HOW TO GET YOUR
DOGGING TICKET IN NSW
The whole process, start to finish — what you need before day one, what the training covers, how the licence assessment works, and what happens after you pass.
What a dogging licence actually lets you do
The DG class of high risk work licence covers dogging work: selecting and inspecting lifting gear, slinging loads, and directing the crane operator's movements — including when the load travels out of the operator's view. If you're on the ground making the calls on a lift, that's dogging, and in Australia it needs a licence. The national unit of competency behind it is CPCCLDG3001 — Licence to perform dogging.
Before you start: the eligibility basics
- You must be at least 18 to sit the licence assessment.
- Training and assessment are conducted in English.
- You'll need a USI (Unique Student Identifier) — free, takes minutes online.
Step 1 — Service NSW account and your AEN
NSW replaced the old 100-points-of-ID system. Now you create a Service NSW account (two identity documents), then apply online for an AEN — Assessment Enrolment Number. The AEN is valid for 30 days from creation, so time it with your course dates.
On assessment day you bring one original photo ID — the same ID you used for your Service NSW account. Get this wrong and you can be turned away, so it's worth double-checking. (A foreign passport isn't accepted for this step.)
Step 2 — The training
You train with a registered training organisation against the unit of competency: the lifting gear, slinging techniques, load estimation, communication (hand signals, whistle, two-way radio), and planning the lift. Theory can be delivered online or blended; the practical is hands-on with real cranes and real loads. That's where on-site delivery shines — your crew learns on the plant they'll actually use.
Step 3 — The licence assessment
The licence assessment is separate from training and is conducted by a SafeWork NSW accredited assessor, in person, on real full-scale plant — simulators are never used for licence assessment. It has three components:
- Knowledge — a question paper with a 95% pass mark. It's demanding by design; good training prepares you properly.
- Calculations — you must show the working, the formula and the correct metric units.
- Performance — the practical, on real plant, demonstrating the job end to end.
You need all three satisfactory to be competent. If one component doesn't go your way, you can be reassessed on the failed component within 60 days — nobody starts from scratch over one bad paper.
Step 4 — From assessment to licence in your pocket
After a successful assessment, the RTO issues your Statement of Attainment for CPCCLDG3001. Important: the Statement of Attainment is not a licence — it doesn't authorise you to do dogging work on its own. You then apply for the actual DG licence through Service NSW within 60 days of your assessment. You'll get an interim authority to work while the plastic card is on its way, and the licence itself is valid for 5 years.
Renewals — don't let it lapse
Renew before expiry. An expired licence is not valid — you can't work on it. The 12-month window after expiry only lets you renew without retraining; it doesn't let you keep working while expired.
How we deliver it
We run the whole journey on site at your workplace across NSW and the ACT — training on your plant, with the licence assessment conducted by our own SafeWork NSW accredited assessor, and free access to our browser-based 3D practice platform before the practical days. One fixed all-inclusive quote per crew.
See the on-site dogging course
General information only, current at July 2026. Licensing requirements are set by SafeWork NSW and Service NSW — always confirm current requirements with them directly. Nationally recognised training and assessment is delivered in partnership with Halo Nation Training Pty Ltd (RTO 32485).