Plant item registration

Find out what plant items you need to register, the requirements and how to apply. 

On this page

Key information

  • Working with plant items such as cranes and lifts can cause death or serious injury. That’s why the person with management or in control of some items of plant, for example the owner or lessee, must register the plant items with SafeWork NSW or a corresponding work health and safety (WHS) regulator.
  • If a plant item that must be registered does not have a current registration certificate, you must not use the plant. You cannot direct or allow someone else to use it either.

Eligibility

The person with management or control of the plant, such as the owner or lessee, must register the item of plant once it has been deemed safe to operate by a competent person.

Plant items that must be registered

The owner or lessee must register the following items:

  • tower cranes, including self-erecting tower cranes
  • mobile cranes with a safe working load of more than 10 tonnes
  • lifts, escalators and moving walkways
  • building maintenance units
  • boilers with a hazard level of A, B or C according to Section 2.1 of AS 4343, with some exceptions
  • pressure vessels with a hazard level of A, B, or C (except gas cylinders; LP gas fuel vessels for automotive use; serially produced pressure vessels; or pressure vessels that do not require periodic internal inspection)
  • amusement devices covered by Section 2.1 of Australian Standard (AS) 3533.1:2009 with some exceptions
  • concrete placing booms, including fixed tower booms.

How to apply

What you need

Before you begin your application to register an item of plant, make sure you have:

  • valid email address
  • business details (if applicable)
  • plant design registration number and plant item specifications, which are available from the supplier, manufacturer, or person inspecting the plant
  • supporting documents for amusement devices and tower cranes only
  • the prescribed fee (payable upon online lodgement), which lasts one year. If you have more than one item, see registering additional items.

Apply for a new registration

Select the ‘Apply now’ link below. It will take you to the Service NSW online application form.

Your fee will be calculated on completion of the online application.

Your application will take around 30 minutes to complete.

Apply now for a new registration. Visit Service NSW if you need help applying online.

If you are applying to register a lift in a private residence, you can’t apply online and must download and complete the application form (PDF, 1920.85 KB). Private lifts (single dwelling) are free to register.

To align registration dates for all plant items at a single location and qualify for a discounted renewal fee next year, please email licensing@safework.nsw.gov.au with your plant item details and location.

Registering additional items

You need to pay a fee to register each item of plant. The fee is minimal for additional items if they are located at the same address, lodged at the same time, and owned by the same applicant.

What happens next

A SafeWork NSW officer will review your application and contact you by email if more information is required.

We will email you to tell you if your registration was successful. We will include a copy of your registration certificate.

Learn about unsuccessful applicants.

Supporting documents for amusement devices and tower cranes

You must provide these supporting documents for amusement devices and tower cranes only.

For amusement devices, you must submit inspection certificates when you first register the item and every time you renew your item registration.

This tells us your plant has been inspected at least every 12 months and is safe and ready for use.

You must provide:

If you are registering a tower crane to a worksite, you must submit a design statement for the crane’s foundation.

This tells us the foundation has been designed in line with the site’s geotechnical conditions.

You must provide a design statement form (PDF, 1828.51 KB) completed by a structural engineer, confirming the crane’s foundation is designed to comply with AS 1418.4

Renew a registration

When to renew

You need to renew your registration before it expires each year. If you don’t, you are not allowed to use the plant item and you will have to reapply for a new registration.

We will email or mail you a renewal notice around 60 days before the expiry date to remind you to renew and give you a renewal number to use on your application.

If you haven’t received a renewal notice yet but want to renew now, you can renew online using the plant item registration number and the postcode of the plant item’s working location.

How to renew online

Select the ‘Renew now’ link below. It will take you to the Service NSW online renewal form.

Your fee will be calculated at the end of the online application. View the cost in the fee schedule.

Renew now to renew a registration. Visit Service NSW or call SafeWork NSW on 13 10 50 if you need help applying online.

As long as we receive your application before your registration expires, your registration will remain current.

If you can’t renew online, email the SafeWork NSW licensing team, or call SafeWork NSW on 13 10 50 .

What happens next

We will email you to tell you if your registration was successful or contact you if more information is required. We will include a copy of your registration certificate.

Learn about unsuccessful applicants.

We're streamlining renewals

If you own multiple plant items that are stored at one location, we’re working on giving them the same expiry date, so you only need to renew once, for one location. This will occur progressively over the next 12 months.

If your plant is stored at multiple locations, you will still need to complete a separate renewal for each site.

If you’d like to learn more about our work to streamline renewals, contact  the SafeWork NSW licensing team, or call SafeWork NSW on 13 10 50.

Legal requirements to renew

When you renew, we will ask you to confirm each plant item has been maintained, inspected and tested by a competent person who can confirm it is safe to operate.

For amusement devices, you must submit inspection certificates every time you renew your registration.

If you don’t renew your registration by the date of expiry you will have to reapply.

The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 has more information, including specific requirements for:

Lost, stolen or destroyed registrations

If your registration certificate is lost, stolen or destroyed let us know in writing as soon as possible.

Complete the replace a registration application form (PDF, 1163.52 KB) and email it to the SafeWork licensing team.

You can see the cost to replace your registration in the fee schedule. You can pay your application fee by credit card or PayPal and you will get a receipt number you can enter on the replace a registration application form (PDF, 1163.52 KB).

Search registered plant items

If you buy a secondhand plant item you might not know if it’s registered. For example if you buy the item at an auction.

You can check the item’s registration by requesting a search of our records.

To request a search, download and complete the search registered plant records application form (PDF, 1126.01 KB).

You must be the owner of the item or provide a letter of authorisation from the owner.

View the cost of a plant search in the fee schedule.

Change of details

It is your responsibility to tell us within 14 days if your name, address, or any other registration details change.

For example, you must tell us if the plant is altered so much it is subject to new control measures and if the owner or lessee of the plant changes.

You must tell us if the plant is decommissioned; if fixed plant is relocated; or if there is a breach of any condition of registration, for example conditions of operation for a lift/escalator.

Submit the information with supporting documents by email to the SafeWork licensing team or by mail to SafeWork NSW, Locked Bag 2906, Lisarow NSW 2252.

If you are moving fixed plant or selling it, you must complete the relocation or change of ownership form (PDF, 187.85 KB).

If relocating plant, you must have it inspected by a competent person who can confirm if it is safe to operate. If you are relocating a tower crane to a worksite you need to provide a design statement form (PDF, 1828.51 KB).

We will email you an updated registration certificate.

Competent person

A competent person must:

 

We can cancel a plant item registration if you give false or misleading information; if you leave out information you should have included; or if the item or its design are unsafe.

Registering mining specific plant

To register mining specific plant items, go to the NSW Resources Regulator and find the mining specific plant application form that applies to you.

Mining specific plant items that must be registered are diesel engine systems used in underground mines; booster fans used in underground mines; winding systems (other than person-riding hoists in small gemstone mines); person-riding hoists (winding systems).

Mutual recognition of plant item registrations

Mobile items of plant from other states that are being used in NSW must be registered with the work, health and safety (WHS) regulator in their state or territory.

For more information on how to comply, contact your nearest work health and safety regulator or SafeWork NSW.

Contact us

Need help applying?

If you need help with your application or have a question, please call SafeWork NSW on 13 10 50.

Unsuccessful applications

You can apply for a review.

A review involves a different SafeWork officer, who was not involved in the original decision on your application.

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