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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 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 8 Apr 24 1 May 24 18 Sept 24 30 Oct 24
Undermanager 11 Jan 24  6 Feb 24 5 & 6 Mar 24 17 Apr 24 28 May 24 2 Oct 24 12 Nov 24
Deputy 6 Feb 24 13 Mar 24 10 Apr 24 11 Jun 24 23 & 24 Jul 24 1 Oct 24 13 & 14 Nov 24
Electrical engineering manager 
** Refer to 2023 calendar for post oral dates
26 Jun 24 7 Aug 24 4 Sept 24 16 Oct 24 20 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 19 Feb 25
Open cut examiner 1 Mar 24  17 Apr 24 15 May 24 3 Jul 24 14 Aug 24 6 Jan 25 19 Feb 25
Electrical engineer 
** Refer to 2023 calendar for post oral dates
26 Jun 24 7 Aug 24 4 Sept 24 16 Oct 24 20 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 8 Apr 24 30 Apr 24 17 Sep 24 29 Oct 24
Underground mine supervisor 18 Mar 24  n/a n/a 22 Apr 24 3 Jun 24 21 Oct 24 3 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

Certificate of competence exam calendar for 2025

Underground coal mines

2025 Certificate Briefing session Written closing date Written exam Oral closing date Oral date Oral closing date Oral exam
Mining engineering manager 7 Nov 24 17 Dec  24 4 & 5 Mar 25 7 May 25 25 Jun 25 25 Sept 25 19 Nov 25
Undermanager 21 Nov 24  11 Feb 25 9 Apr 25 17 Jun 25 29 Jul 25 11 Dec 25 3 Feb 26
Deputy 4 Dec 24 20 Mar 25 14 May 25 10 Jul 25 9 & 10 Sep 25 18 Nov 25 10 & 11 Mar 26
Electrical engineering manager
** Refer to 2024 calendar for post oral dates
1 Jul 25 12 Aug 25 24 Sep 25 4 Nov 25 9 Dec 25 8 Apr 26 27 May 26
Mechanical engineering manager
** Refer to 2024 calendar for post oral dates
6 May 25 26 June 25 13 Aug 25 18 Sep 25 22 Oct 25 4 Feb 26 24 & 25 Mar 26

Coal mines other than underground

2025 Certificate Briefing session Written closing date Written exam Oral closing date Oral date Oral closing date Oral exam
Mining engineering manager 28 Mar 25 30 Apr 25  19 Jun 25 31 Jul 25 16 & 17 Sep 25 14 Jan 26 25 & 26 Feb 26
Open cut examiner 28 Mar 25 30 Apr 25 18 Jun 25 30 Jul 25 16 & 17 Sep 25 14 Jan 26 25 & 26 Feb 26
Electrical engineer 
** Refer to 2024 calendar for post oral dates
1 Jul 25 12 Aug 25 24 Sept 25 4 Nov 25 9 Dec 25 8 Apr 26 27 May 26
Mechanical engineer
** Refer to 2024 calendar for post oral dates
6 May 25 26 Jun 25 13 Aug 25 18 Sep 25 22 Oct 25 4 Feb 26 24 & 25 Mar 26

Underground mines other than coal mines

2025 Certificate Briefing session Written closing date Written exam Oral closing date Oral date Oral closing date Oral exam
Mining engineering manager 17 Oct 24 23 Jan 25 19 Mar 25 15 May 25 2 Jul 25 2 Oct 25 26 Nov 25
Underground mine supervisor 5 Feb 25  n/a n/a 10 Apr 25 3 & 4 Jun 25 11 Sep 25 5 & 6 Nov 25

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 21 May 25 16 Jul 25 3 Sep 25 15 Oct 25 12 Nov 25 1 Apr 26 13 May 26

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 29 Apr 25 n/a n/a 13 Jun 25 4 Aug 25 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

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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, 218.04 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, 77.3 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.