Class by class in British Columbia
Technical Safety BC publishes a page for each class. Plant classes are defined in square metres of boiler capacity in the Power Engineers, Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Refrigeration Safety Regulation. Exam fees on this page stay marked unconfirmed.
Also on this site: Exam format · 5th vs 4th Class.
5th Class
How you get in. Technical Safety BC accepts a completed 5th Class power engineering course, a marine engineer (motor) certificate of any class (no qualifying time), or equivalent technical education approved by a provincial safety manager.
Time in a plant. After the exam, evaluation requires 4 months as a power engineer trainee in a 5th Class plant or higher, or 6 months in the design, construction, repair, operation, or maintenance of regulated equipment.
What the ticket covers. The certificate lets you be chief engineer of a 5th Class plant and shift engineer of a 4th Class plant. A 5th Class power plant exceeds 10 square metres of boiler capacity and does not exceed 50. Heating and other plant types use different bands in the same definition. Read the regulation before you treat one number as the whole limit.
The exam. One multiple-choice exam. From 1 March 2023 it is 100 questions, 3 hours, 65%.
Official page: Technical Safety BC Fifth Class. Checked 5 November 2026.
Also: BC Power Engineers Regulation
4th Class
How you get in. Technical Safety BC accepts an approved 4th Class course, a one-year full-time 4th Class course (no qualifying time), a mechanical engineering degree accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board, or a Transport Canada third class marine engineer (motor) certificate.
Time in a plant. Evaluation routes include 6 months as a power engineer in a 5th Class plant in a position that requires a 5th Class certificate, 6 months as a trainee in listed plants (including a power plant over 10 square metres), 18 months of accepted design or maintenance experience, the marine certificate above, or 200 hours of approved boiler-plant power lab.
What the ticket covers. Chief engineer of a plant of the same class or lower, shift engineer of a plant up to one class higher, and person in charge of any type or size of refrigeration plant. A 4th Class power plant exceeds 50 square metres and does not exceed 100. Other plant types are defined separately.
The exam. Two papers, 4A1 and 4B1. From 1 March 2023, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Class exams are 100 multiple-choice questions, 3 hours, 65% on each paper.
Official page: Technical Safety BC Fourth Class. Checked 5 November 2026.
Also: BC Power Engineers Regulation
3rd Class
How you get in. You need a 4th Class power engineer certificate, a corresponding Canadian credential, or a second class or higher marine engineer (motor) certificate.
Time in a plant. While holding that credential, routes include 12 months as chief of a 4th Class power plant, shift engineer of a 3rd Class power plant, assistant shift engineer of a 2nd Class plant, or assistant engineer of a 1st or 2nd Class plant. Longer routes cover heating plants and plants that are not power or heating plants. An approved 3rd Class course reduces the employment by 6 months. A mechanical engineering degree also reduces it by 6 months. An approved diploma that includes boiler-plant simulation can add a one-time 3-month credit.
What the ticket covers. Chief engineer of a plant of the same class or lower, shift engineer up to one class higher, and person in charge of any refrigeration plant. A 3rd Class power plant exceeds 100 square metres and does not exceed 500.
The exam. Four multiple-choice papers: 3A1, 3A2, 3B1, and 3B2. From 1 March 2023 each is 100 questions, 3 hours, 65%.
Official page: Technical Safety BC Third Class. Checked 5 November 2026.
Also: BC Power Engineers Regulation
2nd Class
How you get in. You need a 3rd Class power engineer certificate, a corresponding Canadian credential, or a first class marine engineer (motor) certificate.
Time in a plant. Routes are 24 months as chief of a 3rd Class plant, 24 months as shift engineer or assistant chief of a 2nd Class plant, or 24 months as assistant shift engineer or assistant engineer at a 1st Class plant, doing duties a provincial safety manager has accepted. An approved 2nd Class course reduces that by 9 months. A mechanical engineering degree reduces it by 12 months.
What the ticket covers. Chief engineer of a plant of the same class or lower, shift engineer up to one class higher, and person in charge of any refrigeration plant. A 2nd Class plant is a power plant over 500 square metres and not over 1,000.
The exam. Six papers, labelled multiple choice: 2A1, 2A2, 2A3, 2B1, 2B2, and 2B3. Technical Safety BC says each exam is 3 hours and 65%. The class page does not print the question count. SOPEEC's revised Second Class standard is 100 multiple-choice questions per paper. Check with Technical Safety BC for your sitting. Do not read the SOPEEC count as a number printed on the Technical Safety BC page.
Official page: Technical Safety BC Second Class. Checked 6 November 2026.
Also: BC Power Engineers Regulation · SOPEEC revised Second Class
1st Class
How you get in. You need a 2nd Class power engineer certificate or a corresponding Canadian credential.
Time in a plant. Routes include 30 months as chief of a 2nd Class plant, 30 months as assistant chief of a 1st Class plant, 36 months as a safety officer under the regulation, 30 months as shift engineer of a 1st Class plant, or 45 months as assistant shift engineer of a 1st Class plant. An approved 1st Class course reduces the period by 12 months. With a mechanical engineering degree the period can be reduced to 12 months.
What the ticket covers. Chief engineer of a plant of any class, shift engineer of a plant of any class, and person in charge of any refrigeration plant. A 1st Class plant is a power plant that exceeds 1,000 square metres of boiler capacity.
The exam. Technical Safety BC's page still says eight exams, each 3.5 hours, 65%, named 1A1 through 1A4 and 1B1 through 1B4. It does not say whether 1B4 is multiple choice. SOPEEC changed the national 1B4 paper to 100 multiple-choice questions and 3 hours on 1 January 2026. TSSA's linked guide still describes the older eight-paper essay format, so this is not a British Columbia-only change and not a TSSA-only change. TSASK's 1st Class examination page confirms the new B4 paper locally. Check with Technical Safety BC before you book.
Official page: Technical Safety BC First Class. Checked 6 November 2026.
Also: BC Power Engineers Regulation · Exam format · SOPEEC 21 January 2026 update
SteamTicket is an independent study tool. These cards are general information, not a certification decision and not a regulator endorsement. Confirm the current rule with the official page before you apply or register.