Depending on when you submitted your application to become a Licensed Crane Operator (LCO), and when you were approved for an initial license, your expiration date may have the duration of anywhere from 6 months to 30 months.  After the first biennial renewal cycle, all licenses will be renewed for no more than 24 months.  All Pennsylvania licenses will always expire on Oct. 31st, of an even numbered year. Therefore, when you renew or reactive your license, it will expire at the next biennial renewal/expiration date. 

Applicants approved for licensure after April 30, 2012 will reflect the expiration date of Oct. 31, 2014.

Crane operators in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are asking whether they need a license to operate a crane.  For each crane that you operate, there are 10 questions that you must ask to get the answer. 

Ask these questions:

1. Do I operate a power-operated hoisting machine?  If the answer is “No” then you do not need a crane operator’s license.  If the answer is “yes,” then ask Question 2:

2. Does it have a power-operated winch, load line and boom that moves laterally by the rotation of the machine on a carrier or base?  If the answer is “No” then you do not need a crane operator’s license.  If the answer is “Yes,” then ask Question 3 and Question 4:

3. Is it a mobile crane that is covered by ASME Volume B30.5 with a manufacturer’s rated maximum lifting capacity of 15 tons or more?  (If you don’t know whether your crane is covered by the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) B30.5 standard, check your crane’s manufacturer’s manual, or contact the manufacturer.)