Crane Licence Classes in WA Explained: C0, C2, C6 Vehicle Loading and Non-Slewing — Which One Do You Need?
WA’s High Risk Work Licence crane classes are organised by crane type and lifting capacity: C2 covers slewing mobile cranes up to 20 tonnes, C6 covers up to 60 tonnes, C1 covers up to 100 tonnes, and C0 covers slewing mobile cranes over 100 tonnes. Separately, CN covers non-slewing mobile cranes over 3 tonnes, and CV covers vehicle loading cranes with a capacity of 10 metre tonnes or more. Each class is its own nationally recognised unit of competency. When it comes to the slewing classes, the higher tonnage classes are cumulative — a C0 also covers everything a C1, C6, and C2 licence would.
If you’ve seen these letter-and-number codes on a job ad and aren’t sure which one applies to you, here’s how the whole system fits together.
The Slewing Mobile Crane Classes (C2, C6, C1, C0)
Slewing mobile cranes are the most common crane type on construction and mining sites — cranes that can rotate (slew) on their base. They’re licensed in four tonnage-based tiers, each its own unit of competency:
| Class | Unit code | Covers |
| C2 | TLILIC0022 Licence to operate a slewing mobile crane (up to 20 tonnes) | Slewing mobile cranes ≤ 20t |
| C6 | TLILIC0023 Licence to operate a slewing mobile crane (up to 60 tonnes) | Slewing mobile cranes ≤ 60t |
| C1 | TLILIC0021 Licence to operate a slewing mobile crane (up to 100 tonnes) | Slewing mobile cranes ≤ 100t |
| C0 | TLILIC0020 Licence to operate a slewing mobile crane (over 100 tonnes) | Slewing mobile cranes > 100t |
Non-Slewing Mobile Cranes (CN)
A non-slewing mobile crane has a boom or jib that doesn’t rotate independently of the vehicle it’s mounted on. The licence for this equipment is CN — TLILIC0040 Licence to operate a non-slewing mobile crane, which applies to non-slewing mobile cranes with a capacity greater than 3 tonnes. It’s a separate licence class from the slewing crane tiers above, because the equipment and operating risks are different.
Vehicle Loading Cranes (CV)
A vehicle loading crane is the type commonly mounted on the back of a truck for loading and unloading materials on site. The licence is CV — TLILIC0024 Licence to operate a vehicle loading crane, required where the crane’s lifting capacity reaches 10 metre tonnes or more. Below that threshold, a HRWL isn’t required for this equipment type, though site-specific training is still expected.
Higher Classes Cover Lower Ones: How Encompassment Works
Per Safe Work Australia’s licensing structure, a higher crane class doesn’t just cover bigger lifts — it also covers everything the lower classes cover.
In practical terms:
- C0 covers all slewing mobile crane work (C1, C6, C2), plus CN and CV.
- C1 covers C6, C2, CN, and CV — but not C0 (i.e., lifts over 100 tonnes).
- C6 covers C2, CN, and CV — but not C1 or C0 work.
- C2 covers CN and CV — but not C6, C1, or C0 work.
- CN covers non-slewing mobile crane work only — it does not encompass any other crane class.
- CV covers vehicle loading crane work only — it does not encompass any other crane class.
So if you hold a C0, you can legally operate cranes across all six licence classes. This is the reason some operators working across mixed fleets — or planning a long career in heavy lift — choose to train at a higher class than their current role requires.
Should You Start at C0? What Paratus Trainers Recommend
There are no formal prerequisites for C0 or any of the higher slewing crane classes — you can enrol in a C0 course without first completing C2, C6, or Dogging. And because C0 encompasses all lower crane classes, it can look like an efficient shortcut.
It isn’t.
The C0 unit assessment is built on an assumed level of foundational knowledge — load calculations, rigging principles, lift planning, site communication — that is normally developed through Dogging and lower crane classes first. A standard five-day C0 course won’t give someone without that background the time to build those fundamentals and prepare adequately for assessment. That’s not a course design failure. Five days was never intended to be the complete picture for someone starting from scratch.
But there’s something more important than passing an assessment.
