How the plan builder works
The NCCCO candidate handbook gives each of the four Core domains a share of the exam. The builder uses those weights as each domain's share of your study time, then works inside the window from your start date to the day before the exam:
- Weights: Operations 28%; Load Charts 27%; Technical Knowledge 23%; Site 22%. They total 100%, so no rescaling is needed.
- Weeks = days from start date to exam date ÷ 7, rounded up. A short last week still counts as a week.
- With 3 or more weeks, the last week is a final review across all four domains at the same shares.
- The study weeks before it go to the domains one at a time, heaviest first. Each domain gets weight × study weeks, rounded by the largest-remainder method: everyone gets the whole-number part, then spare weeks go to the largest fractions. Every domain gets at least one week.
- With fewer study weeks than domains, neighbouring domains share a week, grouped so the weeks carry about equal weight.
- Within a domain's weeks, its topics are spread in order, so each week has at least one topic. Each focus week links one practice tool or guide per domain, rotating through the ones that fit that domain.
- If you pick a weakest domain, its weight is multiplied by 1.5 and the four are rescaled to total 100% before any of the steps above, so it gets more weeks and the others get slightly fewer.
- Each week splits the hours you entered: half on learning new material, three tenths on practice questions and a fifth on reviewing what you missed. The review week is practice and review only. A short week is scaled to its days.
- The free 10-question check opens week 1 and week (weeks ÷ 2, rounded down) + 1.
The plan runs up to 52 weeks and covers the Core written exam only. The specialty written exams and the practical exams are not covered. Topic labels are our own short paraphrases of the Core task numbers mapped in our Core study guide; this page does not reproduce any NCCCO or standards text.
Worked example 1: 10 weeks at 6 hours a week
A candidate starts on Monday 2 November 2026 and sits the Core on 11 January 2027, studying 6 hours a week, with no weakest domain chosen. These dates are an example only.
- Days: 70, so 10 weeks. Week 10 is the final review, leaving 9 study weeks.
- Exact week counts: 9 × 0.28 = 2.52, 9 × 0.27 = 2.43, 9 × 0.23 = 2.07, 9 × 0.22 = 1.98. Whole parts give 2, 2, 2 and 1, which is 7 weeks. The two spare weeks go to the largest fractions, 0.98 and 0.52, so the counts are 3, 2, 2 and 2.
- Weeks 1 to 3 are Operations, weeks 4 and 5 are Load Charts, weeks 6 and 7 are Technical Knowledge, and weeks 8 and 9 are Site.
- The nine Operations topics over three weeks: topics 1 to 3 in week 1, 4 to 6 in week 2, 7 to 9 in week 3.
- Every study week is 6 hours: 3 hours learning, 1 hour 50 minutes of practice questions and 1 hour 10 minutes reviewing misses. The review week is 3 hours 35 minutes of practice and 2 hours 25 minutes of review.
- Share actually given: (3 + 0.28) ÷ 10 = 32.8%, (2 + 0.27) ÷ 10 = 22.7%, (2 + 0.23) ÷ 10 = 22.3% and (2 + 0.22) ÷ 10 = 22.2%. The lighter domains end up above their weights because each needs whole weeks.
- The free check opens week 1 and week 10 ÷ 2 + 1 = week 6.
Worked example 2: three weeks at 8 hours a week
A candidate starts on 2 November 2026 and sits the exam on 23 November 2026, with 8 hours a week.
- Days: 21, so 3 weeks. Week 3 is review, leaving 2 study weeks for 4 domains.
- Two weeks cannot give four domains a week each, so neighbours pair up. Operations (28%) with Load Charts (27%) sits at 55% of the weight; Technical Knowledge (23%) with Site (22%) sits at 45%. That is the closest split into two runs, so week 1 is the first pair and week 2 the second.
- Each study week is 8 hours: 4 hours learning, 2 hours 25 minutes of practice and 1 hour 35 minutes reviewing. The review week is 4 hours 50 minutes of practice and 3 hours 10 minutes of review.
- The free check opens week 1 and week 3 ÷ 2 rounded down, plus 1, which is week 2.
Using the plan and the checks
The free 10-question check shows which domains are weakest. Take it at the start, choose your weakest domain above so it gets a larger share, and compare at the midpoint. The weights tell you where the points are, and your own scores tell you where you lose them. For the reference to start with for each task, read the NCCCO Core study guide. For a slower, beginner-first order, see the 8-week plan for people new to cranes. For chart skills, how to read a crane load chart comes first, then the drills the plan links.
What the planner does not do
It does not say how long anyone should study, and it does not predict a result. The hours are yours; the plan only splits them. It does not cover the specialty exams. Equal weight on the page does not mean equal difficulty for you, so adjust after each check. NCCCO's current candidate handbook controls what the exam covers, and NCCCO can change it.
NCCCO Core study plan questions
How many weeks should I study for the NCCCO Core?
That depends on your exam date, the hours you can give each week and how much crane time you already have, so the builder starts from your dates and your hours instead of a fixed number. Enter both and it spreads your own time across the four domains, then ends with a review week. If you are brand new to cranes, the 8-week beginner plan on our blog is one worked example.
Does this plan cover the specialty exams?
No. It covers the Core written exam only. The specialty written exams for each crane type have their own content, and this planner does not build weeks for them.
Which domain should I study first?
The builder starts with Operations, because the outline gives it the largest weight at 28%, and Load Charts follows at 27%. If your free check shows another domain scoring much lower, pick it as your weakest and the builder gives it a larger share. The weights show where the points are, and your score shows where you lose them.