On this page
- What a “forklift licence” actually is
- How to get a forklift licence, step by step
- Forklift training is per truck category
- How long does forklift training take?
- How much is a forklift licence?
- How long does a forklift licence last?
- Do you need a driving licence to drive a forklift?
- Checking a certificate
- Forklift licence FAQs
To get a forklift licence in the UK, you complete an accredited operator training course and pass its theory and practical assessments. No government body issues a forklift licence. What you receive is a certificate of training for the truck types you were assessed on. At Acclaim Handling, a novice counterbalance or reach truck course takes three to five days depending on how many people are training, a refresher takes one day, and training is charged from £360 + VAT per day. See our forklift training courses for every course and centre. It is often searched as “forklift license”, with the American spelling; it means the same training certificate.
What a “forklift licence” actually is
The DVLA plays no part in it and nothing is added to your driving licence. When people talk about a forklift licence, they mean a certificate of accredited operator training. The legal duty sits with the employer, who must make sure every operator is adequately trained for the trucks they use and must be able to prove it.
The law behind it is regulation 9 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), which covers training in the use of work equipment. A forklift is work equipment, and the duty sits with the employer. The HSE Approved Code of Practice L117, “Rider-operated lift trucks: operator training and safe use”, describes adequate training in three stages: basic training, specific job training, and familiarisation on the actual site and machine.
Training is accredited by independent bodies, not by government. The recognised ones in the UK include RTITB, ITSSAR, AITT and NPORS. A certificate is evidence of basic training rather than a permit that travels on its own: a new employer gives its own job specific and familiarisation training for its site and its machines.
How to get a forklift licence, step by step
- Pick the truck. Training is specific to the type of truck, such as a counterbalance forklift, a reach truck or a powered pallet truck. Your certificate lists the types you were assessed on. To drive a different type, you need conversion training.
- Pick the course. A novice course is for people who have never operated a truck. An experienced course is for people who have driven one but have never been trained. A conversion course adds a new truck type for someone already trained. A refresher brings a certified operator back up to date.
- Train with an accredited provider. We are an RTITB accredited training provider. Courses run at our training centres in Purfleet, Chatham and Cosham, or on your own site anywhere in the UK, using your own trucks.
- Complete the theory and practical training. Every course includes classroom theory, practical driving and a written and practical assessment.
- Pass the assessment and receive your certificate. An in-house certificate covers your own site only. A national certificate is for operators who need to work at more than one site.
Forklift training is per truck category
A certificate covers the categories of truck you were assessed on, because each type handles differently. A counterbalance certificate does not cover a reach truck, and moving to another category is a conversion course. The common categories are:
- Counterbalance forklift: the standard sit-on forklift, gas, diesel or electric. See counterbalance forklift training.
- Reach truck: warehouse trucks that reach into racking. See reach truck training.
- Powered pallet truck and stacker: pedestrian and ride-on electric pallet trucks and stackers.
- Order picker and very narrow aisle (VNA): trucks that lift the operator to the pick face, and trucks that run in guided narrow aisles.
- Pivot steer (articulated): trucks that bend in the middle to work in narrow aisles and load trailers.
- Multi-directional and rough terrain: sideways-travelling trucks for long loads, and site forklifts and telehandlers for rough ground.
Which courses run at which centre
All three of our RTITB accredited centres, Purfleet (Essex), Chatham (Kent) and Portsmouth (Cosham), run counterbalance, powered pallet truck and stacker, order picker, VNA and pivot steer courses. Purfleet and Chatham also run reach truck, multi-directional, rough terrain and MEWP courses. Any course can also run on your own site, with your own trucks.
How long does forklift training take?
| Course | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Counterbalance forklift, novice | 3 days for 1 candidate, 4 days for 2, 5 days for 3 | From £360 + VAT per day |
| Reach truck, novice | 3 days for 1 candidate, 4 days for 2, 5 days for 3 | From £360 + VAT per day |
| Refresher (counterbalance or reach) | 1 day | From £360 + VAT per day |
We run fourteen equipment courses in all, and every one is available as a novice, refresher or conversion course. See forklift training courses for the full list.
How much is a forklift licence?
A forklift licence costs from £360 + VAT per day of training. A refresher takes one day; a novice counterbalance or reach truck course takes three to five days, depending on how many operators train together, so the course length in the table above sets the total cost. When you book, tell us how many operators need training, which trucks they will use and whether they are novices or need a refresher. We will then confirm the course, the duration and the dates.
How long does a forklift licence last?
A forklift certificate has no legal expiry date. Most employers put operators through refresher training every three to five years, and our refresher courses are designed to be taken after three years. Refresh sooner after an accident or near miss, a long break from driving, or a move to a different machine. Insurers may ask to see proof of recent training. A forklift refresher course takes one day.
Do you need a driving licence to drive a forklift?
No, not to operate one on private premises. A car or HGV licence does not qualify you to operate a forklift either, because what counts is accredited forklift training. A DVLA driving licence only matters if the truck is driven on a public road. The truck then also has to meet road traffic rules: it must be registered, taxed and insured.
Checking a certificate
If you employ operators who trained elsewhere, check that each certificate can be verified with the accrediting body, such as RTITB, and that it includes the instructor’s registration number.
Forklift licence FAQs
How do I get a forklift licence?
Complete an accredited forklift operator training course and pass its theory and practical assessments. There is no government-issued licence. You receive a certificate of training for the truck types you were assessed on.
How long does a forklift licence last?
A forklift certificate has no legal expiry date. Most employers put operators through refresher training every three to five years, and sooner after an incident, a long break or a change of machine. A refresher course takes one day.
Do you need a driving licence to drive a forklift?
Not on private premises. What you need is accredited forklift training. A DVLA driving licence only matters if the truck is used on a public road.
How long does it take to get a forklift licence?
A novice counterbalance or reach truck course with Acclaim Handling takes 3 days for one candidate, 4 days for two and 5 days for three. A refresher takes one day.
How much does forklift training cost?
Acclaim Handling charges training from £360 + VAT per day, so the cost depends on the course length and how many operators are training.
Does one forklift licence cover every type of forklift?
No. Your certificate covers the truck types you were assessed on. To operate a different type, you need conversion training.
Is there a UK forklift licence?
No government body issues one, and nothing goes on your driving licence. What exists is accredited operator training, evidenced by a certificate of training for the truck types you were assessed on.
What does the law say about forklift training?
Regulation 9 of PUWER 1998 places the duty on the employer to make sure anyone using work equipment has had adequate training. The HSE Approved Code of Practice L117 describes what that looks like: basic training, specific job training and familiarisation on the site and machine.
Is my forklift certificate valid with a new employer?
It is evidence of your basic training. A new employer still provides job specific and familiarisation training for their own site and machines.
Can you train operators on our own site?
Yes. Any course can run on your site anywhere in the UK, using your own trucks and your working conditions, or at our RTITB accredited centres in Purfleet, Chatham and Portsmouth.
What is the difference between novice, conversion and refresher training?
Novice is the full course for someone new to forklifts. Conversion is a shorter course for a trained operator moving to another truck type. A refresher brings a certified operator back up to date; a counterbalance or reach truck refresher takes one day.
