Forklift safety training is one of the investments where you can best put your time and effort, not only it costs you a little time to complete but it also doesn’t hurt your pocket. Its benefits are huge for individual and employers alike.
The training certificate and/or operator card that will be issued to you upon successful completion of such training is your solid evidence that you can show to an employer that you are qualified for the job. They called it a forklift license.
Obtaining a forklift license in Arizona is not as hard as you think. It only takes about a few hours to complete the certification course. The forklift license is recognized across other states and companies.
Certified forklift operators are always in demand and sought after and they’re being favored by the employer over other job applicants if they are licensed. There’s no reason why you don’t have to obtain it.
Don’t hesitate, take action to improve your skills and elevate your career.
Here, in this guide, we provided the step by step guide in getting a forklift license and the schools where you can take the training at.
Read on…
How to a Get Forklift License
What is the process of becoming a licensed forklift operator? The process only takes several steps to complete and it is straightforward, here are what you need to do:
- Enroll in a course offered by a forklift training school - the list of schools in Arizona is below, for your reference. Contact them to make an inquiry about your requirement.
- Attend the formal training – as part of any course, classroom training is important to impart the theoretical knowledge to students. It only takes about 4 hours to complete.
- Pass the written test – to measure the knowledge the students gained from the classroom, the written test may be administered. It could be administered either on paper or computer. The passing grade is usually 80% but it may depend on the school’s training standard.
- Attend the practical training – as part of the certification course, the trainer will give the student sufficient time to take the practice driving to get a feel how the forklift operates.
- Get your performance assessed – To become certified, the trainer has to evaluate your performance driving the forklift. He will assign you to complete different tasks with the forklift. Such tasks are starting the truck, unloading/loading of loads, transporting of loads, driving on an inclined floor surface, picking laden pallet and storing it on the rack, basic repair and troubleshooting, basic maintenance and inspection, and other topics.
- Receive your credentials - If you’re successful in passing the tests, you will be issued with forklift certificate and license card. The forklift license is valid for three years after which you have to attend a retraining course.
If you’re an employer and needing safety training or a skill upgrade for your forklift operators, you can also make an arrangement with the training school.
The school will send its trainer to your workplace to conduct the training on-site. the on-site training is ideal because the trainer can modify the course curriculum to suit the type of forklifts used by your operators and to match with the setting of your workplace.
READ these to help you pass the training exams:
Here are some of the topics you might be interested in:
- Common Question: Workers is Injured While Driving Forklift During His Duty, Is His Employer Liable?
- Can You Still Use Your Forklift Certification When Transferring to Another Employer (in Other State)?
- How to Get Certified Driving the Forklift?
- Where to Get Certified Operating the Forklift?
- How to Choose the Best Forklift School to Get Quality Training?
- What are the Requirements You Need?
- How Much Will It Cost You?
- How Long is the Training?
Forklift Training schools in Arizona
if you are looking for a training school where you receive your certification course from, here are the training schools in Arizona:
- Alliance Material Handling
3324 E Atlanta Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85040
Phone: 602-386-1850, Toll-free: 800-543-1966 - Quinn Company - Forklift and Lift Trucks Yuma
3579 Gila Ridge Rd, Yuma, AZ 85365
Contact: 562.999.4839 - Reliable Forklift Sales LLC
2150 E University Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034
Phone: 602-714-2232, Fax: 602-415-9963 - Naumann/Hobbs Material Handling
2905 N. Flowing Wells Rd., Tucson, AZ 85705 U.S.A
Phone: (520) 223-4631 - Trivium Equipment
2451 W Peterson Drive, Apache Junction, AZ 85120
Phone 480.510.1012 - Toyota Lift Inc.
1445 N 26th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85009, (602)-278-2371
266 E. Missouri St., Tucson, AZ 85714, (520) 519-8400 - Arizona Job Connection
3820 S. Palo Verde Rd Suite 113, Tucson, Arizona 85714
Phone: (520) 777-6462 - Raymond West Inc Phoenix
2659 E Magnolia St, Phoenix, AZ 85034
Phone: (602) 275-2228 - Forklift University, Inc.
