Obtain a: Limited Hoisting Machine Operator License

UPDATES 

STEP 1: License Qualifications (all applicants)

To obtain a Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license, you must meet all the following qualifications prior to applying for the license:

• be at least eighteen (18) years old
• be able to read and write the English language
• be fit to perform the work authorized by the license
• have good moral character so as not to adversely impact your ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of a Hoisting Machine Operator
• possess relevant certifications issued by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) (See Step 2)
• completed a Department-approved 40-hour Hoisting Machine Operator Course within the one (1) year prior to application

EXCEPTION: Applicants who apply for a Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license for an articulating boom crane, mini crane, or telehandler on or before November 6, 2024 need only complete a Department-approved 8-hour Hoisting Machine Operator Course within the two (2) years prior to application.

STEP 1A: Experience Qualifications for applicants for a Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license for articulating boom cranes, mini cranes, or telehandlers on or before November 6, 2024

An applicant applying for a Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license for an articulating boom crane, mini crane, or telehandler on or before November 6, 2024, must submit an affidavit provided by the Department and signed by the applicant and the applicant’s employer or union, attesting that the applicant:

• For an articulating boom crane limited license, has obtained 1,500 hours of experience on or after January 1, 2019, operating, in New York City, articulating boom cranes attached to a commercial truck chassis, with the operation performed in connection with building or infrastructure construction, alteration, or demolition work, or the installation or removal of temporary structures or temporary construction installations, or the delivery or retrieval of materials, equipment, or other items to/from a building, but excluding work in industrial or commercial plants or yards;
• For a mini crane limited license, has obtained 1,500 hours of experience on or after January 1, 2019, operating, in New York City, mobile cranes, other than boom trucks or telehandlers, with a telescoping boom, not exceeding 50 feet in length with a manufacturer’s rated capacity of 3 tons or less, with the operation performed in connection with building or infrastructure construction, alteration, or demolition work, or the installation or removal of temporary structures or temporary construction installations, or the delivery or retrieval of materials, equipment, or other items to/from a building, but excluding work in industrial or commercial plants or yards;
• For a telehandler limited license, has obtained 1,500 hours of experience on or after January 1, 2019, operating, in New York City, rotating telehandlers, with the operation performed in connection with building or infrastructure construction, alteration, or demolition work, or the installation or removal of temporary structures or temporary construction installations, or the delivery or retrieval of materials, equipment, or other items to/from a building, but excluding work in industrial or commercial plants or yards.

STEP 1B: Experience Qualifications for applicants for a Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license for articulating boom cranes, mini cranes, or telehandlers on or after November 7, 2024

An applicant applying for a Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license for an articulating boom crane, mini crane, or telehandler on or after November 7, 2024, must:

• Have two (2) years of experience operating hoisting machines in the presence of and under the direct supervision of a licensed hoisting machine operator, within the three (3) years prior to application

• One (1) year of the required two (2) years of experience must have been in the operation of cranes specified below in Table 1 for the type of license.  The operation must have occurred in New York City in the presence of and under the direct supervision of a licensed New York City hosting machine operator authorized by their license type to operate the equipment they are supervising. 
• The remaining experience can have been in the operation a mobile crane, tower crane, or rotating telehandler either:
• In New York City, in the presence of and under the direct supervision of a New York City licensed Hoisting Machine Operator authorized by their license type to operate the equipment they are supervising, provided that the boom of the crane or telehandler, including jibs and any other extensions to the boom, does not exceed 200 feet in length; or
• In the United States, outside of New York City, in the presence of and under the direct supervision of a hoisting machine operator duly licensed, registered, or certified to operate the equipment in the jurisdiction; this includes self-supervision where the applicant is duly licensed, registered, or certified to operate the equipment in the jurisdiction.

NOTE: Experience does not have to be sequential. It, however, must cumulatively add up to at least one (1) year.

• An applicant applying for a Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license for an articulating boom crane, mini crane, or telehandler may credit experience earned operating an articulating boom crane, mini crane, or rotating telehandler, respectively, in New York City on or before November 6, 2024, at a rate of 125 hours equaling 1 month of experience.

