NYC crane operator license: Class A and B
✓ Checked 26 Oct 2026 against the New York City Department of Buildings pages for Hoisting Machine Operators, the national crane certification requirements, the Class A and Class B license pages and the Class A and B renewal page. The city's rules are in 1 RCNY section 104-09 and Administrative Code section 28-405, which the pages point to for full requirements. Use those for anything that decides an application.
New York City licenses crane operators itself, through the Department of Buildings (DOB). This is a city license, separate from the New York State license that applies outside the city (see the New York State guide). For Class A and B, NCCCO certification is a required part of the application. Class C and the limited licenses are in the Class C and limited guide. The hub guide compares other jurisdictions.
What the two classes allow
DOB describes Class A as licensed for cranes with booms under 200 feet, and Class B as licensed for all cranes regardless of boom length. The license fee is $150 for Class A and $200 for Class B, both with a three-year term. These are the city's fees, not your total cost, since the 40-hour course and the NCCCO exams are separate.
NCCCO certifications DOB asks for
DOB says it currently recognizes NCCCO certifications for these classes. The required set depends on the class.
- Class A: telescopic boom crane swing cab (TLL), telescopic boom crane fixed cab (TSS) and lattice boom crane (LAT).
- Class B: TLL, TSS, LAT and tower crane (TWR). The lattice boom practical exam must have been taken on a friction crane.
Extra NCCCO certifications are needed to operate certain equipment. DOB lists tower crane for Class A, articulating boom crane, dedicated pile driver, and rotating telehandler. The license shows which extras you hold, and you may not operate that equipment until the certification is reported and listed. A Class A applicant who wants to operate a friction crane must have taken at least one practical exam on one. Our specialty exams guide explains what TLL, TSS and LAT are.
Try one question
Question 1 of the free 10-question check on NCCCO written. No signup.
Operations
Which action creates side loading on a crane boom?
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Other Class A requirements
DOB lists these as prerequisites: age 18, able to read and write English, fit for the work, good moral character, the required NCCCO certifications, a DOB-approved 40-hour Hoisting Machine Operator course within the year before applying, and three years of supervised experience on hoisting machines in the city, under a licensed Class A or B operator, within the previous five years. At least two of those years must be on mobile cranes over 50 tons or on tower cranes (other than self-erecting). The experience must include outrigger placement on at least 100 crane set-ups, 25 of them on mobile cranes over 50 tons. The page also describes a physical exam form, a substance abuse attestation, a $500 background investigation fee and a $150 issuance fee.
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Other Class B requirements
Class B builds on Class A. DOB lists holding a Class A license for at least five years, three years in the eight years before applying operating mobile cranes over 50 tons or tower cranes in New York City, and a further year on cranes with booms over 200 feet under a licensed Class B operator. The fee is $200 for the license. Confirm the full list, since the pages refer to the rules for complete requirements.
Renewal
Class A and B renewals are filed online in DOB NOW. DOB says you need your current NCCCO certification cards with the proper endorsements, a DOB-approved 8-hour refresher course in the year before renewal, a physical exam form and the substance abuse documents. The renewal fee is $150 for both classes. A late renewal costs $200 in total, and DOB advises filing 30 to 60 days before expiry. The NCCCO recertification guide covers keeping the cards current.
How the free check fits
The NCCCO written exams are the part you can practice for here. The free written check scores you by domain on the Core outline, and the load chart guide covers the skill that carries the most weight on the specialty exams. Neither replaces the DOB course, and the check does not predict a result.
Sources
Show the list
- Hoisting Machine Operators, NYC Department of Buildings. Classes, fees and terms. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Crane Certification Requirements for NYC HMO Licenses, NYC DOB. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- Obtain a Class A HMO License and Class B, NYC DOB. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- License Renewal: HMO Class A and B, NYC DOB. 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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