Mining competence

Exam calendar 2021/2022:

Exam dates from July 2021 to June 2022 can be accessed here. Please subscribe to Mine Safety News for further updates on exams.

To apply to sit for an exam, you must apply onlinevia the Resources Regulator Portal, when it becomes available by mid-June 2021.

For those reapplying to sit an exam prior to mid-June 2021, a resit application form will be emailed to you prior for return to mca@planning.nsw.gov.au. You can also obtain a copy of the form by emailing this address.

Changes to experience pre-requisites from 2021

From 1 April 2021, new applicants for written examinations must satisfy the new experience pre-requisites. The Resources Regulator and Mining and Petroleum Competence Board have changed the amount of total years and extraction experience for the majority of exams. In addition, there is now a requirement for a period of supervision experience. The Guide - Applying for a certificate of competence sets out and explains the new 2021 requirements. Existing candidates who are resitting an exam or new applicants who apply for exams closing before 1 April 2021 will not be subject to the new requirements.

Statutory function holders only to verify your experience

Only people who practise in the relevant statutory function (mining engineering manager, electrical engineering manager, mechanical engineering manager or quarry manager) at a mine can verify applicant experience and its suitability based on their knowledge of the applicant or applicant logbook of signed experience. More details are available in the Guide to examinations and online application.

Revised fee schedule from 31 January 2020

From 31 January 2020 applicants only pay for the cost of the exams they undertake.

A non-refundable application fee of $110 for all certificate types applies to cover processing.

Applicants must make payment when lodging the application through the link provided to the external fee collector (Eventbrite) in the examination fee schedule fact sheet on the Resources Regulator website.

Applicants who are then approved to sit or resit an examination will be required to make payment of an examination fee through links provided in their exam invitation email. The examination fees are not available to be paid without invitation.