- What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)
- The Written Exam at a Glance
- The Four Published Domains
- Two Parts, One Credential: Written Plus Practical
- Eligibility Snapshot
- Registration and Test-Day Mechanics
- Validity and Renewal
- Original Practice Questions
- Sequencing Your Prep Around the Domains
- What Is Not Published (So Don't Trust Anyone Who Claims It)
- FAQ
- The written exam (Form 090201, effective March 1, 2026) has 80 questions: 65 scored and 15 unscored experimental items.
- You get 3 hours, closed-book, and the passing point is a scaled 500, not a fixed percentage.
- Four domains carry 17, 17, 19 and 12 scored items; Crane Components is the largest.
- Certification requires both the written exam and a separate hands-on practical examination.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)
This is a one-page-style review of the Overhead Crane Certified Operator (OCCO) credential, the overhead crane operator certification issued by the Carpenters International Certification Council (CICC), which is associated with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC). It is not the NCCCO overhead crane certification, and it is not a generic crane-safety course. If a fact below does not match something you have read elsewhere about "OCCO," check the source, because several unrelated credentials share the acronym.
One honest caveat up front: the issuer's program page and the OCCO Exam Summary Report could not be retrieved in full during our review, so the headings and numbers here come from explicit official search-index excerpts. The Pearson VUE CICC page was retrieved in full. Before you build a plan around any single number, recheck the primary documents listed in the FAQ section at the end of this article. New to the credential itself? Start with What Is OCCO Certification? or What Does OCCO Stand For? and come back.
The Written Exam at a Glance
These are the numbers worth memorizing before you sit down at a Pearson VUE terminal.
| Item | What the issuer index states |
|---|---|
| Current form | Form 090201, effective March 1, 2026 (replaces Form 090102) |
| Total questions | 80 |
| Scored / unscored | 65 scored, 15 unscored experimental |
| Time allowed | 3 hours |
| Passing point | Scaled score of 500 |
| Reference materials | Closed-book |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE, coordinated through CPS HR Consulting |
The scaled passing point of 500 is not a raw percentage and not a fixed number of correct answers. Do not convert it to "I need X right" in your head. For a deeper explanation of how scaled scoring works in practice, see OCCO Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
The Four Published Domains
The domain names below are the issuer-indexed written-examination headings. The scored-item counts (17, 17, 19 and 12) correspond to those four headings in order. Percentage weights are deliberately not inferred here, because the sources supplied counts, not percentages. Our OCCO Exam Domains guide expands on each area.
Domain 1: Pre-Job Inspections (17 scored items)
Expect questions on what an operator checks before a lift begins, and what to do when something is wrong.
- Pre-use inspection of the crane, controls and operating area
- Recognizing defects and knowing when equipment must be taken out of service
- Documentation and reporting of deficiencies
Domain 2: Crane Operations (17 scored items)
This is the operating-skill domain on the written test, and it overlaps conceptually with what the practical will ask you to demonstrate.
- Smooth, controlled hoisting, travel and positioning of loads
- Working with a rigger or signaler and responding correctly to signals
- Load handling decisions: when to stop, when to re-rig, when to refuse a lift
Domain 3: Crane Components (19 scored items, the largest allocation)
More scored items sit here than in any other domain. Candidates who know how to run a pendant but can't name or explain components tend to lose points in this domain.
- Major structural and mechanical components of an overhead crane
- Hoisting hardware, controls and protective devices
- How component condition affects safe operation
Domain 4: General Safety & Operating Practices (12 scored items)
The smallest allocation, but these questions are often the most "common-sense under pressure" in tone.
- Safe work practices around suspended loads and personnel
- Operator responsibilities and conduct on the floor
- Emergency and abnormal-condition response
Add the allocations: 17 + 17 + 19 + 12 = 65 scored items, matching the scored total. The remaining 15 questions are the unscored experimental items.
Two Parts, One Credential: Written Plus Practical
Passing the written exam does not make you certified. Certification requires passing both the knowledge-based written examination and a separate hands-on practical examination. Many candidates fixate on the written test because that is where the published numbers are, and then underprepare for the practical.
The issuer's indexed practical description includes two named elements:
- A one-point rollover hoist of the prop
- Moving the load through a diagonal course
Treat that as an overview, not a rubric. We did not retrieve a complete scoring rubric or a practical-test timer, so we are not going to tell you how points are deducted or how many minutes you get. What the overview does tell you is that the practical rewards controlled, deliberate load handling rather than speed, which is consistent with how the written Crane Operations domain frames the work. Practical preparation is best done on actual equipment through your Local Training Center; for the broader training picture, see OCCO Training.
Eligibility Snapshot
Issuer-indexed eligibility includes three items:
- UBC membership
- The Certified Rigger and Signaler (CRS) prerequisite
- Current medical verification
The UBC registration page specifies that membership requires being 18 or older and eligible to work in the United States or Canada. That is a membership condition, and it should not be read as a complete, independently verified OCCO eligibility checklist. We are not aware of, and do not state, any training-hour thresholds beyond what is listed. The CRS prerequisite is the one most likely to surprise people, because it means rigging and signaling knowledge is expected before you ever attempt OCCO. Details and updates live in OCCO Requirements 2026.
Registration and Test-Day Mechanics
The logistics are where avoidable mistakes happen. Here is the sequence and the traps.
- Start with the Local Training Center. Submit your testing request through the Local Training Center before you try to schedule anything.
- Names must match exactly. The name on your registration must exactly match the ID you present on test day. A mismatch can cost you the appointment.
- Accommodations first. If you need accommodations, obtain CICC approval before you register, not after.
