Crane Regulations by State
Federal baseline and state supplements for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Every U.S. crane operation begins with the federal baseline. OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC covers cranes and derricks in construction operations nationwide. For overhead and gantry cranes in general industry and manufacturing, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.179 applies. These federal standards set the floor. States with OSHA-approved State Plans can go beyond the federal minimum but cannot go below it. The states without State Plans are enforced directly by federal OSHA.
Four federal requirements apply in every state without exception:
- 29 CFR 1926.1412: Pre-shift inspection before each day or shift of use, monthly documented inspection, and annual third-party inspection.
- 29 CFR 1926.1427: Operator certification from an ANSI-accredited organization (NCCCO or equivalent), with equipment-type specific endorsement.
- 29 CFR 1926.1432: Critical lift plan required for any lift exceeding 75% of rated capacity or any multi-crane lift.
- 29 CFR 1910.179: Overhead and gantry crane safety in general industry (frequent inspection monthly, periodic inspection annually).
Not every OSHA-approved State Plan covers private employers. Of the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, 21 states run complete State Plans that cover private-sector crane work, so a state agency inspects and cites your crane company directly. Six states run public-employee-only plans, which means a private crane company there still answers to federal OSHA. The remaining 23 states and the District of Columbia have no State Plan at all, so federal OSHA enforces directly. For example, California, North Carolina, and Michigan are complete-plan states enforced by Cal/OSHA, NC OSH, and MIOSHA. New York and Illinois are public-employee-only, so private crane work there is federal. Texas, Florida, Ohio, Georgia, and Pennsylvania have no State Plan.
State-level requirements can also exist independently of the OSHA State Plan question. Pennsylvania has no State Plan but does require a state-issued crane operator license. New York City requires a Department of Buildings crane operator license and a per-crane permit, and Houston and Chicago each require a city-issued operator license. Those obligations apply regardless of which agency enforces OSHA standards in that state.
Tracking compliance across multiple states requires knowing which standard applies where. A crane company running jobs in both California and Texas faces Cal/OSHA requirements in California and federal OSHA in Texas. The federal NCCCO CCO certification satisfies the operator certification requirement in both states, but the California tower crane permit program requires additional documentation for tower cranes specifically.
CraneOp's compliance module tracks pre-shift inspections, NCCCO certifications, and critical lift plans across all jobs. See the compliance features page for details on how the system enforces OSHA requirements at the dispatch and field ticket layer. For definitions of regulatory terms referenced on this page, see the CraneOp Glossary including entries on NCCCO certification and ASME B30 standards.
Crane Regulations by State: All 50 States and DC
| State | Key Regulation | Inspection Frequency | OSHA State Plan for private employers? |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL (Alabama) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| AK (Alaska) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| AZ (Arizona) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| AR (Arkansas) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| CA (California) | Cal/OSHA Title 8 CCR. Tower cranes require DOSH permit and licensed engineer inspection before erection. | Annual inspection required plus DOSH permit for tower cranes | YES (Cal/OSHA complete State Plan) |
| CO (Colorado) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| CT (Connecticut) | Private crane employers under federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC); state plan covers government workers only. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO for private employers (State Plan covers public employees only) |
| DE (Delaware) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| DC (District of Columbia) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (no state plan; federal OSHA jurisdiction) |
| FL (Florida) | Federal OSHA statewide. No state supplement. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| GA (Georgia) | Federal OSHA only. No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| HI (Hawaii) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| ID (Idaho) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| IL (Illinois) | Federal OSHA for private employers. Chicago requires a city-issued crane operator license. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO for private employers (IL State Plan covers public employees only) |
| IN (Indiana) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| IA (Iowa) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| KS (Kansas) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| KY (Kentucky) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| LA (Louisiana) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| ME (Maine) | Private crane employers under federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC); state plan covers government workers only. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO for private employers (State Plan covers public employees only) |
| MD (Maryland) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| MA (Massachusetts) | Private crane employers under federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC); state plan covers government workers only. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO for private employers (State Plan covers public employees only) |
| MI (Michigan) | MIOSHA, a complete OSHA-approved State Plan, enforces crane standards for private employers. State inspectors issue citations, not federal OSHA. | Annual inspection (federal standard, enforced by MIOSHA) | YES (MIOSHA complete State Plan) |
| MN (Minnesota) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| MS (Mississippi) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| MO (Missouri) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| MT (Montana) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| NE (Nebraska) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| NV (Nevada) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| NH (New Hampshire) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| NJ (New Jersey) | Private crane employers under federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC); state plan covers government workers only. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO for private employers (State Plan covers public employees only) |
| NM (New Mexico) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| NY (New York) | Federal OSHA for private employers. NYC DOB requires a city-issued crane operator license in addition to NCCCO, plus a DOB permit per crane. | Annual inspection (federal standard). NYC: installation inspection plus ongoing per DOB rules | NO for private employers (NY State Plan covers public employees only) |
| NC (North Carolina) | NC OSH, a complete OSHA-approved State Plan, enforces crane standards for private employers. State inspectors issue citations, not federal OSHA. | Annual inspection (federal standard, enforced by NC OSH) | YES (NC OSH complete State Plan) |
| ND (North Dakota) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| OH (Ohio) | Federal OSHA only. No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| OK (Oklahoma) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| OR (Oregon) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (Oregon OSHA complete State Plan) |
| PA (Pennsylvania) | Federal OSHA statewide. Pennsylvania separately requires a state-issued crane operator license beyond NCCCO certification. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state; PA operator licensing is not an OSHA State Plan) |
| RI (Rhode Island) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| SC (South Carolina) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| SD (South Dakota) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| TN (Tennessee) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| TX (Texas) | Federal OSHA statewide. Houston requires a city-issued crane operator license and NCCCO proof. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| UT (Utah) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| VT (Vermont) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| VA (Virginia) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
| WA (Washington) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (Washington DOSH complete State Plan) |
| WV (West Virginia) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| WI (Wisconsin) | Federal OSHA (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). No state supplement. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | NO (federal plan state) |
| WY (Wyoming) | State OSHA Plan; at least the federal 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC floor, state may be stricter. | Annual inspection (federal standard) | YES (State OSHA Plan covers private employers) |
Reading the last column: "YES" means a state agency runs a complete OSHA-approved State Plan and its own inspectors enforce crane standards against private employers. "NO for private employers" means the state has a State Plan that covers state and local government employees only, so a private crane company there is under federal OSHA. "NO" means the state has no State Plan and federal OSHA enforces directly.
State Plan status verified as of July 2026 against the OSHA-approved State Plan listing. Source: osha.gov/stateplans. OSHA regulations and state programs are updated periodically. Confirm current status with OSHA and your state labor department before relying on this page. The NCCCO website (nccco.org) maintains a current state licensing requirements page.
Track Compliance Across Every State
CraneOp tracks NCCCO certifications, pre-shift inspections, and critical lift plans in one audit-ready platform.
See Compliance Features