CIC's Telescopic Boom Capacity Categories
Each category is a separate credential. Testing on a larger crane does not automatically certify you for a different range unless CIC's current rules say so — check before you book.
| Category | Typical machines | Where you'll see them |
|---|---|---|
| TB under 21 tons | Service truck cranes, smaller boom trucks, digger derricks used outside utility exemptions | Utilities, sign work, equipment service fleets |
| TB 21–75 tons | Boom trucks, rough-terrain and many truck cranes | Commercial building, bridges, plant maintenance |
| TB over 75 tons | All-terrain and large hydraulic truck cranes | Wind, industrial and major infrastructure work |
How CIC Telescopic Boom Crane Certification Is Earned
CIC is an accredited third-party certifier, so its cards satisfy the operator certification requirement in OSHA's 1926.1427 for the equipment type and capacity shown. Candidates must be at least 18 and comply with CIC's policies.
The written side has two parts: a General Knowledge exam that applies across mobile cranes, and a supplemental exam for the telescopic category you're pursuing. CIC delivers these through proctored online (virtual) testing. After that comes a practical exam on a crane in the matching range, scored against CIC's published minimum skills.
Pass both and CIC issues a card valid for five years. CIC publishes an exam outline, a minimum skills list and a candidate handbook for its mobile crane program — read all three, because the handbook controls fees, retakes and how long a passed component stays valid.
Choosing Between the Under-21, 21–75 and Over-75 Categories
Start with the machines you will operate in the next few years, not just this month. An operator who runs a 30-ton boom truck today but expects to move onto 60-ton rough-terrains can test once in the middle range instead of twice. A service technician who will only ever run a small crane on a mechanics truck is better served by the smallest category, where the exam content matches the work.
Capacity is read from the manufacturer’s rating plate and chart, not from the size of the truck. If a crane sits near a boundary, ask your employer or CIC directly which category applies before you register. Testing in the wrong range costs time and a second set of exam fees.
Remember that CIC cards are equipment- and range-specific. If a project owner asks for proof of certification on a particular crane, the category printed on your card has to match it.
What to Study for the Telescopic Supplemental Exam
These map to the modules in our TSS and TLL crane course.
Reading range diagrams and capacity charts for each quadrant — over the front, over the side, over the rear
Boom extension modes and how pinned or synchronized sections change capacity
Deductions for the hook block, jib (stowed or erected) and rigging
Outrigger setups, partial extension charts and on-rubber limits
Boom deflection and why radius grows as the load comes up
Site setup, power lines and Subpart CC operator duties
Four Moves to a CIC Telescopic Card
Pick your capacity range
Match the credential to the largest telescopic crane you'll realistically run; ask your employer if unsure.
Prepare for both written exams
Study general crane knowledge and telescopic load charts with our mobile crane certification course.
Test online, then in the seat
Sit CIC's proctored exams, then book a practical on a crane in the same range.
Plan the renewal now
Note your expiration date; our recertification guide explains how to prepare early.