The written exam is delivered more than one way. Which are available to you depends on where you are and what you are sitting, and the certifying organization's booking process is what tells you that — but here is what actually differs between them.
Computer-based testing at a test centre
The usual route. You book a seat at a testing centre and sit the exam on a screen there, on a date you choose from what is available.
This is the one our practice exams are built to resemble: timed, on a screen, one question at a time, with a load chart to work from. If you have run cranes for twenty years and never taken a test on a computer, this is the part worth rehearsing, and it is exactly why our practice exams are timed and sat under exam conditions rather than being a quiz you can pause.
Paper-and-pencil
Still runs at some sites and at some events. If a group from one employer is testing together, or there is an event near you, this may be the route offered.
Online proctored
Available in some cases. You sit the exam remotely with a proctor watching through your webcam, which means real requirements on your room, your internet connection and your machine.
Check those requirements before you choose this option rather than on the morning. A failed equipment check is a lost attempt.
What does not change
- The exam content is the same whichever way you sit it.
- Core and each specialty are scored separately.
- You work from a load chart for the chart questions, and there is no calculator on the written exam — which is why the Math Refresher is on this site at all.
Where we fit in. We are an independent training provider. We prepare you for the written examination and can walk you through the application and booking process. We do not write the exams, administer the written or practical exams, or issue certifications, and passing our courses is not certification. See our training and safety disclaimer.
Checked September 2026. Fees and requirements are set by the certifying organization and can change — confirm the current ones with them before you apply.