Jimmi Nolan A High-Risk Work Licence (HRWL) is a legal requirement under Queensland’s Work Health and Safety Regulation for anyone operating a certain plant or performing high-risk work – like dogging, rigging, scaffolding, or operating cranes and elevated work platforms.
The licence is issued by Workplace Health & Safety Queensland (part of the Office of Industrial Relations) or other state or territory SafeWork authority. It proves you’re competent and safe to perform high-risk work anywhere in Australia.
At On the Job Training (OTJT), we deliver the accredited training and assessments that lead to these licences – but the actual licence itself comes from Workplace Health & Safety Queensland (WHSQ) once you’ve passed your assessments.
In short: the unit measures your learning, the licence confirms your legal authority to do the work.
📝 You must apply for your High-Risk Work Licence within 60 days of completing your assessment – or you’ll need to be reassessed on all NAIs at your own expense.
A lot of people are surprised to learn that completing a unit of competency and getting a High-Risk Work Licence are two different steps. There’s a good reason for that.
The unit of competency is your vocational training. It teaches you the skills and knowledge to safely perform the work. Your trainer assesses whether you meet the national standards for that unit.
The licensing process is a legal requirement. WHSQ needs to make sure that anyone performing high-risk work has been assessed under the nationally approved licensing system, which includes the National Assessment Instruments (NAIs). These are standardised across Australia to ensure everyone is tested the same way, regardless of where they train.
As soon as you’ve applied for your HRWL you’re good to start work. You can use the confirmation of your application from WHSQ as proof until your HRWL arrives in the post.
The NAI assessments are designed to keep the industry safe – so yes, they’re challenging.
You’ll need to demonstrate precise, safe techniques and score a high pass rate in the theory component and calculations before moving on to the performance assessment tasks to pass.
At OTJT, we don’t just throw you in the deep end. We give you access to:
We get it – the NAIs are tough because the stakes are high. We’ll help you prep properly so you can pass with confidence.
If you don’t achieve competence in one or more NAIs, you’re entitled to one reassessment free of charge.
After that, reassessment fees apply – typically $250 per attempt, plus retraining if required. For group or private bookings, reassessment quotes may vary.
Many RTOs charge for every re-sit – so this free retake policy is part of OTJT’s commitment to giving every student a fair shot.
Your HRWL is valid for five years. After that, it’s your responsibility to renew it with WHSQ or relevant SafeWork authority.
You can apply to renew your licence up to 12 months after it expires.
During that time, you cannot legally perform high-risk work until your licence is renewed – but you won’t need to redo the course or reassessment if you renew within the window.
Here’s the official line from WHSQ and Safe Work Australia:
“If your High-Risk Work Licence has been expired for more than 12 months, you must complete training and assessment again before reapplying.”
That means you’ll need to be reassessed under the current National Assessment Instruments (NAIs) and prove competence in the current version of the unit of competency (or its nationally equivalent unit, if the code has changed).
Let’s say you once held a C6 Slewing Mobile Crane Licence and let it lapse 3 years ago.
You can’t just renew it online anymore – you’ll need to:
If you originally obtained your licence before units of competency were required, or if your old training unit has since been superseded and is not equivalent to the current one, you may need to complete the current unit of competency before being reassessed.
Always check with your RTO or SafeWork authority to confirm which version of the unit applies to your licence class.
In short – once you’re past that 12-month mark, you’re essentially starting over. That’s why it’s worth setting a reminder to renew before your expiry date and keep your contact details up to date with your local SafeWork authority to ensure you receive reminders (ie email, phone number & postal address).
If your licence is suspended or cancelled, you’re not permitted to perform that class of work.
Depending on the reason, you may need to:
Always keep your contact details current so you receive renewal or compliance notifications.
The quality of your RTO can make or break your HRWL journey.
Here’s what to look for – and what you’ll get with On the Job Training:
Real equipment – not simulators alone. We train on 8 cranes (2 towers), earthmovers and hoists in our Stapylton yard. Small classes – so you get hands-on time and one-on-one coaching. Free first reassessment – because confidence takes practice. Flexible scheduling – day, night and weekend options. Award-winning trainers – who’ve actually worked in the roles they teach. VR crane simulation – Australia’s only RTO offering this tech for HRWL prep. Funding help – CSQ-eligible training to keep your costs down.
We don’t just train you for the ticket – we help you build the skill, confidence, and safety mindset to take it on site.
This is one of the most common questions we get, especially from people starting out in civil, quarrying or mining.
In most cases, you do not need a High-Risk Work Licence to operate earthmoving plant such as:
These machines fall under earthmoving plant rather than high-risk work in Queensland. That means a HRWL is not required unless a specific situation triggers it.
There are a few exceptions to the general rule:
Although you may not need a HRWL, you still need to be trained and competent to operate the plant. This is usually achieved through:
At OTJT, we run nationally recognised earthmoving courses for excavators, skid steers, loaders, rollers and more, plus VOCs for the civil, quarry and mining sectors.
We deliver a full range of high-risk work licence courses that lead to the following classes:
Each course includes theory, hands-on training, and assessment at our Stapylton training yard between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
We can also train and assess many other licences, so feel free to give us a call to see if we can come to an arrangement outside our usual training and licensing assessment schedule here in Qld or NSW on 07 3807 6061.
After you are successfully assessed by the WHSQ-accredited assessor, WHSQ will email you directly. This email includes two important details:
You must use the link in that email to lodge your application.
Here is the correct process:
Important: You do not need to upload your Statement of Attainment or Candidate Assessment Summary. Your assessor submits your assessment results directly to WHSQ after each component of the NAI.
Remember: you have just 60 days from your assessment date to apply – otherwise, you’ll need to be reassessed on all NAIs again.
When you finish your High-Risk Work Licence assessment, your assessor submits the results directly to WHSQ. Once WHSQ receives and processes this, they generate two numbers:
Both numbers are used behind the scenes to match your application with the assessment your assessor submitted. This is why WHSQ emails you directly with these numbers before you apply. You can’t start your application until WHSQ has generated them.
At OTJT, we’ll guide you through every step – from your first day in the classroom to your final lift in the yard.
Each course includes theory, hands-on training, and assessment at our Stapylton training yard between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
We can also train and assess many other licences, so feel free to give us a call to see if we can come to an arrangement outside our usual training and licensing assessment schedule here in Qld or NSW on 07 3807 6061.
If you’re unsure where to start, have an expired licence, or just need help understanding the steps, our team is always happy to chat you through your options. We talk to hundreds of students a month who feel the same way, so don’t hesitate to reach out.
Getting your High-Risk Work Licence isn’t just about ticking a box – it’s your ticket to safer, higher-paying work in construction, transport, and heavy industry.
At OTJT, we’ve helped thousands of Queenslanders lift their game – and we’re ready to help you too.
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