Quick answer
In NSW you do not need a high risk work licence to operate a scissor lift. The person conducting the business must still make sure the operator is trained and familiar with the machine. A boom-type elevating work platform with a boom length of 11 m or more needs a WP high risk work licence.
The short answer
Scissor lifts are not one of the high risk work licence classes listed by SafeWork NSW. You do not need a high risk work licence to operate one. That is not the same as needing nothing: the business directing the work must make sure operators have the training, information and supervision to use the machine safely.
Three different things
| Term | What it is | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| High risk work licence (WP class) | A licence issued by SafeWork NSW after training and assessment | Boom-type EWPs with a boom length of 11 m or more |
| Training or competency | Training in safe operation, often a nationally recognised unit, provided by a training organisation | Commonly required by sites and principal contractors for scissor lifts and smaller booms |
| Familiarisation | Being shown the controls, emergency lowering and limits of the specific model | Every machine, every operator |
How the 11 m boom threshold is measured
SafeWork NSW measures boom length two ways and uses the longer: the vertical distance from the supporting surface to the platform floor at maximum height, or the horizontal distance from the boom’s centre of rotation to the outer edge of the platform at maximum reach. It is a boom measurement. It is not a scissor lift’s working height, so a tall scissor lift does not move into the WP class.
Telehandlers
A telehandler fitted with forks or a bucket does not need a high risk work licence, though the business must ensure operators are trained. Fitted with a personnel box with controls in the box and a boom length of 11 m or more, it needs a WP licence. Crane configurations have their own classes.
What your site may ask for
Many builders and facility managers set their own requirements, such as a training certificate, a site induction and a white card for construction work. Check with your principal contractor before the machine arrives.
Where to check
Licence classes and thresholds are set under the NSW Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 and explained on the SafeWork NSW high risk work licences page. Read it there before relying on any summary, including this one.
Compare machines on scissor lift hire and boom lift hire, or read boom lift vs scissor lift.
We can tell you which machines in our fleet fall in the WP class before you book.
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