ClassMetric

Forklift certification

Your employer, not OSHA, certifies you to drive a forklift at work, after formal instruction, hands-on training and an evaluation on the job.

Forklift OperatorThe stability triangle Three pointsA sit-down forklift balances on three points: the two front wheels and the pivot pin in the middle of the rear axle.The triangleJoin them and you get the stability triangle.Carrying a loadPick up a load and the center of gravity moves forward.WatchWatch the raised load shift the dot forward.
Employercertifies you, not OSHA
3 partsclass, hands-on, evaluation
3 yearsbetween evaluations
18+to drive one, non-farm jobs

How to get it, step by step

  1. Be 18 or older

    Federal child-labor rules (Hazardous Occupations Order 7) bar workers under 18 from operating a forklift in any job outside farming.7,8

  2. Learn the rules in formal instruction

    Lectures, videos, computer lessons and reading all count. It’s the one part you can do on a screen, and it’s the part our class covers.1,2

  3. Practice hands-on with a qualified trainer

    The trainer shows you, then you drive, under their direct supervision and only where it doesn’t put you or anyone else in danger.1

  4. Pass an evaluation at your workplace

    A qualified evaluator, there in person, watches you work under real conditions. A written test alone never counts as this evaluation.2,4,6

  5. Get certified by your employer

    Your employer’s certification lists your name, the dates of your training and evaluation, and who trained and evaluated you.1,3

  6. Get re-evaluated at least every 3 years

    You also get refresher training sooner after unsafe driving, an accident or near miss, a poor evaluation, a new type of truck or a change at work.1

Forklift Operator: lesson plan and practice →

The exam, and the money

The exam

Classroom check
A written or oral test, or your instructor’s evaluation5
Hands-on evaluation
Required, at your workplace, under real conditions1,2
Who evaluates
Someone with the knowledge, training and experience, there in person1,4
Written test alone
Never enough for the evaluation6
Proof
Your employer’s certification, with names and dates1

The money

Cost to you
Training OSHA requires is provided and paid for by your employer9
Renewal
A new evaluation at least every 3 years1
Typical pay
$46,420 a year, median for industrial truck operators (BLS, May 2025)10

Study for the exam

24 lessons in 7 chapters · about 5 minutes each

  1. 1Stability and capacity4

    (l)(3)(i)(H) Vehicle capacity; (I) Vehicle stability

    1. The forklift stability triangle Lesson 1 · free
    2. Reading the load capacity plate
    3. Why forklifts tip over
    4. What to do in a tip-over
  2. 2Know your truck3

    (l)(3)(i)(A) Operating instructions, warnings, and precautions; (B) Differences between the truck and the automobile; (C) Truck controls and instrumentation; (D) Engine or motor operation; (M) Operator's manual instructions

    1. A forklift is not a car
    2. Truck types and the operator's manual
    3. Controls, gauges and warning lights
  3. 3Inspection, fuel and batteries3

    (l)(3)(i)(J) Vehicle inspection and maintenance; (K) Refueling and/or charging and recharging of batteries

    1. The pre-shift check
    2. Taking a truck out of service
    3. Refueling and charging safely
  4. 4Driving the truck3

    (l)(3)(i)(E) Steering and maneuvering; (F) Visibility; (L) Operating limitations

    1. Rear-wheel steering and tail swing
    2. Seeing and being seen
    3. Speed, riders and parking
  5. 5Handling loads3

    (l)(3)(i)(G) Fork and attachment adaptation, operation, and use limitations; (l)(3)(ii)(B) Composition of loads and load stability; (C) Load manipulation, stacking, and unstacking

    1. Forks and attachments
    2. Sizing up a load
    3. Stacking and unstacking safely
  6. 6Your workplace4

    (l)(3)(ii)(A) Surface conditions; (D) Pedestrian traffic; (E) Narrow aisles and restricted places; (F) Hazardous (classified) locations; (G) Ramps and sloped surfaces; (H) Closed environments; (I) Other workplace hazards

    1. Floors, ramps and grades
    2. Pedestrians and blind corners
    3. Narrow aisles and loading docks
    4. Exhaust, fumes and hazardous areas
  7. 7Getting certified at work4

    (l)(1) Safe operation; (l)(2) Training program implementation; (l)(3)(iii) The requirements of 1910.178; (l)(4) Refresher training and evaluation; (l)(6) Certification

    1. Who may drive a forklift
    2. How forklift certification really works
    3. Refreshers and the three-year check
    4. Your evaluation

Built on OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178(l), Operator training: the training topics in (l)(3) · eCFR, current as of 2026-11-10

The full class, $49 at launch.

Paid once, when it opens. Lesson 1 is free now.

  • Sit-down counterbalanced trucks
  • Training record for your employer
  • Evaluation checklist for your employer

OSHA issues no forklift license. Online training covers formal instruction only. A qualified trainer must train you hands-on and evaluate you at your workplace, on the truck you’ll drive.

Questions

Can you drive a forklift without certification?

Only as a trainee, under the direct supervision of a qualified trainer and where it’s safe. Otherwise your employer must make sure you’ve finished the training first.1

Can you get forklift certified at 17?

Not to drive one at a non-farm job. Federal child-labor rules (Hazardous Occupations Order 7) bar workers under 18 from operating forklifts.7,8

How much does forklift certification cost?

OSHA says all the training its rules require must be provided and paid for by your employer, so a job that puts you on a forklift should train you.9,1

Is forklift certification transferable?

Not on its own. Each employer must make sure you’re trained for its trucks and site, but it can skip topics you’ve already learned if it evaluates you and finds you drive safely.1,2

Sources

Read on . Rules change, so check the source before you pay a fee or book a test.

  1. 29 CFR 1910.178 Powered industrial trucks · OSHA (eCFR)
  2. CPL 02-01-028, Compliance Assistance for the Powered Industrial Truck Operator Training Standards · OSHA
  3. OSHA requirements for individuals interested in employment as Heavy Equipment Operator (letter of interpretation, July 14, 2016) · OSHA
  4. Requirements of Powered Industrial Truck Training Program Implementation (letter of interpretation, April 1, 2025) · OSHA
  5. Powered Industrial Trucks: examination prior to being placed in service; evaluations conducted orally versus written (letter of interpretation, July 28, 2004) · OSHA
  6. PIT operator's triennial performance evaluation requires demonstration of both knowledge and skills (letter of interpretation, August 1, 2005) · OSHA
  7. 29 CFR 570.58 Occupations involved in the operation of power-driven hoisting apparatus (Order 7) · U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (eCFR)
  8. 29 CFR 570.2 Minimum age standards · U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (eCFR)
  9. Training Requirements in OSHA Standards (OSHA 2254-09R 2015) · OSHA
  10. Material Moving Machine Operators, Occupational Outlook Handbook · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

More trades classes

Open now

Union Aptitude Prep

Lesson 1 free$39Preview

CDL Air Brakes

Lesson 1 free$19Preview

CWI Exam Prep

Lesson 1 free$149Planned

Food Safety Exam Prep

Lesson plan

All trades classes →All classes →

Save your progressA free account. Your lessons follow you to the app.