- 48-hour rule. Cancellation or rescheduling must satisfy Pearson's 48-hour rule.
- No-shows restart the process. If you miss your appointment, you need a new testing request through the Local Training Center.
Key Takeaway
Check the spelling of your name on your registration against your ID before you do anything else. It is the cheapest problem to fix and the most annoying to discover at the testing center. For scheduling windows and deadlines, see OCCO Exam Dates 2026.
On cost: we did not obtain a verified current fee schedule, so no dollar figures appear in this article. Anything you read that states a specific OCCO fee should be checked against the issuer or your Local Training Center. The OCCO certification cost breakdown explains what is and isn't confirmed.
Validity and Renewal
The issuer's recertification page, as indexed, states that CICC certifications are valid for four years from the last day of the month in which they are granted, and it describes written reexamination for renewal. The full renewal policy was not retrieved, so confirm current renewal steps with CICC before your expiration window opens. The practical implication: keep your expiration date somewhere you will see it, and start the renewal conversation with your Local Training Center well ahead of time.
Original Practice Questions
These are original, written for this article, and mapped only to the four supported domains. They illustrate style (scenario-driven, safety-first), not actual exam content. For full-length practice, use the OCCO practice test.
Domain 1: Pre-Job Inspections
Q1. During a pre-use check you notice a control on the pendant that sticks slightly before returning to neutral. The crane otherwise operates normally. What is the most appropriate action?
- A. Operate carefully and mention it at the end of the shift
- B. Remove the crane from service and report the deficiency
- C. Use only the other motions that seem unaffected
- D. Ask a coworker whether it has done this before
Answer: B. A control that may not return to neutral is a safety defect, not a quirk to work around.
Domain 2: Crane Operations
Q2. You receive an unclear hand signal while a load is suspended. What should you do?
- A. Continue the last motion you were performing
- B. Guess the most likely intent and proceed slowly
- C. Stop and do not move the load until the signal is clear
- D. Lower the load immediately to the floor
Answer: C. Uncertainty about a signal is a reason to stop, not to interpret.
Domain 3: Crane Components
Q3. Why does an operator need to understand the function of protective devices on the crane?
- A. So they can bypass them when production is urgent
- B. So they can recognize when a device isn't working and stop operating
- C. Because the devices replace the need for pre-use inspection
- D. Because they only matter to maintenance staff
Answer: B. Knowing what a device should do is how you notice when it isn't doing it.
Domain 4: General Safety & Operating Practices
Q4. A coworker begins walking beneath your suspended load to take a shortcut. What is the correct response?
- A. Speed up the lift so the load clears the area faster
- B. Sound a warning only if the coworker looks up
- C. Stop the load movement and ensure the area is clear before continuing
- D. Continue, since the load is secure
Answer: C. Personnel under a suspended load is a stop condition regardless of how secure the load looks.
Sequencing Your Prep Around the Domains
Because the written test is closed-book with a scaled score and 19 of the 65 scored items sit in Crane Components, the sequencing below front-loads the heaviest domain and builds toward practical readiness. Adjust the timeline to your schedule and your Local Training Center's availability. The full approach is in the OCCO Study Guide.
Crane Components
- Learn component names and functions until you can explain each without notes
- Connect each component to a failure it can cause
Pre-Job Inspections
- Walk through an inspection sequence out loud, component by component
- Practice deciding "operate, report, or remove from service"
Crane Operations and General Safety
- Work scenario questions on signals, load handling and stop conditions
- Review the rollover hoist and diagonal-course ideas against your hands-on training
Mixed practice and logistics
- Take timed mixed sets using the practice test
- Verify name/ID match, scheduling and the 48-hour window
Wondering how demanding this is relative to other trade exams? How Hard Is the OCCO Exam? covers difficulty in context.
What Is Not Published (So Don't Trust Anyone Who Claims It)
Credible cheat sheets state their gaps. Here is what we could not verify, and therefore do not state:
- Fees. No verified current fee schedule was obtained.
- Pass rates. No complete historical pass-rate table was obtained. See OCCO Pass Rate 2026 for what can and cannot be said.
- Practical time limit and scoring rubric. Only the overview (rollover hoist, diagonal course) is indexed.
- Salary premiums. No verified certification pay premium exists in our sources. The salary guide and ROI analysis explain the evidence gaps rather than filling them with guesses.
On employers: the credential is issued through the CICC and UBC ecosystem, so the people most likely to need it are UBC-affiliated crane operators and the contractors and employers who hire them. For how that translates to openings, see OCCO Jobs.
FAQ
The indexed OCCO Exam Summary Report identifies Form 090201, effective March 1, 2026, with 80 total questions: 65 scored and 15 unscored experimental items. Older sources citing 100 questions are obsolete.
The indexed program page specifies a scaled passing point of 500. It is not a raw percentage or a fixed number of correct answers, so don't try to convert it into a target like "70 percent."
No. Certification requires passing both the knowledge-based written examination and a separate hands-on practical examination. The indexed practical overview includes a one-point rollover hoist of the prop and moving a load through a diagonal course.
Pearson's 48-hour rule governs cancellation and rescheduling. A no-show requires a new testing request through the Local Training Center. Accommodations must be approved by CICC before you register.
Check the CICC Overhead Crane Certified Operator program page (ubccertifications.org/crane_operator.html), the OCCO Exam Summary Report, the CICC Registration and Recertification pages, and the Pearson VUE CICC page. Because the issuer pages were only reviewed through indexed excerpts, confirm current details directly with CICC or your Local Training Center before you register.