Crane and reach stacker licences

You must have a high risk work licence with the relevant class or classes to operate specified cranes and reach stackers in NSW.

There are 12 crane classes and one reach stacker class. These classes allow you to carry out work involving:

See the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 for more detail on the different crane and reach stacker classes.

Non slewing mobile cranes

Non slewing mobile cranes greater than 3 t capacity (CN) and which incorporate a boom or jib that cannot be slewed.

They include:

articulated type mobile cranes
locomotive cranes
non-slewing telehandlers (over three tonnes capacity, fitted with a boom and/or jib with a hoist rope and/or hook block).

Note: Does not include vehicle tow trucks.

Slewing mobile cranes

Slewing mobile cranes incorporate a boom or jib that is capable of being slewed.

Note: Does not include front end loaders, backhoes, excavators and other earthmoving equipment when configured for crane operation.

There are four classes of slewing mobile cranes, each with a different capacity:

up to 20 t (C2) - incorporating CN and CV classes
up to 60 t (C6) - incorporating C2, CN and CV classes
up to 100 t (C1) - incorporating C6, C2, CN and CV classes
over 100 t (C0) - incorporating C1, C6, C2, CN and CV classes

Telehandler

If a slewing telehandler is fitted with a boom and/or jib with a hoist rope and/or hook block, a C2, C6, C1 or C0 high risk work licence is required, dependent on the telehandler's rated capacity.

Vehicle loading cranes

Vehicle loading cranes with a capacity of 10 mt or more (CV) are mounted on a vehicle to move a load onto or from the vehicle, including the application of load estimation and slinging techniques to move a load.

A CV licence holder can operate a vehicle loading crane and conduct the full range of slewing operations without holding a slewing mobile crane licence, so long as the:

equipment is suitable for the task
equipment is used within its operating parameters
operator has been adequately trained.

Reach stackers

Reach stackers greater than 3 t capacity (RS) are mobile stackers that incorporate an attachment for lifting, moving and travelling with a shipping container, but does not include a portainer crane.

Derrick cranes (CD)

Derrick cranes (CD) are slewing strut-boom cranes, with their booms pivoted at the base of a mast, which are:

either guyed (guy-derrick) or held by backstays (stiff-legged derrick), and
capable of luffing under load.

Portal boom cranes (CP)

Portal boom cranes (CP) are boom or jib cranes mounted on a portal frame that is supported on runways along which the crane travels.

Bridge and gantry cranes (CB)

Bridge and gantry cranes (CB) are a bridge crane or gantry crane that is:

controlled from a permanent cabin or control station on the crane, or
remote controlled with more than three powered operations (hoist, raise and lower equals one operation), and
including the application of load estimation and slinging techniques to move a load.

Tower cranes (CT)

Tower cranes (CT) are a jib or boom crane mounted on a tower structure, demountable or permanent, including both horizontal and luffing jib types.

Self-erecting tower cranes (CS)

Self-erecting tower cranes (CS) are where:

the tower structure and boom/jib elements are not disassembled into component sections
they can be transported between sites as a complete unit, with the erection and dismantling processes an inherent part of the crane's function.

Concrete-placing booms (PB)

Concrete-placing booms (PB) are knuckle type articulated booms, capable of power operated slewing and luffing to place concrete by pumping it through a pipeline attached to or forming part of the boom of the crane. Includes both vehicle and satellite mounted units.