On a live site, a crane operator carrying a load over active work areas is trusted by every person below that load. Riggers, doggers, labourers, other trades working in the swing radius — none of them are in a position to verify whether the person in the cab has actually built the knowledge to make the right call under pressure. A C0 licence tells them it’s safe to trust. The question worth asking: would you trust someone operating the largest crane on site, over the heads of the people you work with, if their only training was a five-day course with no prior crane or rigging experience? In high-risk work, that’s not a hypothetical. It’s exactly the situation a straight-to-C0 pathway can create.
Paratus doesn’t run courses to fill seats. Our trainers and assessors work in industry, and genuine competency at C0 level — the kind that keeps a worksite safer, not just compliant on paper — requires foundations that a standalone short course cannot provide. We train people to be genuinely prepared for the work, because a licence and competency are not the same thing. Handing someone a pathway to the largest cranes on site without that foundation isn’t a training shortcut — it’s a gap in preparation being passed off as a qualification.
Our recommendation: anyone pursuing C0 — or the higher slewing crane classes — should hold at least a Dogging licence, or have completed a lower crane class, before enrolling. There is no formal requirement for this, but it’s consistent advice from the trainers and assessors who write and deliver these units, and it exists for the safety of everyone on site — not just the person sitting the assessment.
If you’re starting from scratch and the goal is C0, the most effective path is:
- Dogging (TLILIC0003 Licence to operate a dogging)
- C2 or C6 (depending on the equipment your role uses)
- C0 when your role or site requires it
Which Class Do You Actually Need?
The right starting point depends on the equipment the job uses, not on getting the “biggest” licence available:
- Working with cranes under 20 tonnes? C2 (TLILIC0022) is your entry point.
- Need to step up to 60-tonne cranes? C6 (TLILIC0023).
- Larger commercial or construction lifts up to 100 tonnes? C1 (TLILIC0021).
- Heavy lift work over 100 tonnes? C0 (TLILIC0020) — but see the trainer recommendation above before enrolling without prior crane or rigging experience.
- Truck-mounted loading crane work? Check the lifting capacity first — CV (TLILIC0024) applies at 10 metre tonnes and above.
- Non-slewing mobile crane (boom doesn’t rotate)? CN (TLILIC0040), for capacities over 3 tonnes.
If you’re not sure which class a specific job requires, check the licence requirement on the job ad directly, or ask the employer — “crane licence” alone doesn’t tell you which class to train for.
Know which crane class your role needs? See our full high risk licence course page for current crane class options, or get in touch if you’d like help working out the right starting class for your career path.
FAQ’s
Yes. A C0 licence encompasses the lower slewing mobile crane classes (C1, C6, C2) and also covers CN and CV, per Safe Work Australia’s encompassment rules. If you hold a C0, you can legally operate all six crane licence classes. It’s worth confirming against current WorkSafe WA guidance if you have any equipment-specific questions.
There are no formal prerequisites — you can enrol directly in a C0 course. However, the C0 unit assessment assumes foundational knowledge in rigging, load calculations, and lift planning that typically comes from Dogging or lower crane class experience. Paratus trainers and assessors strongly recommend holding at least a Dogging licence before attempting C0. A five-day course alone is unlikely to provide enough preparation for someone without that background.
No — they’re different licence classes covering different work scopes. A Dogging licence (TLILIC0003 Licence to operate a dogging) authorises the holder to direct crane operations and perform slinging work. A C0 authorises the holder to operate the crane itself. On most sites, both roles are required and they’re held by different people.
It covers different equipment with its own operating risks — it’s a different unit of competency, not a simpler one. The training and assessment reflect the specific hazards of non-slewing mobile cranes rather than being a scaled-down version of a slewing crane class.
The same process applies as for every other HRWL unit: successful completion results in a Notice of Assessment (NOA), which you use to apply to WorkSafe WA for the licence itself. The unit completion doesn’t hand you the licence directly. Note that the NOA has a 60-day validity window — if you don’t submit your application to WorkSafe WA within that period, you’ll need to reapply.
Dogging covers the rigging and directing of crane lifts — selecting and attaching the load, directing the operator. A crane licence covers operating the crane itself. Many experienced crane operators hold both, and a Dogging licence is the pathway Paratus recommends before progressing to C0 or higher crane classes.
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