Forklift license
Do you need a license to drive a forklift?
No.
There is no government-issued forklift license, and OSHA does not issue forklift cards. OSHA requires your employer to train, evaluate, and certify each operator under 29 CFR 1910.178(l). What an employer accepts is the training record plus their own certification.
A state DMV does not issue one either. The rule is 29 CFR 1910.178(l) on osha.gov. Last reviewed .
What people mean when they say license
OSHA splits the job into three parts. An online course can only do the first one.
1. Formal instruction
Lecture, video, or interactive computer learning on truck operation, stability, load handling, and workplace hazards (1910.178(l)(3)).
Who does it: An online course. This is what the $49 covers.
2. Practical training and evaluation
Hands-on demonstrations and exercises, then an evaluation of the operator's performance on the truck in the workplace (1910.178(l)(2)(ii)).
Who does it: Your employer, at the workplace.
3. Employer certification
A written record with the operator's name, the training date, the evaluation date, and who did the training and evaluation (1910.178(l)(6)).
Who does it: Your employer. Our certificate documents step 1 for their file.
A wallet card is not a license
After you pass the written exam you can print a wallet card with the same ID and QR code as the certificate. Employers use it to see that the course was finished. It is not issued by OSHA, and it does not replace the evaluation your employer does on the truck.
5 modules and a 20-question exam. Most people finish in under 30 minutes. 14-day money-back guarantee if you have not taken the exam.
If you certify the crew
The same course, plus the evaluation checklist, the certification record, and renewal reminders. $99 a month for 10 reusable seats. 14-day free trial, no card, no sales call.
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Is online forklift certification legit?
Online training is a legitimate way to complete the formal instruction OSHA requires, but it is not the whole certification by itself. OSHA also requires practical training and an evaluation of the operator in the workplace, and the employer must certify that both were done. Be wary of any course that says an online test alone is enough.
How long does forklift certification last?
Three years. OSHA requires employers to evaluate each operator at least once every three years. Refresher training is required sooner after an accident or near miss, after unsafe operation is observed, when the operator is assigned a different type of truck, or when workplace conditions change in a way that could affect safe operation. We email you before your certificate lapses.
More answers live on the certification page.