PUWER 1998 and the L117 Approved Code of Practice
How much is a forklift course in the UK?
HSE puts it in six words: there is no such thing as a lift-truck licence. What the law requires is adequate training under PUWER, and the L117 Approved Code of Practice sets out three stages of it: basic, specific job and familiarisation. A basic course for a novice operator typically runs 3–5 days. Tell us what you need and accredited providers will quote you directly.
No licence
HSE: there is no such thing as a lift-truck licence. Certificates are not a legal requirement either
3 stages
basic, specific job and familiarisation training, the L117 ACOP standard
Three steps
- Tell us the truck type, how many operators and where the training should happen. Two minutes, no account.
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- They contact you with dates and their actual price. Compare, book, or walk away.
Forklift Course Finder is a free introduction service operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd. We pass your details to forklift training providers who quote you directly, and we may receive a fee from those providers; you pay nothing and are under no obligation. We are not a training provider or an accrediting body, and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive, the Accrediting Bodies Association, RTITB, NPORS, AITT, ITSSAR or Lantra. Nothing here is legal or health and safety advice: check the current HSE guidance and your own risk assessment before deciding what training your operators need.
What UK law requires of lift-truck operator training
Last updated
There is no lift-truck licence and no legal requirement to hold a certificate. What there is: a duty under PUWER 1998 to provide adequate training, and an Approved Code of Practice, L117, describing what adequate looks like. This table separates the two, because most pages selling forklift training blur them.
Compiled from regulation 9 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, HSE's lift-truck training guidance and HSE leaflet INDG462 'Lift-truck training: advice for employers', all read on 15 August 2026. 'Legally required' means required by regulation; items marked otherwise come from the L117 Approved Code of Practice, which is not itself compulsory but which HSE treats as the standard, and following it will normally mean doing enough to comply. No price column: no official body publishes a forklift course fee.
| Element | What it is | Legally required? |
|---|---|---|
| Adequate training for anyone using work equipment | PUWER 1998 regulation 9: correct use, the risks from use, and the precautions to take | Yes, a regulation |
| Basic training | Skills and knowledge to operate the truck safely; off the job, away from production pressure | ACOP stage 1; the way HSE expects the PUWER duty to be met |
| Specific job training | The controls of the actual truck, its attachments and loads, and the site rules it will be used under | ACOP stage 2, may be combined with basic training |
| Familiarisation training | Applying the learning on the job, under close supervision, starting with simple tasks | ACOP stage 3, must be on the job |
| Conversion training | Extending a trained operator to a different truck type, for example counterbalance to reach truck | Needed whenever the truck type or attachment changes |
| Written authorisation to operate | The employer authorises the operator, in writing, for the truck types trained on | HSE: you should not allow anyone to operate without it, except a trainee under close supervision |
| Certificate of basic training | Evidence of training, quoting the accrediting body and instructor, with any limitation noted | No legal requirement, but HSE encourages it and accredited providers always issue one |
| Refresher training or retest | Re-checking competence and correcting unsafe habits | No set interval in law; HSE says you may decide on 3–5 years, with monitoring in between |
- HSE states plainly that there is no such thing as a lift-truck licence, and that there is no legal requirement for training certificates, which are often confused with licences.
- The legal duty is regulation 9 of PUWER 1998: every employer must ensure that everyone who uses work equipment has received adequate training in its correct use, the risks and the precautions.
- HSE sets no fixed refresher interval for forklift operators. It says there is no specific time period after which you need to provide refresher training, though an employer may decide on a set period such as 3–5 years alongside ongoing monitoring.
Cite this page
“What UK law requires of lift-truck operator training”, Forklift Course Finder, https://forkliftcoursefinder.co.uk/ (updated 2026-08-15). Compiled from regulation 9 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, HSE's lift-truck training guidance and HSE leaflet INDG462 'Lift-truck training: advice for employers', all read on 15 August 2026. 'Legally required' means required by regulation; items marked otherwise come from the L117 Approved Code of Practice, which is not itself compulsory but which HSE treats as the standard, and following it will normally mean doing enough to comply. No price column: no official body publishes a forklift course fee.
Worth knowing
The longer answers, with sources.
Forklift licence UK: there isn't one, and HSE says so
There is no UK forklift licence and no legal requirement for a certificate. What the law requires is adequate training under PUWER. What employers should ask for instead.
Forklift training cost: what drives the price, and what to ask
No official body publishes a forklift course price. What sets it: course length, trainee to instructor ratio, truck type, on-site or centre delivery, and retests.
How often does forklift training need renewing? HSE: no set interval
There is no legal expiry on forklift training. HSE sets no interval and suggests employers may adopt 3–5 years, backed by monitoring. When a retest is needed sooner.
Straight answers
Is there such a thing as a forklift licence in the UK?
No. HSE states there is no such thing as a lift-truck licence. Operators need adequate training under regulation 9 of PUWER 1998, delivered to the standard set out in the L117 Approved Code of Practice, and written authorisation from their employer for the truck types they have trained on.
How long does forklift training take?
HSE says a basic course for a novice operator typically lasts 3–5 days, long enough to meet appendices 1 and 2 of the L117 ACOP. Conversion training for an experienced operator moving to another truck type is shorter, and refresher length depends on assessing the individual.
What are the three stages of forklift training?
Basic training (the skills and knowledge to operate the truck safely), specific job training (the actual truck, attachments, loads and site rules), and familiarisation training (applying it on the job under close supervision). Basic and specific job training happen off the job; familiarisation has to happen on it.
How often does forklift training need renewing?
There is no legal interval. HSE says there is no specific time period after which refresher training or formal assessment is required, but an employer may adopt a set period such as 3–5 years, with ongoing monitoring in case an operator needs training sooner.
Who accredits forklift training providers?
Accreditation is voluntary and HSE no longer runs a scheme. HSE points employers to the Accrediting Bodies Association for Workplace Transport, whose member committee comes from RTITB, NPORS, AITT, ITSSAR and Lantra. An accredited provider is monitored by its accrediting body and follows an approved syllabus.
How much does forklift training cost?
There is no published or regulated price. The quote depends on course length, how many trainees share an instructor and truck, the truck type, whether it runs at a centre or on your site, and whether it is novice, conversion or refresher training. Get quotes for your actual requirement.
Is this quote service really free?
Yes, free to you, with no obligation to book anything. We pass your details only to forklift training providers covering your area, who quote you directly; we may receive a fee from those providers, which is how the service is funded.
Sources
- HSE. Lift-truck training
- HSE. Voluntary accreditation schemes for lift-truck training
- HSE INDG462, Lift-truck training: advice for employers
- HSE L117, Rider-operated lift trucks: operator training and safe use (ACOP)
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, regulation 9 (training)
- Accrediting Bodies Association for Workplace Transport