Crane operator rules in Utah

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. The sources are Utah Code section 58-55-504 in both versions shown by the Utah Legislature, OSHA's operator qualification rule at 29 CFR 1926.1427, and a Montana Department of Labor and Industry paper that compares state crane licensing. The national picture is on the parent page, cranes in tree work.

At a glance

Item	What the sources say
Law	Utah Code 58-55-504, Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act
Who needs certification	An individual operating a crane on a commercial construction project
Certifier	National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators, or an organization the division finds equivalent under ASME B30.5 and National Commission for Certifying Agencies accreditation
Penalty in the version in force	Class A misdemeanor
Equipment excluded	Includes digger derrick truck, bucket truck, knuckle boom, side boom
Version effective January 1, 2027	Shorter text, same certification rule

The version in force until January 1, 2027

The legislature's site marks this version of the section as superseded on January 1, 2027, and it was last amended by Chapter 98 of the 2007 General Session. Subsection (2)(a) says that to operate a crane on commercial construction projects an individual shall be certified as a crane operator by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators, or by another organization the division determines offers an equivalent testing and certification program. That program must meet the American Society of Mechanical Engineers standard ASME B30.5 and the accreditation requirements of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. Subsection (2)(b) says an individual who violates it is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

Subsection (1)(a) defines commercial construction projects as construction, alteration, repair, demolition or excavation projects that do not involve single-family detached housing, multifamily attached housing up to and including a fourplex, or commercial construction of not more than two stories above ground.

Subsection (1)(b) defines a crane operator as an individual operating a crane, which for this section is a power-operated hoisting machine used in construction, demolition or excavation work that has a power-operated winch, load line and a boom moving laterally by rotation of the machine on a carrier. It then lists what the term does not include: a fork lift, digger derrick truck, aircraft, bucket truck, knuckle boom, side boom, mechanic's truck, or a vehicle or machine not using a power-operated winch and load line.

Subsection (3) exempts an individual engaged in construction or operation incidental to petroleum refining or electrical utility construction or maintenance.

The version effective January 1, 2027

The legislature's site shows a shorter section, amended by Chapter 42 of the 2026 General Session. Subsection (1) says that to operate a crane on a commercial construction project, an individual shall obtain certification from the same national commission or from another organization the division determines offers an equivalent program that complies with ASME B30.5 and the same accreditation requirements. Subsection (2) keeps the exemption for petroleum refining and for electrical utility construction or maintenance. The text read for this version does not repeat the project definition, the crane operator definition with its list of excluded machines, or the class A misdemeanor line that appear in the older text.

Tree work

Neither version names tree work or arboriculture. The older text excludes bucket trucks, knuckle booms and digger derrick trucks by name. The shorter text does not carry that list.

Where Utah sits among the states

OSHA's rule at 29 CFR 1926.1427 requires employers to ensure each operator of covered equipment is trained, certified or licensed, and evaluated. A Montana Department of Labor and Industry paper on OSHA against state licensing names Utah among the states that require nationally accredited certification by rule or statute without necessarily issuing a separate state operator license.