What work needs a licence in Australia, the classes, how to get one, and how it differs from New Zealand
In Australia, certain high-risk activities — operating cranes, forklifts, elevating work platforms, scaffolding, rigging and dogging, and some pressure equipment — can only be carried out by a worker who holds the right High-Risk Work Licence (HRWL). The classes are set out in Schedule 3 of the model WHS Regulations. You must be 18 or over, train and be assessed through a registered training organisation, then apply to your state or territory regulator. Licences are nationally recognised and valid for five years.
It is a nationally recognised licence that proves a worker is trained and assessed as competent to perform a specific class of high-risk work.
Under the model WHS Regulations, a PCBU must not direct or allow a worker to carry out high-risk work unless that worker holds the right licence (or is training under direct supervision). It is a legal requirement, not just a credential — doing licensed high-risk work without the licence can attract penalties for both the worker and the business.
Schedule 3 groups the licensed work into categories. The main ones are:
| Category | Examples of licensed work |
|---|---|
| Scaffolding | Basic, intermediate and advanced scaffolding. |
| Dogging & rigging | Dogging; basic, intermediate and advanced rigging. |
| Cranes & hoists | Tower, mobile, bridge and gantry, vehicle-loading and other cranes; materials and personnel hoists. |
| Forklifts | Counterbalance forklift (LF) and order-picking forklift (LO). |
| Elevating work platforms | Boom-type EWPs with a boom length of 11 metres or more (WP). |
| Pressure equipment | Boiler, turbine and reciprocating-steam-engine operation. |
| Reach stackers | Reach stacker operation (RS). |
There are around 29 licence classes in total, each with its own code (for example LF for forklift, WP for boom-type EWP, DG for dogging). Always check the current classes and any state-specific requirements with your regulator. Source: Safe Work Australia and state regulators.
Train and be assessed through a registered training organisation, then apply to your regulator within 60 days.
You must be at least 18 to hold the licence. Before it is issued, you may legally do the work only while enrolled in training and directly supervised by a licence holder.
Your state or territory regulator issues the licence — not Safe Work Australia — and it is recognised across Australia.
Safe Work Australia sets the national framework but does not issue licences. The licence itself comes from your jurisdiction's regulator (such as SafeWork NSW or WorkSafe WA), and a valid HRWL is recognised in every state and territory. If you move interstate, check with the new regulator, as some have additional administrative requirements.
They are different things and are often both needed on a construction site.
A White Card is the general construction induction card that shows you have completed basic site-safety induction. An HRWL is specific to operating particular high-risk equipment. Many construction roles need both: the White Card for site entry, and the relevant HRWL for the machinery you operate.
New Zealand does not run a single equivalent HRWL system.
Instead of one national high-risk work licence, New Zealand requires specific certificates of competence, registrations or recognised qualifications for particular high-risk activities, with competency verified accordingly. The practical points for trans-Tasman workers are that an Australian HRWL is not automatically valid in New Zealand (and vice versa), and you should confirm the competency requirements that apply where the work is being done.
General information, not legal advice. Licence classes, codes and requirements vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Always confirm the current rules with the relevant WHS regulator.
Verify licences before letting anyone do high-risk work — and keep a record.
Because the duty sits with the business as well as the worker, a PCBU should check that each worker holds a current, correct licence for the work, record it, and track expiry dates so no one ends up operating on a lapsed licence. That record-keeping is also exactly the kind of evidence prequalification assessors and auditors look for.
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It is a nationally recognised Australian licence proving a worker is trained and assessed as competent for a specific class of high-risk work, such as operating a crane, forklift or boom-type EWP. Under the model WHS Regulations, a worker must hold the right licence before a PCBU can direct them to do that work.
Classes set out in Schedule 3 of the model WHS Regulations, grouped into categories including scaffolding, dogging and rigging, cranes and hoists, forklifts, boom-type elevating work platforms (11 metres or more), pressure equipment and reach stackers.
Train and be assessed by a registered training organisation, pass the national assessment to get a statement of attainment, then apply to your state or territory WHS regulator within 60 days. You must be at least 18.
High-risk work licences are valid for five years, after which you renew with your regulator.
No. New Zealand does not operate the same national licence system, and an Australian HRWL is not automatically recognised there. New Zealand requires its own certificates of competence, registrations or qualifications for particular high-risk activities, so confirm what applies where the work is done.
