Class by class in Ontario
Ontario has no 5th Class. Hours below are from the TSSA certification guides. Plant authority is in Table 2 of O. Reg. 219/01, read with the applicable TSSA Director's Orders. Table 8 is qualifying service time, not plant rating. Registration and staffing are in Tables 3 to 7. Fees elsewhere on this page are unchanged.
Also on this site: Exam format · TSSA operating engineer index · O. Reg. 219/01 · TSSA Director's Order.
4th Class
How you get in. TSSA's guide says a candidate should complete a 4th Class course at a recognized institute before the exams. A full-time program on TSSA's time-reduction list is what cuts the hours, and that program is not required in order to write. Since 15 June 2021 you may write and gather experience at the same time.
Time in a plant. 1,920 hours as a trainee in a fourth, third, second, or first class plant. Candidates who finish a full-time TSSA approved-for-time-reduction 4th Class program need 480 hours. At least 33% of the time must be on boilers at a registered plant, and at most 33% may be maintenance of regulated equipment.
What the ticket covers. Operating authority is in Table 2 of O. Reg. 219/01, read with the applicable TSSA Director's Orders. Registration and staffing are in Tables 3 to 7. The figures here are chief ceilings for named plant types. They are not a general combined-plant limit and they are not shift limits. Conventional high-pressure steam-boiler chief authority is up to 1,471 kW. Low-pressure steam-boiler chief authority is up to 3,924 kW. For a combined plant, excluding low-water-volume and hot-water boilers, the Director's Order amends the older table image from 2,403 kW high pressure and 4,856 kW low pressure to 2,552 kW high pressure and 5,005 kW low pressure. Hot-water chief authority is up to 3,924 kW high-temperature or 11,771 kW low-temperature. Refrigeration chief authority is amended to 298 kW. Shift authority is a different column. Read Table 2 and the orders before you treat one number as the whole ticket.
The exam. Two multiple-choice papers, 4A and 4B. Each is 100 questions, 3 hours, 65%. This is the guide whose cover says Effective October 2024. It is not a 150-question or 3.5-hour paper.
Official page: TSSA 4th Class guide. Checked 6 November 2026.
Also: O. Reg. 219/01 · TSSA Director's Order
3rd Class
How you get in. TSSA's guide says a candidate should complete a 3rd Class course before the exams. The time reduction applies only after a full-time program on TSSA's time-reduction list. You may pursue exams and experience at the same time.
Time in a plant. 1,920 hours as chief operating engineer in a fourth class plant, or 1,920 hours as a fourth class operating engineer in a third, second, or first class plant. An approved full-time program reduces that to 160 hours. The same 33% boiler minimum and 33% maintenance cap apply.
What the ticket covers. Operating authority is in Table 2 of O. Reg. 219/01, read with the applicable TSSA Director's Orders. Registration and staffing are in Tables 3 to 7. These are chief figures for named plant types, not shift figures and not one combined-plant ceiling. Conventional high-pressure steam-boiler chief authority is up to 3,924 kW. Low-pressure steam-boiler chief authority is up to 11,771 kW. Combined boiler and refrigeration plant chief authority is up to 4,521 kW high pressure or 12,368 kW low pressure, with separate refrigeration-inclusive figures of 4,670 kW high pressure and 12,517 kW low pressure. Hot-water chief authority is up to 11,771 kW high-temperature or 23,543 kW low-temperature. Read the whole table and the orders for the equipment mix.
The exam. Four multiple-choice papers, 3A-1, 3A-2, 3B-1, and 3B-2. Each is 100 questions, 3 hours, 65%. The guide cover says Effective October 2024. It is not a 150-question or 3.5-hour paper.
Official page: TSSA 3rd Class guide. Checked 6 November 2026.
Also: O. Reg. 219/01 · TSSA Director's Order
2nd Class
How you get in. TSSA's guide says a candidate should complete a 2nd Class course before the exams. The reduced hour total applies after a full-time program on TSSA's time-reduction list.
Time in a plant. 2,880 hours as chief in a third class plant, or 2,880 hours as a third class operating engineer in a second or first class plant. An approved full-time program reduces that to 2,080 hours. The same 33% boiler minimum and 33% maintenance cap apply.
What the ticket covers. Operating authority is in Table 2 of O. Reg. 219/01, read with the applicable TSSA Director's Orders. Registration and staffing are in Tables 3 to 7. These are chief figures for named plant types, not shift figures. Conventional high-pressure steam-boiler chief authority is up to 11,771 kW. Low-pressure steam-boiler chief authority is unlimited. On a combined plant, chief authority for the boiler plant is limited, prime movers are unlimited, high pressure is 11,771 kW, and low pressure is unlimited. Hot water, prime movers, compressors, and refrigeration have their own columns, and several of those columns are unlimited.
The exam. From 1 January 2025 there are six multiple-choice papers: 2A-1, 2A-2, 2A-3, 2B-1, 2B-2, and 2B-3. Each is 100 questions, 3 hours, 65%. The guide cover says Effective 17 January 2024 and the exam section carries the 1 January 2025 date. Part A is not an essay paper under this guide.
Official page: TSSA 2nd Class guide. Checked 6 November 2026.
Also: O. Reg. 219/01 · TSSA Director's Order
1st Class
How you get in. TSSA's guide says a candidate should complete a 1st Class course before the exams. The reduced hour total applies after a full-time program on TSSA's time-reduction list.
Time in a plant. 4,800 hours as chief in a second class plant, or 4,800 hours as a second class operating engineer in a first class plant. An approved full-time program reduces that to 3,360 hours. The same 33% boiler minimum and 33% maintenance cap apply.
What the ticket covers. Operating authority is in Table 2 of O. Reg. 219/01, read with the applicable TSSA Director's Orders. Registration and staffing are in Tables 3 to 7. Chief authority for combined plants and for steam boilers is unlimited, and the other equipment columns are also unlimited. That unlimited chief authority does not remove shift or attendance rules. Tables 3 to 7 still apply.
The exam. The TSSA guide linked on 5 November 2026 (cover: Effective December 2023) still describes eight essay papers, 1A-1 through 1B-4, each 3.5 hours, answer 5 of 7, 65%. SOPEEC changed the national 1B4 paper to 100 multiple-choice questions and 3 hours on 1 January 2026. Technical Safety BC's page still describes eight exams at 3.5 hours, so this conflict is not only a TSSA matter and not only a British Columbia matter. TSASK's examination page confirms the new B4 paper locally. Check with TSSA for the paper you will be given.
Official page: TSSA 1st Class guide. Checked 6 November 2026.
Also: SOPEEC 21 January 2026 update · O. Reg. 219/01 · TSSA Director's Order
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.