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Fourth Class

The certificate is subject to the annual renewal fee. There are a number of training and experience combinations that can satisfy the requirement for this certificate.

To apply for an examination, applicants must submit an AB-66 "Application for Power Engineers Examination" form, a minimum of 5 business days prior to the requested examination date.

Available examination dates can be found on the Power Engineer Examination Schedule.


Applicants must submit a copy of their official course completion letter or Degree in Mechanical Engineering along with their examination application.


Applicants submitting operating experience must submit an  AB-66a “Declaration for Power Engineers Experience” form. The form may be submitted with the examination application, or be submitted by completing the online form found here.

To qualify to take a 4th Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency examination, a candidate must

(a) have successfully completed a 4th class course in power engineering satisfactory to the Administrator,

(b) have successfully completed the first full term of a 2-year power engineering technology program satisfactory to the Administrator, or

(c) hold a degree in mechanical engineering from a university satisfactory to the Administrator,

Despite (a) and (b) above, a candidate who has successfully completed part A of a 4th class course in power engineering satisfactory to the Administrator is qualified to take part A of the examination, and a candidate who has successfully completed part B of a 4th class course in power engineering satisfactory to the Administrator is qualified to take part B of the examination.

NOTE: The examination consists of two papers, each of 3½ hours duration. Each of the Paper A and Paper B examinations consists of 150 multiple-choice questions.

NOTE: Effective January 1st, 2023 all 4th class examination papers will consist of 100 multiple-choice questions and be 3 hours in duration.

To pass a 4th Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency examination, a candidate must obtain at least 65% of the total marks allotted for each examination paper.

Detailed information on this examination can be found in the Fourth Class Power Engineers Reference Syllabus AB-54. A candidate can write this examination in any one of the examination locations listed in our Examination Schedule

Despite subsections (1) to (5), a candidate who holds a 4th Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency that was issued before September 1, 1998 and that is still valid is eligible to write a special examination on the subject of heating plants after

(a) having been employed for a period of 6 months in a heating plant that has a capacity exceeding 750 kW in an operating capacity satisfactory to the Administrator, or

(b) successfully completing an upgrading course in heating plant design and operation that is satisfactory to the Administrator.

The examination consists of one (1) examination paper with 75 multiple-choice questions, 3 hours duration.

To pass an Upgrade Certificate of Competency examination from Old Fourth to New Fourth, a candidate must obtain at least 65% of the total marks allotted for the examination.

Detailed information on this examination can be found in the Old Fourth to New Fourth Class Power Engineers Reference Syllabus AB-54a. A candidate can write this examination in any one of the examination locations listed in our Examination Schedule.

Despite subsections (1) to (5), a candidate who holds a Building Operator A Certificate of Competency that is still valid is eligible to write a special examination on the subject of power plants after

(a) having been employed for a period of 6 months in a power plant that has a capacity exceeding 250 kW in an operating capacity satisfactory to the Administrator, or

(b) successfully completing an upgrading course in power plant design and operation that is satisfactory to the Administrator.

The examination consists of one (1) examination paper with 75 mutliple-choice questions, 3 hours duration.

To pass an Upgrade Certificate of Competency examination from a Boiler Operators “A” to a New Fourth, a candidate must obtain at least 65% of the total marks allotted for the examination.

Detailed information on this examination can be found in the Building Operator A to New Fourth Class Power Engineers Reference Syllabus AB-58a. A candidate can write this examination in any one of the examination locations listed in our Examination Schedule.

To qualify for a 4th Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency, a candidate must

(a) pass the 4th Class Power Engineering Certificate of Competency examination, and

(b) have been employed for a period of

(i)    6 months, assisting in the operation of a power plant that has a capacity exceeding 250 kW, or in a pressure plant that has an operating capacity satisfactory to the Administrator,

(ii)   3 months in a power plant described in clause (i), have been employed for a period of 12 months in a capacity satisfactory to the Administrator in the design, construction, installation, repair, maintenance or operation of pressure equipment to which the Act applies, or

(iii)  12 months in a heating plant  that has a capacity exceeding 750 kW while holding a Building Operator A Certificate of Competency, a Building Operator B Certificate of Competency or a 5th Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency.

Last Modified: 1/10/2023 2:30:22 PM