you can retake our class for free until you do!

All candidates must bring and wear a hardhat and work boots to the practical yard site. Everything in the classroom (work materials) is provided as well as study guides and load charts.

To avoid additional fees, candidates must register for the written exams at least two weeks ahead of time. If registration is submitted late, the testing provider—International Assessment Institute (IAI)—will apply a $50 late fee (note: California Crane School does not receive any portion of this fee). Furthermore, anyone not registered at least one week prior will be ineligible to sit for the written exam. Those interested in taking only the practical exam can contact California Crane School directly at (888) 967-PASS (7277) to schedule it at their convenience. All necessary certification paperwork, including the candidate’s photo, is completed on site.