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Exam calendar

Certificate examination dates and information regarding exam application submission timeframes.

  

View the exam dates below and submit a completed application at least a week before the closing date for the exam. All exams held after the 1st January 2023 will include Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2022.

Certificate of competence exam calendar for 2023

Underground coal mines

2023 Certificate

Briefing session

Written closing date

Written exam

Oral closing date

Oral exam

Oral closing date

Oral exam

Mining engineering manager

8 Dec 22

19 Jan 23

2&3 Mar 23

30 Mar 23

27 Apr 23

6 Sep 23

25 Oct 23

Undermanager

11 Jan 23

15 Feb 23

29&30 Mar 23

10 May 23

5&6 Jun 23

25 Oct 23

6 Dec 23

Deputy

22 Feb 23

12 Apr 23

24 May 23

21 Jun 23

19 Jul 23

11 Oct 23

6 & 7 Nov 23

Electrical engineering manager

 

21 Jun 23

2 Aug 23

13 Sep 23

1 Nov 23

29 Nov 23

10 Apr 24

22 May 24

Mechanical engineering manager

 

5 May 23

28 Jun 23

9 Aug 23

12 Sep 23

10 Oct 23

31 Jan 24

13 Mar 24

Coal mines other than underground

2023 Certificate

Briefing session

Written closing date

Written exam

Oral closing date

Oral date

Oral closing date

Oral exam

Mining engineering manager

14 Mar 23

4 May 23

15 Jun 23

13 Jul 23

16 Aug 23

28 Dec 23

8 Feb 24

Open cut examiner

14 Mar 23

3 May 23

14 Jun 23

13 Jul 23

16 Aug 23

28 Dec 23

8 Feb 24

Electrical Engineer

 

21 Jun 23

2 Aug 23

13 Sep 23

1 Nov 23

29 Nov 23

10 Apr 24

22 May 24

Mechanical Engineer

 

5 May 23

28 Jun 23

9 Aug 23

12 Sep 23

10 Oct 23

31 Jan 24

13 Mar 24

Underground mines other than coal mines

2023 Certificate

Briefing session

Written closing date

Written exam

Oral closing date

Oral date

Oral closing date

Oral exam

Mining engineering manager

7 Dec 22

27 Dec 22

7 Feb 23

7 Mar 23

4 Apr 23

9 Aug 23

20 Sep 23

Underground mine supervisor

20 Mar 23

NA

NA

12 Apr 23

10 May 23

18 Sep 23

30 Oct 23

Mines other than underground mines or coal mines

2023 Certificate

Briefing session

Written closing date

Written exam

Oral closing date

Oral date

Oral closing date

Oral exam

Quarry manager

 

19 Jun 23

26 Jul 23

6 Sep 23

11 Oct 23

8 Nov 23

28 Mar 24

9 May 24

Licensed activities at coal mines

2023 Certificate

Briefing session

Written closing date

Written exam

Oral closing date

Oral exam

Oral closing date

Oral exam

Cable Repair Signatory

4 May 23

NA

NA

14 Jun 23

12 Jul 23

20 Dec 23

31 Jan 24

 

Certificate of competence exam calendar for 2024

Underground coal mines

2024 Certificate Briefing session Written closing date Written exam Oral closing date Oral date Oral closing date Oral exam
Mining engineering manager 22 Nov 23 16 Jan  24 13 & 14 Feb 24 20 Mar 24 1 May 24 18 Sept 24 30 Oct 24
Undermanager 18 Jan 24  6 Feb 24 5 & 6 Mar 24 17 Apr 24 29 May 24 2 Oct 24 13 Nov 24
Deputy 6 Feb 24 13 Mar 24 10 Apr 24 11 Jun 24 23 & 24 Jul 24 30 Oct 24 11 Dec 24
Electrical engineering manager 
** Refer to 2023 calendar for post oral dates
26 Jun 24 7 Aug 24 4 Sept 24 16 Oct 24 27 Nov 24 16 Apr 25 28 May 25
Mechanical engineering manager
** Refer to 2023 calendar for post oral dates
3 May 24 3 Jul 24 31 Jul 24 4 Sep 24 16 Oct 24 29 Jan 25 12 Mar 25

