How to get a forklift drivers license

If you are considering a career in warehousing and logistics then it is worth learning how to drive a forklift, and also learn to drive it safely.

Here are the steps you need to follow to get a forklift drivers license quickly:

1. Be of legal age. You must be at least 18 years of age to drive and operate a forklift. If you are any younger you will have to wait to get certified.
2. Find a school that teaches workers how to operate forklifts and offers certification. If you work for a company that requires you to learn how to drive and run a forklift to do your job, get promoted or  get a pay increase, then they may have a certification course which they send their employees to. The governing body for forklift training is OSHA or the  Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Look for a program that is OSHA approved. You can usually contact a forklift dealer for advice. Courses can take one to two days. Some may take a few weeks. The cost is in the range of $300 to $1,000. Some are government subsidized. Usually your employer will pay the tuition to get you certified and get you a forklift driver’s license.
3. OSHA safety training. Once you have been certified by an accredited  training facility to drive a forklift you also need to do an OSHA-approved safety course. This is a program that will train you in safety requirements to drive forklift equipment to the standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Association. You also have to be signed off on-site at the location you will be working at.

After being certified to drive a forklift

Once you get a forklift drivers license, you will be ready to work. This allows you to drive a forklift in a professional warehouse or distribution facility environment.

There may be other factors that your employer requires like disclosure of any health related issues, or legal drug use. For example if you are taking adderall for adult ADHD, you would have too disclose that.

Still have questions? If you have any further questions, that have not been answered by this post, then contact any forklift dealer office.