How to Apply for Forklift Certification in Tennessee

Every year the unsafe manner of driving forklift trucks is the cause of thousands of injuries. Forklift certification must always be in accordance with OSHA standards. In Tennessee, you cannot get hired if you are not certified or trained. New or experienced forklift operators must be competent and knowledgeable enough to handle the machine before they can be accepted for a job.

Getting your forklift certification might be confusing for someone who does not know what to do, that is why we have prepared this tutorial about forklift license application in the state of Tennessee.

Obtaining Your Forklift Certification

For new operators without prior skill: You can be certified by undertaking forklift training at a school. We have listed below the training schools in Tennessee where you can receive your certification. We have indicated their addresses and phone/email address so you can easily contact them to inquire about what you need.

Take note: before you could enroll, you must determine what type of forklift truck you plan to operate because the training must be specific to that type of truck. OSHA instructed that forklift training courses must compose of classroom lectures and practical driving and evaluation must be conducted to ensure driver competency.

You can also follow the steps you need to take in order to become forklift certified, