How to Get a Forklift Licence Ireland

Forklift Licence Ireland: To get what is commonly called a forklift licence in Ireland, you need to complete appropriate operator training and assessment for the type of forklift you’ll use.

There is an important distinction, though. Ireland does not issue a single state forklift driving licence in the same way it issues a car or motorcycle driving licence. What people generally call a forklift licence is a certificate showing that they’ve completed specified training and assessments.

That certificate is important, but it doesn’t automatically give someone permission to operate every forklift in every workplace. An employer must also be satisfied that the person is competent for the truck, work and site concerned. The employer should then provide written authorisation to operate.

The current Health and Safety Authority Code of Practice: Safe Use of Industrial Trucks describes operator training as a three-stage process: basic training, function-specific job training and training on the job under supervision. (HSA)

Here’s how that process works.

Step 1: Identify the forklift you need to operate

Start by finding out which type of forklift you’ll be expected to use.

Common examples include:

• Counterbalance forklifts
• Reach trucks
• Articulated trucks
• Side-loading trucks
• Rough-terrain forklifts
• Ride-on pallet trucks
• Order pickers
• Lorry-mounted forklifts
• Telescopic handlers configured for lifting and stacking

A course on one truck type doesn’t automatically qualify you to operate another. Forklifts can have different steering arrangements, controls, dimensions, stability characteristics and handling attachments.

The HSA Code of Practice states that an operator trained on one type of industrial truck or attachment cannot safely operate another without appropriate conversion training. (HSA)

Before booking, ask the employer or potential employer which truck category is required. For many warehouse and manufacturing roles, this will be a counterbalance forklift, a reach truck or both.

Step 2: Choose training suited to your experience

Forklift courses are usually organised according to the trainee’s existing ability and experience.

Novice training

Novice training is for someone who hasn’t previously operated the relevant type of forklift or who has no meaningful prior experience.

The normal course duration identified by the HSA for a novice industrial truck operator is 32.5 hours over five days, based on 6.5 contact hours per day.

A course may be reduced to three or four days in certain circumstances, but the training provider must justify that reduction in writing, in consultation with the employer. The reduction must be based on the operator’s genuine previous experience and present level of skill. It cannot simply be used to make a course cheaper or more convenient. (HSA)

Experienced operator training

An experienced operator may need less training if they can demonstrate genuine, relevant experience on the truck concerned.

Driving a car, tractor, telehandler or other workplace vehicle doesn’t by itself make somebody an experienced forklift operator. Forklifts have different steering, load-handling and stability characteristics.

A training provider should assess the person’s previous experience before deciding that a shorter course is appropriate.

Refresher training

Refresher training is intended for someone who has already completed appropriate training but needs reassessment or further instruction.

It may be appropriate when an operator:

• Hasn’t used a forklift for some time
• Has returned after an extended absence
• Uses forklifts only occasionally
• Has developed unsafe habits
• Has been involved in an accident or near miss
• Is moving into a changed working environment

There is no universal Irish rule stating that every forklift certificate expires after a fixed number of years. The HSA says operators should be reassessed periodically, but it doesn’t prescribe one automatic refresher interval for every workplace and operator. The employer should determine the need through monitoring and assessment. (HSA)

Conversion training

Conversion training is needed when a trained operator is required to use a materially different truck, attachment or working environment.

This could include moving from a counterbalance forklift to a reach truck, using a significantly larger machine, fitting a specialist attachment or moving to a site with different hazards.

Step 3: Check the training provider and course

A forklift training certificate is only useful if the training was properly delivered and recorded.

Before booking a forklift licence Ireland course, ask the provider:

• Which forklift type the course covers
• Whether it is novice, experienced, refresher or conversion training
• How many training hours are included
• How much practical operating time each trainee receives
• What theory and practical assessments are used
• What qualifications and experience the instructor holds
• What information will appear on the certificate
• Whether training records can be verified later
• Whether the course meets the current HSA Code of Practice

For counterbalance and reach trucks, the HSA’s desirable trainee-to-instructor-to-truck ratio is 3:1:1. It should not exceed 4:1:1, except during classroom or theory sessions. This limit is intended to ensure that each trainee receives adequate supervised practice. (HSA)

The current Code also says instructors should be trained and successfully assessed on the truck types and attachments they teach. Counterbalance and reach instructors should hold the specified QQI Level 6 Training and Development award, subject to the transitional arrangements ending on 12 March 2027. (HSA)

Third-party industry accreditation isn’t stated as a mandatory legal requirement. However, the HSA recognises accreditation by a relevant industry body as one way a provider can demonstrate competence, course quality and maintenance of training standards. (HSA)

Step 4: Complete basic and function-specific training

The first stage is basic training. This covers the skills and knowledge needed to operate the relevant forklift safely.

Subjects should include:

• Forklift controls and operating principles
• Stability and load centres
• Capacity and rating plates
• Safe lifting, stacking and destacking
• Steering and manoeuvring
• Pre-use safety checks
• Defect reporting
• Pedestrian hazards
• Seat belts and restraint systems
• Refuelling or battery charging
• Parking and securing the forklift
• Emergency procedures

The second stage is function-specific job training. This relates the basic skills to the work the operator will actually carry out.

It may cover site layouts, loading bays, racking, confined areas, slopes, cold stores, handling attachments, local speed limits, one-way systems and the types of loads normally handled.

These first two stages may be combined, but they should be completed away from production pressure. Training conducted on an employer’s premises must still be separated from normal commercial operations. (HSA)

Step 5: Pass the theory and practical assessments

Trainees must demonstrate both knowledge and practical ability.

The instructor should monitor progress throughout the course and assess whether the trainee has achieved the relevant learning outcomes. The course normally includes a theory assessment and one or more practical assessments.

The practical element may assess tasks such as:

• Completing a pre-use inspection
• Starting and stopping safely
• Manoeuvring in restricted spaces
• Approaching and withdrawing from loads
• Lifting and lowering
• Stacking and destacking
• Travelling with a load
• Parking and securing the truck

Passing the assessment shouldn’t be treated as a paperwork exercise. A person who cannot consistently demonstrate safe control of the forklift shouldn’t receive a successful training result merely because they attended the course.

After satisfactory completion of the first two training stages and the required assessments, the training provider should issue a certificate containing details of the training completed. (HSA)

Step 6: Complete training on the job under supervision

A training certificate isn’t the final stage.

The third stage is training on the job under close supervision. It allows the operator to apply their skills under normal workplace conditions while being supervised by someone with suitable knowledge.

This stage should include familiarisation with:

• The assigned forklift and its controls
• The workplace layout
• Actual loads and storage systems
• Site traffic routes
• Pedestrian controls
• Local operating rules
• Emergency procedures
• Attachments used at the site
• Any hazards that couldn’t be reproduced during basic training

This applies to newly trained operators and to trained operators starting work at a new site. An operator shouldn’t be allowed to work unsupervised at an unfamiliar workplace solely because they hold a certificate from another employer or training centre. (HSA)

The employer should record satisfactory completion of this stage.

Step 7: Receive written employer authorisation

Once the employer is satisfied that all three stages have been completed and the operator is competent, the employer should issue written authorisation.

The authorisation should identify:

• The operator
• The date of authorisation
• The forklift types covered
• Any attachments covered
• The site or work area
• Any restrictions or special conditions

This authorisation is specific to the employer, workplace and equipment concerned. It isn’t a transferable national forklift licence.

Only trained and authorised operators should be permitted to operate industrial trucks, apart from trainees working under appropriate supervision. (HSA)

Can an unemployed person get a forklift licence in Ireland?

Yes. A jobseeker can complete basic training, generalised function-specific training and the relevant assessments before finding employment.

The provider should clearly document what was covered and any limitations of the course.

After the person obtains employment, the new employer must examine the training records, satisfy themselves that the training is suitable and arrange the third stage of training on the job under supervision. Any gaps should be addressed through additional or conversion training before written authorisation is issued. (HSA)

Holding a certificate can therefore provide useful evidence when applying for work, but it doesn’t remove the future employer’s responsibilities.

Can someone under 18 operate a forklift?

No. Regulation 51 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 prohibits a person under 18 from operating mechanically powered lifting equipment or giving signals to its operator. (Irish Statute Book)

A training provider should confirm a trainee’s age before accepting them onto practical forklift operator training.

What are the employer’s legal responsibilities?

Under Sections 8 and 10 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, employers must provide the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to protect employees at work. Training must be provided in a form, manner and language likely to be understood by the employee. (Irish Statute Book)

The employer also needs to:

• Assess the risks created by forklift operations
• Select suitable equipment
• Check the operator’s training and competence
• Provide workplace-specific instruction
• Authorise operators
• Maintain adequate supervision
• Monitor operator performance
• Provide further training when necessary
• Keep appropriate training and authorisation records

The employee has responsibilities as well. Section 13 of the 2005 Act requires employees to take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. (Irish Statute Book)

Getting the right forklift training

The practical route to a forklift licence in Ireland is to choose the correct truck category, complete training appropriate to your experience, pass the assessments and then complete supervised workplace training.

Don’t choose a course solely because it’s the shortest available. Check what truck it covers, how much practical training is included and whether the certificate will provide a clear record of what you’ve actually completed.

Robe Training provides forklift operator training for individuals and employers. Contact Robe Training to confirm the appropriate course for your experience, the forklift type involved and the work you’ll be expected to carry out.

Course dates, prices and booking link >> Click here <<

Sources

Health and Safety Authority

Document: Code of Practice: Safe Use of Industrial Trucks
Direct URL: https://www.hsa.ie/media/ztypwdx1/105432-hsa-industrial-trucks-code-of-practice-v8.pdf
Verifies: Current training framework, three training stages, course duration, training ratios, assessment, certification, authorisation, refresher training, conversion training and employer responsibilities
Jurisdiction: Republic of Ireland
Date accessed: 4 August 2026
Document status: Came into operation on 12 September 2025 (HSA)

Document: Code of Practice: Safe Use of Industrial Trucks Frequently Asked Questions
Direct URL: https://www.hsa.ie/media/13hn1vsb/cop-safe-use-of-industrial-trucks-faqs.pdf
Verifies: Meaning and status of the Code, training for unemployed people, minimum novice course duration, written authorisation, refresher training, instructor requirements and under-18 restrictions
Jurisdiction: Republic of Ireland
Date accessed: 4 August 2026 (HSA)

Page: Forklifts
Direct URL: https://www.hsa.ie/vehicles_at_work/transport_safety_guidance_resources/forklifts/
Verifies: Current HSA forklift guidance resources and connection to the 2025 Code of Practice
Jurisdiction: Republic of Ireland
Date accessed: 4 August 2026 (HSA)

Irish Statute Book

Legislation: Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, Section 8
Direct URL: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2005/act/10/section/8/enacted/en/html
Verifies: Employer’s general duty to provide safe plant, safe systems, information, instruction, training and supervision
Jurisdiction: Republic of Ireland
Date accessed: 4 August 2026 (Irish Statute Book)

Legislation: Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, Section 10
Direct URL: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2005/act/10/section/10
Verifies: Requirements governing employee instruction, training and supervision, including understandable language and delivery
Jurisdiction: Republic of Ireland
Date accessed: 4 August 2026 (Irish Statute Book)

Legislation: Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, Section 13
Direct URL: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2005/act/10/section/13/enacted/en/html
Verifies: Employee duties to take reasonable care and cooperate with workplace safety requirements
Jurisdiction: Republic of Ireland
Date accessed: 4 August 2026 (Irish Statute Book)

Legislation: Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, Section 19
Direct URL: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2005/act/10/section/19
Verifies: Employer’s duty to identify hazards and maintain a written risk assessment
Jurisdiction: Republic of Ireland
Date accessed: 4 August 2026 (Irish Statute Book)

Legislation: Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007, S.I. No. 299/2007
Direct URL: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2007/si/299/made/en/print
Verifies: Requirements applying to work equipment and the prohibition on persons under 18 operating mechanically powered lifting equipment
Jurisdiction: Republic of Ireland
Date accessed: 4 August 2026 (Irish Statute Book)

Article checked: 4 August 2026