Crane operator rules in Victoria
What the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 and WorkSafe Victoria say about high risk work licences for cranes: the licence rule, the crane classes and codes, how one slewing licence covers other crane types, the working-while-waiting rule, and term, fees and renewal.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 10, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. The sources are the authorised version of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (Victoria), version 017, incorporating amendments as at July 29, 2026, and two WorkSafe Victoria pages, all read on October 10, 2026. WorkSafe Victoria lists a Licensing Branch phone line, 1300 852 562, open 8:30 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday. The national picture is on the parent page, cranes in tree work.
At a glance
| Item | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Rule | Regulation 128: no high risk work without an appropriate high risk work licence |
| Employer rule | Regulation 129: an employer must not allow an employee to do it without one |
| Regulator | WorkSafe Victoria |
| Licence classes | 30 classes listed by WorkSafe Victoria, including 11 crane operation classes, reach stacker, dogging and rigging |
| Licence term | Up to 5 years from grant or last renewal (regulation 457); WorkSafe Victoria says 5 years |
| Minimum age | At least 18 to be granted a licence (regulation 459) |
| Renewal after expiry | Within 12 months of expiry (regulation 490) |
The licence rule
The regulations define high risk work as any work that Schedule 3 sets out as within the scope of a high risk work licence. Regulation 128 says a person must not perform it unless they hold an appropriate licence for the work. Regulation 129 puts the matching duty on the employer, with a penalty of 100 penalty units for a natural person and 500 penalty units for a body corporate. WorkSafe Victoria's page on whether a licence is needed names operating cranes and rigging among the high risk work that needs one, and says the requirements are set out in regulations that WorkSafe manages.
Regulation 130 lists the cases where the two rules do not apply. They include a person only doing training for the licence, a person authorised to work under regulation 138 while an application is processed, work exempted by the regulator under regulation 538, and work on plant only for testing, installing, commissioning, maintaining or repairing it. The last exception does not reach loading or unloading plant from a vehicle. Regulation 131 treats an equivalent licence from another Australian jurisdiction, used under its terms and recognised there as current and valid, as a high risk work licence, unless it is suspended or the regulator has decided otherwise.
The crane classes in Schedule 3
Schedule 3, Part 2, sets the scope of each class. WorkSafe Victoria prints the licence codes in its list of 30 classes. The regulations do not print the codes.
| Licence | Code | Scope in the regulations |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle loading crane | CV | Vehicle loading cranes of 10 metre tonnes or more, including load estimation and slinging for that crane |
| Non-slewing mobile crane | CN | Non-slewing mobile cranes, reach stackers and non-slewing telehandlers |
| Slewing mobile crane, up to 20 tonnes | C2 | Slewing mobile cranes of 20 tonnes or less, plus the lower classes |
| Slewing mobile crane, up to 60 tonnes | C6 | Slewing mobile cranes of 60 tonnes or less, plus the lower classes |
| Slewing mobile crane, up to 100 tonnes | C1 | Slewing mobile cranes of 100 tonnes or less, plus the lower classes |
| Slewing mobile crane, open | C0 | Slewing mobile cranes of any capacity, plus the lower classes |
| Dogging | DG | Slinging a load, or directing the operator when the load is out of the operator's view |
| Basic, intermediate, advanced rigging | RB, RI, RA | Basic includes dogging; intermediate adds cranes and dual lifts |
| Boom-type elevating work platform | WP | Boom length of 11 metres or more |
The other crane classes are the tower crane, self-erecting tower crane, derrick crane, portal boom crane, bridge and gantry crane, and reach stacker licences. WorkSafe Victoria adds that a licence is not needed to operate earthmoving equipment such as an excavator, or a scissor lift. The definition of a slewing mobile crane leaves out a front-end loader, backhoe, excavator or similar equipment when configured for crane operation. A non-slewing mobile crane is defined by a capacity of more than 3 tonnes for a powered mobile crane, and the definition does not include a crane engaged in vehicle tow truck operations.
How one licence covers other types
The slewing mobile crane clauses, 15 to 18, each cover non-slewing mobile cranes, reach stackers, telehandlers and vehicle loading cranes of 10 metre tonnes or more. The slewing clauses exclude the load estimation and slinging part of the vehicle loading crane scope, which the vehicle loading crane licence itself includes. The rigging clause 6 lists cranes among the rigging work of an intermediate rigging licence. Regulation 130(3) adds that a rigging licence holder does not also need a crane or hoist operation licence to set up or dismantle a crane or hoist where operating it is integral to that work.
Working while an application is processed
Regulation 138 says a person given a satisfactory notice of assessment may do the work it covers for 60 days from the date of issue, and if they apply within the 60 days, until the licence is granted or 14 days after written notice of refusal. A holder who applies to renew on or before the expiry date may keep working until the renewal is granted or 14 days after written notice of refusal. Regulation 459 requires the regulator to refuse a grant if the notice relied on was issued more than 60 days before the application. WorkSafe Victoria says the application must be lodged within 60 calendar days of passing, and that processing may take up to 45 calendar days.
Term, fees and renewal
Under regulation 457 a licence ends on the date shown on the licence document, which may be up to 5 years from the grant or from the last renewal. WorkSafe Victoria says a licence is valid for five years. Regulation 450 sets the application fee at 4.5 fee units for each class of work. WorkSafe Victoria's fee summary, read October 10, 2026, lists AU$77.70 per class for an application and AU$58.70 for a renewal or an interstate transfer. Regulation 477 sets a replacement fee of 1 fee unit for a lost, stolen or destroyed licence document.
Regulation 490 allows an expired licence to be renewed within 12 months after expiry, or within a longer period the regulator allows if exceptional circumstances exist. WorkSafe Victoria repeats the 12 months and says that beyond it, proof of exceptional circumstances is needed. It says older competency certificates issued under earlier Victorian law have expired and cannot be used. Regulation 476 says a holder must keep the evidence of licence available for inspection, with a penalty of 5 penalty units.