1.3 Eligibility, Fees, and Recertification

1.3 Eligibility, Fees, and Recertification

Quick Answer: Be 18+, follow the Substance Abuse Policy and Code of Ethics, pass written ($105) and practical ($95) for Level I, and finish the pair within 12 months. Certification lasts 5 years. Recertify in the final 12 months with written only—no grace period after expiry. Schedule at myCCO.

This section is administrative on purpose: candidates lose money and months by missing the 12-month pairing window or the final-year recert window—not only by missing technical questions.

Eligibility Requirements

NCCCO lists the following for certification:

NCCCO designs the exams for persons trained to handle and move loads. Formal “X years of documented experience” is not presented the same way as some other trades licenses, but training and competence are assumed—you still need real skill for the practical and for safe work.

Policies you must live under

Beyond eligibility checkboxes, certificants remain subject to CCO policies (Code of Ethics, disciplinary rules, substance abuse, testing accommodations, appeals, information release, and related candidate-handbook rules). Violations can affect certification status even after you pass. Read the current Rigger Candidate Handbook and policy pages before testing.

Exam trap: Eligibility is not “pass written only.” Both exams are required for initial certification. Recertification is different (written only)—do not confuse the two paths.

Fees (Level I)

Under the CCO fee schedule effective January 1, 2024 (still the published schedule referenced on NCCCO fee pages):

Level II is listed at the same published written/practical pair amounts ($105 / $95) on the same fee tables—confirm current fees on NCCCO before paying, because schedules can change.

Other cost notes candidates often miss:

• Retakes cost additional exam fees.
• Replacement certification cards may be ordered (NCCCO has listed replacement cards at $30 online via myCCO; cards remain CCO property).
• Training courses, practice gear, and travel to practical sites are separate from CCO exam fees.

The 12-Month Written/Practical Window

Critical rule for each rigger level:

1. Pass either the written or the practical first.
2. You then have 12 months from that first pass to pass the corresponding exam.
3. Exams may be taken in either order.
4. Tests passed within the 12-month period count toward certification.

Example (from NCCCO’s logic): Fail Level I written in January, pass Level I practical in June—then you have until the end of June the following year to retake and pass the Level I written. Waiting past that corresponding window wastes the practical pass.

Planning tips:

• Schedule the second exam as soon as you pass the first.
• If stepping to Level II, remember Level II has its own written-to-practical 12-month pairing.
• Candidates may schedule Level I and Level II exams in the same period, but Level II is only valid if Level I is also current.

Certification Validity and Multi-Designation Timing

• Full certification (after both exams) is valid for five years.
• If you later add another rigger or signalperson designation, expiration dates are coordinated so designations share the same cycle as described in NCCCO policy (additional designations expire with the original period; special rules apply when adding designations in the final 24 months).
• For study purposes: put your expiration date on a calendar the day your card is issued.

Recertification (Standard Path)

CCO certification is valid for five years. You must complete recertification requirements during the 12 months prior to the expiration date. For rigger recertification that includes:

• Passing the applicable written examination
• Continued compliance with the Substance Abuse Policy
• Continued compliance with the Code of Ethics

Critical recertification facts

No grace period means if your card expires Friday and you test Monday without having recertified, you are in lapsed territory and the full initial path applies again—written and practical. Do not plan “I’ll recertify the month after it expires.”

Final-year step-up reminder

If you still hold Level I and are in the final year, you may take the Level II written in place of the Level I recert written. Full Level II still needs the Level II practical within 12 months of that written. This is a powerful path if you are ready for Level II skills; it is a risky path if you pass Level II written for recert credit but never complete the practical and later confuse your wallet card privileges.

Scheduling: myCCO

Use myCCO for candidate accounts, applications, scheduling, and many card services:

https://my.ccocert.org/

Through myCCO and related NCCCO pages you typically:

• Create or access your candidate profile
• Apply for written exams (OPT / TCT / EOT pathways as available)
• Locate practical exam sites and authorized examiners
• Manage recertification written exams in the final year
• Order replacement cards when needed

Bring required identification and follow proctor rules for OPT/TCT/EOT. Incomplete profiles, unpaid fees, or wrong exam level selections are common administrative delays—verify Rigger Level I (not Level II or another program) before you confirm.

End-to-End Candidate Checklist

1. Confirm you are 18+ and ready to comply with substance abuse and ethics policies.
2. Complete training that covers inspection, basic hitches, hazards, and practical tasks.
3. Create/login at myCCO and apply for Level I written ($105) and arrange Level I practical ($95).
4. Pass exam A; immediately calendar 12 months for exam B.
5. Pass exam B; receive laminated CCO card; note the five-year expiration.
6. In the final 12 months, schedule recertification written (or Level II written if stepping up).
7. Never assume a grace period after expiry.

Common Fee and Timeline Traps

• Budgeting only $105 — you still need the practical ($95) for initial certification.
• Passing written, delaying practical a year-plus — the 12-month corresponding-exam rule can void your progress.
• Waiting until after expiry to recertify — no grace period; full written + practical again.
• Assuming recert needs another practical — standard rigger recert is written only (while still complying with policies).
• Assuming Level II written alone is full Level II — practical still required within 12 months for full Level II.

Bottom Line for Section 1.3

Eligibility is age + policies + both exams. Money is $105 + $95 for Level I. Time is 12 months to pair exams and final 12 months of a 5-year cycle to recertify by written only. Lapse equals full restart. Anchor every plan on myCCO and the official NCCCO rigger pages so fees and windows stay current.