Service Phoenix, Tucson and around the entire state of Arizona
Phone: 602-903-1895 - Safety Services Company
1618 S Priest Dr Ste 101, Tempe, AZ 85281
Phone: 877-788-0809 - Forklift University
1315 E Gibson Ln, Phoenix, AZ 85034
Phone: 1 888 674 9992 - Arizona Chapter National Safety Council
16841 N. 31st Ave. Bldg 5, Phoenix AZ 85053
Phone: (602) 222-3369, Fax: (602) 277-5485 - St. Mary's Food Bank
2831 N. 31st Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85009
(602) 242-FOOD (3663) - Pima County JTED
Central Campus & District Office
2855 W. Master Pieces Dr., Tucson, AZ
Phone: 520.352.JTED (5833) - The University of Arizona
220 W 6th St | Tucson, AZ 85701
hone: 520-621-1790 | Fax: 520-621-3706 - FANN Contracting Inc.
6725 Generation Lane, Prescott, AZ 86301
Phone: (928) 778-0170 - United Forklift Training And Certification
85034, 2302 E Magnolia St., Phoenix, AZ 85034
Phone: (888) 215-7613 - Sunstate Equipment Co., LLC
5552 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034
Phone: (602) 275-2398, Toll Free: (800) 229-2398 - EII Training
3820 S Palo Verde Road, Suite 113, Tucson, AZ 85714
Phone: (520)777-6462
3029 N. Alma School Road, Suite 111, Chandler, AZ 85224
Phone: (602)278-9397
2537 E Benson Highway, Tucson, AZ 85706
Phone: (520)777-6462
Tip: Never disclose to them the type of forklift truck you want to be trained on, just ask what are the training courses they conduct. The reason for this is because you don't want to receive a positive answer from them that they are specialized for that particular truck, even though they are not.
Forklift Certification Curriculum
The curriculum is consisting of theory and actual operation. The topics that will cover are the following:
- Safety Training
- General Operating Procedures
- Vehicle Maneuvering
- Load Management
- Operational Maintenance
- Reporting of hazard in the workplace
- Risk analysis
- First-hand Experience
- Load computation
- Post-operational check up
- Proper parking
At the end of the course, the student must pass the evaluation to be certified.
Who Qualifies to Take the forklift certification
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- High school diploma or GED certificate
- Driver’s license(optional)
- forklift experience recommended
- Must be in very good physical condition and can stand for long hours of work
- Understanding for an accurate inventory of materials
- with good work ethics and communication skills
- can work in a team
Salary of Forklift Operator in Arizona
According to February 25, 2022 Salary.com report, a forklift operator working in this state can make between $34,125-$43,740 per year. While in the neighboring state of New Mexico, the operator wage is slightly lower.
There’s a great deviation of wages from town to town in Arizona. The reasons for this difference in wages are the skill level and experience of the worker and the size of the company.
As of February 25, 2025, here are the cities/towns of Arizona with the highest pay according to salary.com's report:
| Aguila | $38,027 | Peoria | $38,339 |
| Avondale | $38,313 | Phoenix | $38,416 |
| Bouse | $38,027 | Prescott | $35,583 |
| Chandler | $38,422 | San Tan Valley | $38,048 |
| Flagstaff | $35,971 | Sierra Vista | $36,151 |
| Gila Bend | $38,027 | Sun City | $38,261 |
| Glendale Luke Afb | $38,183 | Tacna | $38,031 |
| Goodyear | $38,183 | Tempe | $38,422 |
| Lake Havasu City | $39,142 | Tucson | $36,540 |
| Mesa | $38,422 | Yuma | $39,881 |
For more information about the forklift operator salary of every city/town in Arizona, check this operator salary matrix.
If you are still unemployed and want to apply for a job, here are the topics you need to READ:
- How to Write a Resume that Will Impress the Hiring Manager?
- How to Write an Application Letter?
- How to Find a Forklift Job Even Without Experience?
- Is Driving Forklift the Right Job For You?
- Prospecting Your New Job
Governing Agencies:
If you have questions regarding rules, legislations, and laws pertaining to workplace health and safety, wages and benefits, and forklift operation policies, here are the governing bodies in Arizona:
Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) visit their website or personally visit Industrial Commission of Arizona, 800 West Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ, contact them at (602) 542-4411
Other Locations of AZ
Apache Junction, Avondale, Buckeye, Bullhead City, Camp Verde, Casa Grande, Chandler, Chino Valley, Coolidge, Cottonwood, Douglas, El Mirage, Eloy, Flagstaff, Florence, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Glendale, Kingman, Lake Havasu City, Marana, Maricopa, Mesa, Nogales, Oro Valley, Paradise Valley, Payson, Peoria, Prescott, Prescott Valley, Queen Creek, Safford, Somerton, Sahuarita, Guadalupe, San Luis, Surprise, Scottsdale, Yuma, Winslow, Wickenburg, Tempe, Sedona, Show Low, Sierra Vista, Tolleson, Snowflake,