Coal mines other than underground

2024 Certificate Briefing session Written closing date Written exam Oral closing date Oral date Oral closing date Oral exam
Mining engineering manager 1 Mar 2024 18 Apr  24 16 May 24 3 Jul 24 14 Aug 24 6 Jan 25 12 Feb 25
Open cut examiner 1 Mar 24  17 Apr 24 15 May 24 3 Jul 24 14 Aug 24 6 Jan 25 12 Feb 25
Electrical engineer 
** Refer to 2023 calendar for post oral dates
26 Jun 24 7 Aug 24 4 Sept 24 16 Oct 24 27 Nov 24 16 Apr 25 28 May 25
Mechanical engineer
** Refer to 2023 calendar for post oral dates
3 May 24 3 Jul 24 31 Jul 24 4 Sep 24 16 Oct 24 29 Jan 25 12 Mar 25

Underground mines other than coal mines

2024 Certificate Briefing session Written closing date Written exam Oral closing date Oral date Oral closing date Oral exam
Mining engineering manager 1 Nov 23 24 Jan  24 21 Feb 24 19 Mar 24 30 Apr 24 17 Sep 24 29 Oct 24
Underground mine supervisor 20 Mar 24  n/a n/a 22 Apr 24 3 Jun 24 21 Oct 24 2 Dec 24

Mines other than underground mines or coal mines

2024 Certificate Briefing session Written closing date Written exam Oral closing date Oral date Oral closing date Oral exam
Quarry manager 19 Jun 24 31 Jul 24 28 Aug 24 25 Sep 24 6 Nov 24 27 Mar 25 8 May 25

Licensed activities at coal mines

2024 Certificate Briefing session Written closing date Written exam Oral closing date Oral date Oral closing date Oral exam
Cable repair signatory 18 Apr 24 n/a n/a 30 May 24 11 Jul 24 n/a n/a

COVID-19 safe exams

Certificate examinations are to be held 'as close as possible' to the usual format but will include control measures to manage the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

These controls will include: additional cleaning of rooms/desks, use of hygiene products such as hand sanitiser, additional space between exam desks, checking you temperature etc. These controls, along with others, are being implemented to ensure the health and safety of all participants. This will be communicated in detail to those individuals involved prior to and on the day of their examinations.

Candidates who have signs of symptoms of the virus are directed not to attend their examinations and to notify the mining competencies and authorisations unit. If a candidate attends an exam and observed to show signs of symptoms, they will be directed to leave the examinations area.

Applying for a refund

Approved candidates who have paid their examination fee but are unable to attend their rescheduled exam, may apply for a refund (less an administration fee of $50).

Note: the application fee, paid at the time an applicant submits their application for an exam, remains non-refundable. A refund is relevant to the examination fee only.

Resitting a written or oral examination

New candidates are candidates who have either put in an application or started a new examination process after 1st July 2022.

All other candidates are considered existing candidates.

If you are an existing candidate and if you do not pass a written exam, or your first or second attempt at an oral exam and you wish to resit the respective exam, you will need to submit an online application via the Resources Regulator portal

If you are a new candidate, see the flow chart below.

Written exam

A flow chart explaining when a candidate will be required to resit a written competency examination

Oral Exam

Flow chart explaining when a candidate will need to resit an oral competency examination

See the Guide - Applying for a certificate of competence (PDF, 138.02 KB) for full details on time limits for written and oral exams.

It can take a few attempts to get through the examination process successfully and be deemed competent.

Replacement certificate

If you have lost or damaged your certificate of competence, please contact us at mca@regional.nsw.gov.au and pay the fee via Fact sheet - fees schedule for certificates (PDF, 61.49 KB).

If you have lost or damaged your practicing certificate, you can apply for a replacement by completing an application via the Resources Regulator portal. 

You will receive an electronic copy of the reissued certificate via email and you can make copies from it.