by James Veneto
During the Massachusetts hoisting license renewal process, there are a number of mistakes license holders commonly make. Although the error may be small, it can create bigger problems when your Mass hoisting renewal is rejected or delayed until the issue is corrected.
As if obtaining a MA Hoisting License wasn’t confusing enough, so is renewing it. As a continuing education provider who offers renewal submission, I have submitted thousands of renewals. Call me a bit of an expert. I have literally seen it all… mistakes and rejected renewals. It’s commonplace and causes even more confusion and headaches. Rest assured, I am here to help you avoid these mistakes.
When the time comes to renew your hoisting license, you will need five items:
- Current Renewal Form
- Valid Driver’s License, learners permit, or MA ID (i.e. Liquor License)
- Valid DOT Medical Examiners Certificate
- Continuing Education certificate(s)
- Payment (of course)
Let’s talk about each and a few things to look out for …
Hoisting License Renewal Form
Roughly 60 days prior to your license expiration date (also your birthday), the state will send out a renewal notice (form). Consider this renewal form as your ticket to the event. You may complete your continuing education course(s) at any time, however, you may NOT submit your certificate(s) of completion until you have received your renewal form. Your renewal form will be mailed via snail mail AND if you’ve provided the state with your email address, they will send it there as well.
Warning #1: This email will likely end up in your spam mail. Just look for an email from “OPSI” (Office of Public Safety and Inspections).
Warning #2: If you have moved, the hoisting renewal form will likely be mailed to your old address. In the event you don’t receive it, you can request the state to send you a new one. This request is made easy for customers of At Leisure because you can simply submit your request electronically through our system. Otherwise, you’re doing things the old-fashioned way; Google it, print it, complete it, mail it. Spoiler alert, the first option is far easier.
The biggest mistake I see with people submitting their renewal is they send an old renewal form. Each renewal cycle, you will receive a new renewal form… the state wants that one. You can tell if you have the right one by looking at the top right corner of the form where it shows the expiration date and making sure it's for the current cycle you're renewing for.
The second biggest mistake we see is filling out the changed address section incorrectly. At the right-hand side of the renewal form, it says "Please note changes to your mailing/email address." If you have changed your mailing address, or wish to utilize a new email address, here’s your chance to update this information. If you have no changes, there's no need to fill out this information. We see that a lot.
Lastly, don’t forget to sign the bottom. And date.
Copy of Driver's License
You can hold a driver’s license from any state; it just needs to be valid. Just like your driver’s license, your hoisting license expiration date falls on your birthday. Because these two licenses sometimes expire on the very same day, we often see people submitting a copy of a driver’s license that is a week or so away from expiring. We do not recommend this. Make sure you leave a little time for the processing of your hoisting license renewal. If your current driver’s license is cutting it close, don’t risk it. The state WILL accept a temporary license. The state WILL NOT accept the RMV receipt you receive from renewing online.
If you hold a driver’s license in Massachusetts, the state will automatically use your Driver’s License photo (apparently they are connected to the RMV somehow). If you hold an out-of-state driver’s license, you are required to send in a headshot photo. This requirement alone is a huge benefit when submitting through At Leisure because you don’t need to stand in line at the post office and pay $15 for a photo of yourself. You simply send us a color photo of yourself taken with your smartphone, and we format/print everything for you. Yes, cropping your driver’s license photo is an option on our site, too.
Copy of DOT Medical Card
Now, some of you carry your DOT in your wallet, leaving it to take a beating until it could otherwise be confused as a pirate map. Rule #1, it’s got to be legible. If the state can’t read it, they won’t accept it. I have advised people in the past to contact the physician who completed your DOT physical and request a new copy be sent if necessary. DOT physicians are required to keep copies and they are used to emailing new ones.
The main thing the state looks for with a DOT Certificate is the expiration date. The state needs to see both the expiration date AND the date the DOT physical was performed. Some DOT Certificates are double-sided, so it’s important they see all information. It’s also worth mentioning that some physicians forget to fill out and/or sign the medical certificate. This will get you denied, so make sure all fields on your DOT Certificate are completed before sending.
Fun fact… one in every ten DOT Certificates are fraudulent, meaning people print a blank DOT form and fill in the information themselves. The state is aware of this and often times will call around to physicians to check, so definitely do don’t that…
I’ll finishing this section by saying that we (At Leisure) have taken the next step in making DOT certificates easier for you to obtain. Working with a network of physicians across the state, we are happy to offer discounted DOT physicals to our customers as an added benefit from using us as your continuing education provider. Simply schedule your appointment from your At Leisure dashboard with the physician closest to you for rock bottom DOT pricing.
Copy of Certificate(s) of Completion
When you complete your hoisting continuing education, you will receive a certificate of completion from your approved CE provider. Your certificate(s) will be sent to the state as proof you have completed your required credits. Before sending, make sure you review your certificate to check for errors. Certificates are required to include your name, address and your HE# (hoisting license number). Most people will make a copy of their certificate(s) and retain them for their own records. Be aware, continuing education providers are required to retain records for 3 years, so in the event you need a new copy of your certificate(s), you can just contact your provider.
Requesting a New Hoisting Renewal Form
Mentioned above was the renewal form. As already discussed, these forms are sent out 60 days prior to your expiration via snail mail. If the state has your email address, they will also send it to your email.
In the event you do not receive your renewal form, you may request a new one. In order to do so, you must completed a Renewal Request Form. This form can be mailed, emailed or both back to the state. Generally we see licensees receive their renewal form back from the state around a week or so.
If you are an At Leisure customer, we offer a much simpler solution for requesting a new form. Simply complete a brief form on our site, and we will automatically send your renewal request to the state electronically. Far easier than doing it yourself, plus our customer service staff is available to assist you.
Payment
And of course, the state wants payment. The cost to renew your license is $60; this is one fee regardless of how many grades you hold. This is a separate fee from any continuing education course(s) you need to complete.
If you use At Leisure for your continuing education, we offer the option of electronic submission through our site. If you choose to use this service, we simply collect your state renewal fee and pass it along to the state on your behalf. One of the biggest benefits of this service is that we personally review your hoisting license renewal and all related documents for mistakes like the ones listed in this article. This prevents delays in renewing your hoisting license. Past customers who have utilized this service continue coming back every two years due to the ease of using our electronic submission. Renewing yourself through the state website is not very easy as the state portal is confusing and intermittent.
If you still have questions about the hoisting license renewal process, please feel free to call us for more information. We pride ourselves on offering the best customer service which can be contacted at 617.600.4315 or via email at support@atleisurelicense.com