• The operation need not have been in the presence of nor under the direct supervision of a New York City licensed Hoisting Machine Operator.
• The operation must have occurred no more than three (3) years prior to the date of application for licensure.
• The operation must have been performed in connection with building or infrastructure construction, alteration, or demolition work, or the installation or removal of temporary structures or temporary construction installations, or the delivery or retrieval of materials, equipment, or other items to or from a building; but excluding work in industrial or commercial plants or yards.
• An applicant with at least 1,500 hours of qualifying experience will be deemed to satisfy the requirement for having at least one (1) year of experience in New York City.  An applicant with at least 3,000 hours of qualifying experience will be deemed to satisfy the full two (2) years of experience requirement.
• Experience must be documented on an affidavit provided by the Department and signed by the applicant and the applicant’s employer or union.
• Required two (2) years of experience must also have included outrigger placement incorporating at least 100 crane set-ups*, 25 of which must have occurred on cranes specified below in Table 1 for the type of license.
  * Where an applicant for a Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license already possesses a different class of Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license, the requirement for the remaining 75 set-ups is waived.

STEP 1C: Experience Qualifications for applicants for a Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license for boom trucks or sign hanging cranes

An applicant applying for a Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license for a boom truck or a sign hanging crane, must:

• Have two (2) years of experience operating hoisting machines in the presence of and under the direct supervision of a licensed hoisting machine operator, within the three (3) years prior to application

• One (1) year of the required two (2) years of experience must have been in the operation of cranes specified below in Table 1 for the type of license.  The operation must have occurred in New York City in the presence of and under the direct supervision of a licensed New York City hosting machine operator authorized by their license type to operate the equipment they are supervising.
• For a boom truck license, the operation must have been performed in connection with building or infrastructure construction, alteration, or demolition work, or the installation or removal of temporary structures or temporary construction installations, or the delivery or retrieval of materials, equipment, or other items to or from a building; but excluding work in industrial or commercial plants or yards.
• For a sign hanging crane license, the operation must have been exclusively in the erection, maintenance, or removal of signs.
• The remaining experience can have been in the operation a mobile crane, tower crane, or rotating telehandler either:
• In New York City, in the presence of and under the direct supervision of a New York City licensed Hoisting Machine Operator authorized by their license type to operate the equipment they are supervising, provided that the boom of the crane or telehandler, including jibs and any other extensions to the boom, does not exceed 200 feet in length; or
• In the United States, outside of New York City, in the presence of and under the direct supervision of a hoisting machine operator duly licensed, registered, or certified to operate the equipment in the jurisdiction; this includes self-supervision where the applicant is duly licensed, registered, or certified to operate the equipment in the jurisdiction.

NOTE: Experience does not have to be sequential.  It, however, must cumulatively add up to at least one (1) year.

• Required two (2) years of experience must also have included outrigger placement incorporating at least 100 crane set-ups*, 25 of which must have occurred on cranes specified below in Table 1 for the type of license.
  * Where an applicant for a Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license already possesses a different class of Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license, the requirement for the remaining 75 set-ups is waived.

Table 1

Limited HMO License Applying for:	Machine Requirement:
Articulating Boom Crane	An articulating boom crane, including jibs and any other extensions to the boom, not exceeding 200 feet in length and with a manufacturer’s rated capacity in excess of 1 ton, attached to a commercial truck chassis.
Boom Truck	Boom trucks with a telescoping boom, including jibs and any other extensions to the boom, not exceeding 200 feet in length and with a manufacturer’s rated capacity in excess of 3 tons.
Mini Crane	Mobile cranes, other than boom trucks or telehandlers, with a telescoping boom, including jibs and any other extensions to the boom, not exceeding 50 feet in length and with a manufacturer’s rated capacity of 3 tons or less.
Sign Hanging Crane	Boom trucks with a telescoping boom, including jibs and any other extensions to the boom, not exceeding 135 feet in length and with a manufacturer’s rated capacity of 3 tons or less, used exclusively for the erection, maintenance, or removal of signs.
Telehandler	Wheel mounted rotating telehandlers with a telescoping boom, including jibs and any other extensions to the boom, not exceeding 200 feet in length and with a manufacturer’s rated capacity in excess of 3 tons.

