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Free course · 2 hours · RD 836/2003 (ITC MIE-AEM-2), RD 1215/1997 and INSST NTP 701

Tower crane operator course free: the licence theory

For anyone who wants to work as a crane operator (gruista) in Spain and is asked for «the tower crane licence»: what the law requires to get it (age, medical examination, the 200-hour course at an authorised entity and your autonomous community's exam), how long it lasts and how it is renewed, and the theory of the theoretical module: the crane and its parts, installation and commissioning, limiters and test loads, obligations and prohibitions, wind and weathervane mode, maintenance and inspections. A 30-question test and a theory training certificate in PDF, no sign-up.

What do you need to be a tower crane operator? The tower crane operator licence of annex VI of ITC MIE-AEM-2 (Royal Decree 836/2003): you must be of legal age, pass a medical examination (eyesight, sense of direction, balance, hearing and psychological aptitudes) and prove your knowledge, normally with the ESO certificate (compulsory secondary education), a 200-hour theoretical and practical course (50 theory and 150 practice) at an authorised entity and an exam run by your autonomous community. The licence is issued by the community, is valid throughout Spain and expires after 5 years. This course explains in 8 modules what is asked of you and the theory of that theoretical module, with a 30-question test and a PDF certificate. It is not the 200-hour course and does not give you the licence, and it does not authorise you to operate a crane: that is decided by your autonomous community through its exam.

Note: this is theory only and not a recognised course. It is not the 200-hour theoretical and practical course nor the exam of your autonomous community, which is the body that issues the tower crane operator licence, and it does not authorise you to operate a crane: without the licence it is prohibited (RD 836/2003, ITC MIE-AEM-2, article 7 and annex VI).

FreeCourse, test and certificate, no sign-up
8 modulesAbout 15–20 minutes each
30 questionsPass with 24, with explanation and source
Theory onlyThe licence is issued by your autonomous community
  1. StudyThe 8 modules, at your own pace.
  2. Take the test30 questions; you can retake it.
  3. Download the PDFWith your name, the date, the syllabus and a code to check it.

Start the course

The course: 8 modules

Each module has its own page: the text, a practical example, the rule it comes from and a few review questions. Your progress is saved in this browser.

  1. 1What a tower crane is and who is who: the definitions of ITC MIE-AEM-2The crane operator's rulebook is the complementary technical instruction MIE-AEM-2 of the Lifting and Handling…15 min
  2. 2The crane operator licence: requirements, the 200-hour course, the community's exam and the 5 yearsTower cranes «shall at all times be operated by a crane operator» holding the licence, and a licence issued under annex…20 min
  3. 3Installation and commissioning: project, erection, anemometer and OCA inspectionBefore the crane operator climbs into the cab, the crane has gone through a circuit that the ITC sets in article 5.15 min
  4. 4Safety devices: limiters, test loads and calibrationA tower crane is not operated «by eye»: it has limiters that cut the movement before the load or the moment exceeds…20 min
  5. 5The crane operator's obligations and prohibitions: annex IV and NTP 701The operating instruction manual that the installer or the maintenance company hands to the crane operator (article 7)…20 min
  6. 6Wind, storms and weathervane mode: when the crane stops and how it is left at the end of the dayWind is the tower crane's enemy: it increases the overturning moment, swings the load and, out of service, can bring…15 min
  7. 7Maintenance, checks and inspections: every day, every 4 months, every 2 yearsThree levels of control coexist on a tower crane: the crane operator's checks (daily, weekly, fortnightly and monthly)…15 min
  8. 8Your rights and duties as a crane operator: training, stopping in the face of danger and the crane on siteThe licence belongs to industry law; prevention belongs to employment law.15 min
  9. ✓Final test and certificateFinal test: 30 questions

Frequently asked questions

Are the course and the certificate really free?
Yes. The 8 modules, the test and the PDF certificate are free and there is no need to sign up. LaborIA is funded by advertising.
Does this course give me the crane operator licence?
No. The tower crane operator licence is issued only by the competent body of your autonomous community (annex VI, point 6, of ITC MIE-AEM-2) when you prove you are of legal age, pass the medical examination and have the knowledge: on the ordinary route, the ESO certificate, a 200-hour theoretical and practical course (50 theory and 150 practice) at an authorised entity and the exam run by the community itself. This course is theory only and replaces neither the course nor the exam.
Can I operate a tower crane while I am getting the licence?
No. Article 7 of the ITC requires the crane to be operated at all times by a crane operator holding the licence, and NTP 701 adds that they must also be designated by the crane's user. This course does not authorise you to operate any crane.
Is it an official or recognised certificate?
No. It is a free-format theory training certificate: it lists the contents, the rules, the date and your mark, with a code to check that it has not been altered. No body recognises it and it is not the crane operator licence, which is an exam of the autonomous community.
Where is the 200-hour course taken and how much does it cost?
At an entity that has submitted a responsible declaration to your autonomous community and has dismountable and self-erecting tower cranes for the practice (annex VI, point 5). The price is set by each entity and is not regulated; always ask whether it includes the 150 hours of practice with a crane and the fee for the community's exam.
I have experience operating tower cranes, do I have to do the 150 hours of practice?
Annex VI (point 4.2) exempts from the ordinary practical module anyone who proves professional experience through a certificate from the company, within one year, but requires a 15-hour practical module. The medical examination and the community's exam remain compulsory.
Is the crane operator licence valid for the self-propelled mobile crane?
No. The mobile crane has its own ITC (MIE-AEM-4, Royal Decree 837/2003) and its own licence, with category A (up to 130 t, a 300-hour course) and category B (more than 130 t, 450 hours).
Do you keep my name or ID number?
No. The PDF is generated in your browser: your name and your ID are not sent to LaborIA or to anyone else.

Check a certificate

For employers: type the details exactly as they appear on the certificate. Your browser checks that the code matches that name, ID number and date. LaborIA stores no data, so this confirms the certificate has not been altered, not who took the test.

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Rules and official sources

Texts read on 27 October 2026. General information: your employer must also give you the training for your specific job.