Nevada crane operator certification
✓ Checked 26 Oct 2026 against Nevada Administrative Code chapter 618 (occupational safety and health), cranes sections 618.342 to 618.410, on the Nevada Legislature's site. The copy we read is marked revised 13 Apr 2026. It did not list fees, certification providers or exam content, so this guide gives none. Ask the Nevada Division of Industrial Relations for those.
Nevada does not issue its own crane operator card in these sections. It requires a certificate from a certification program that the state's Division has approved. This guide is one of the state-by-state crane license guides.
Who must be certified
The rules define a crane as a machine with a movable boom that lifts and lowers a load and moves it horizontally, with the lifting mechanism built into the machine. Section 618.402 says a person must be certified before operating a mobile crane or a tower crane, except a trainee covered by the provisional certificate rules below. The employer must make sure the operator holds a certificate from a certification program. The rule defines a crane operator as someone who holds such a certificate.
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What a certification program is
A certification program is one the Division approves to certify mobile or tower crane operators. Each program gives the Division a blank copy of its certificate form. The form must carry an authorized representative's signature, an expiration date, the type of mobile or tower crane the holder may operate, and the program's name. The Division can withdraw approval, with 15 working days' notice, if the program lets its accreditation lapse or fails to send the proof of continuing accreditation or other information the Division requests. It may also limit the crane types a program is approved for. The text does not name the approved programs, so confirm with the Division that your certifier is on the current list.
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Employer records
An employer keeps copies of each operator's certificates at its main office or at the operator's workplace. It keeps them during employment and for at least three years after. It must give the Division copies on request if the request comes within three years after the operator leaves.
Provisional certificates for trainees
An employer may issue a provisional certificate to someone who is not certified, after checking that the person meets the physical requirements for trainees in the standards the state adopts. It goes on a form the Division approves and names the crane type. It ends when the trainee becomes certified or five years after issue, whichever comes first, and may be renewed as often as needed while the physical requirements are met. The trainee keeps it and gives the Division a copy on request.
Under section 618.410 a provisional trainee must work under direct supervision. The supervising operator holds a certificate for the type of crane in use, watches the trainee and does nothing else, and stays in the immediate area within sight and able to communicate. A trainee may not operate a crane that is erecting or dismantling a tower crane.
Tower crane certificates of operation
The same chapter has separate sections on certificates of operation for tower cranes, and for cranes used to erect or dismantle them. Those concern the equipment, not the operator, and we did not summarize them. Read sections 618.365 to 618.385 if you work with tower cranes.
What this means for NCCCO study
The rule works through approved programs, so ask your certifier and the Division whether the national certification you plan to take is accepted for the crane type you run. Our Core exam guide explains what the NCCCO written exams cover. For a contrast, Washington puts a similar duty on employers through its construction crane rule.
How the free check fits
The free written check is practice on the NCCCO Core outline, scored by domain with explanations. It is not a Nevada requirement, and it does not predict a result.
Sources
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- NAC chapter 618, Occupational Safety and Health, Nevada Legislature. Sections 618.3425, 618.3445, 618.402 to 618.410 and the tower crane headings. Copy marked revised 13 Apr 2026. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
Facts checked 26 October 2026 against the sources listed above. If something has changed, tell us and we will correct it within 2 business days.
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