NOTE: Please see Title 1 of the Rules of the City of New York (RCNY) Section 104-09 and Section 28-405 of the New York City Administrative Code for full requirements for licensure.

STEP 2: Exam Requirements (all applicants)

To become a licensed Limited Hoisting Machine Operator, the applicant must possess relevant certifications issued by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO).

• For limited articulating boom crane license, at least one of the following certifications are required*:

• Articulating Boom Crane,
• Articulating Boom Crane with Winch, or
• Articulating Boom Loader

• For limited boom truck license, the following certification is required:
  • Telescopic Boom Crane (fixed cab)

• For limited mini crane license, the following certification is required:
  • Telescopic Boom Crane (fixed cab)

• For limited sign hanger license, the following certification is required:
  • Telescopic Boom Crane (fixed cab)

• For limited telehandler license, the following certification is required:
  • Rotating Telehandler

*NOTE: The applicant will be limited to the operation of only those types of articulating boom cranes within the scope of the certification held.

Additional Certifications

Limited boom truck HMO licenses may operate an articulating boom crane and a rotating telehandler.

Limited mini crane HMO licensees may operate a mini crane with an articulating boom.  Note, an articulating boom mounted to a commercial truck chassis (boom truck) is not considered to be a mini crane.

Limited sign hanging crane HMO licensees may operate an articulating boom crane to perform sign hanging work.

• To operate an articulating boom crane, the applicant for a boom truck, mini crane, or sign hanging limited HMO license must additional show a valid NCCCO certification card containing one of the following certifications*:
  • Articulating Boom Crane
  • Boom Crane w/Winch
  • Articulating Boom Loader

*Note: The applicant will be limited to the operation of only those types of articulating boom cranes within the scope of the certification held.

• To operate a rotating (roto) telehandler, the applicant for a boom truck limited HMO license must additionally show a valid NCCCO certification card containing the following certification:
  • Rotating telehandler

STEP 3: Submitting Your Application (all applicants)

Please see the New License Application User Guide for step-by-step directions.

You must upload PDF scans of the following original documentation. Pictures of documents will not be accepted. Documents must be scanned PDFs.

• LIC61: Physical Examination Form must be completed by a physician within the 90 days prior to application
• Notarized letter from the applicant showing a negative result of the substance abuse test. It also must include the name, address and telephone number of the laboratory that performed the test and give consent to the release by the laboratory of the test results to the Department upon its request
• A copy of a Limited Hoisting Machine Operator license, if applicable
• Certificate of Completion for a Department-approved 40-hour course for Hoisting Machine Operator; or on or before November 6, 2024, in lieu of the 40-hour course, an 8-hour course if applying for a limited license for articulating boom crane, mini crane, or telehandler
• Valid NCCCO certification card listing the certifications specified in Step 2
• Written and practical exams result from the NCCCO, including type of equipment on which you were tested by NCCCO
• Experience Verification Forms from all supervisors for the years claimed as experience, or on or before November 6, 2024, in lieu of the form, the affidavit provided by the Department if applying for a limited license for articulating boom crane, mini crane, or telehandler
  NOTE: Experience Verification Forms from company Human Resources will not be accepted.

• Social Security History of Earnings for the years you are claiming as experience
• Union Extracts for the years you are claiming as experience, if applicable
• Current Driver’s License Abstract – if driver’s license is from outside of NY, applicant must submit a driving abstract from the Department of Motor Vehicles in State of license issuance.
• Original Social Security Card
• Latest paystub
• Background Investigation Fee – $500.00 payable within the DOB NOW Portal
• License Issuance Fee – $100.00

STEP 4: Obtaining Your License Card (all applicants)

If the Department determines you meet all the qualifications and you pass the Background Investigation, you will be able to schedule an appointment within the DOB NOW Portal to take picture and receive the Hoisting Machine Operator Class C license card. You have one (1) year from the date of notification to obtain your license. 

Additional Information

• Limited HMO Experience Experience Verification Form (Rev. 10/24) and Instructions
• Limited HMO Experience Affidavit
• Limited HMO License FAQs
• Hoisting Machine Operator Experience Verification Form (Rev. 10/24)

Helpful Links

• HMO License Information
• HMO License Changes
• NCCCO Requirements
• Check License Status