HAWAII · operating-engineer
Hoisting Machine Operator Certification
Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations — Hawai'i Occupational Safety and Health Division (HIOSH); Hoisting Machine Operators Advisory Board (HMOAB)Scope of Work
Hawaii requires state-level certification (not a state license per se) for operators using equipment covered by ASME B30.5 (Mobile and Locomotive Cranes) with a lifting capacity of more than one ton when used to perform construction work. The Hoisting Machine Operators Advisory Board (HMOAB) is the state body that administers the program, attached to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and operating through HIOSH. Source: Hawaii HMOAB (https://hmoab.hawaii.gov/) and HIOSH Hoisting Machine Operators Advisory Board page (https://labor.hawaii.gov/hiosh/hoisting-machine-operators-advisory-board-hmoab/).
Legal basis
The 1998 Hawaii State Legislature created HMOAB to adopt Hawaii Administrative Rules for the certification of hoisting machine operators by adding Sections 19 and 20 to the Occupational Safety and Health Law, Chapter 396 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. Chapter 12-48 (HAR), Hoisting Machine Operators, became effective on December 6, 2002.
Minimum age and certification cycle
All hoisting operators must be at least 21 years of age. Each operator must be certified annually, and must pass criminal, medical, and practical training requirements to legally work in Hawaii.
Federal overlay
HIOSH is a state-plan OSHA program. OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1427 (Subpart CC) crane-operator certification rules apply, and the state HMOAB certification is the state-plan implementation. NCCCO and other accredited certifying-entity certifications are recognized within the HIOSH framework subject to HMOAB approval.
Application system
Online certification submission and verification runs through the HMOAB eHawaii portal (https://hmoab.ehawaii.gov/cert/help.html).
Reciprocity
Editor verification required for current reciprocity recognition with mainland state programs and accredited national certifying entities.
Renewal
Annual recertification required. Editor verification required for current fees and detailed renewal documentation.
Verified May 1, 2026 · compiled from public sources, verify current rules with Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations — Hawai'i Occupational Safety and Health Division (HIOSH); Hoisting Machine Operators Advisory Board (HMOAB) before acting