Frequently Asked Questions (Complete List)

If your certification has expired—even by a single day—NCCCO requires you to retest as a new candidate. This means you’ll need to take both the written and practical exams again to become certified.

Definition:

“Crane-related experience” – operating, maintaining, inspecting, or training on cranes.

1,000 hours of “Crane-related experience” voids the requirement of the practical exam during recertification. Otherwise the practical exam remains required during recertification.

“Candidates who can attest to at least 1,000 hours of crane-related experience during their period of certification do not need to take the practical exam to recertify.”

Note, 1,000 hours is reduced to 500 hours for Service Truck Cranes.

Reference: CCO MOBILE CRANE OPERATOR CANDIDATE HANDBOOK, p. 1, 10 (“RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS”).

California / Cal-OSHA Title 8

§5006.2. (d)(3) Re-certification. Crane operators shall re-certify every five (5) years and shall be required to meet all of the qualifications set forth in subsection (d)(1). Operators with at least one-thousand (1,000) hours of documented experience operating the specific type of crane for which re-certification is sought as covered by this section during the immediately preceding certification period and who meet the physical examination, substance abuse, and written examination requirements set forth in subsection (g)(1)-(g)(3) shall not be required to take the “hands-on” examination specified in subsection (g)(4) to re-certify.

3 specifics are highlighted in Title 8 here, which are:

• 1,000 documented hours of experience
• Operating
• The specific type of crane

For more information please read ‘Eligibility for Operating a Crane in California‘.

If the crane operator has 1,000 or more ‘crane-related experience’ hours within that period they must only pass the written exam. If they have not had that amount of experience within the 5 year period they must take both the written and the practical exam again.

Related FAQ:

• What counts as ‘crane related experience’?
• View more details regarding the written exam and practical exam.

After successfully passing the NCCCO’s written and practical exams you will receive your crane certification license. This is valid for 5 years and each crane operator must recertify prior to the 5 year period ending. If the crane operator has 1,000 or more ‘crane related’ hours of experience within that period they must only pass the written exam. If they have not had that amount of experience within the 5 year period they must take both the written and the practical exam again.

Short summary:

• How long does crane certification last? 5 years.
• When do you need to renew your crane certification? Before the 5 year period has ended.

In the CCO Mobile Crane Operator Candidate Handbook (p. 1 and 10 under “Recertification Requirements”) it states that “Candidates who can attest to at least 1,000 hours of crane-related experience during their period of certification do not need to take the practical exam to recertify.” This “crane-related experience” is defined as “operating, maintaining, inspecting or training on cranes.”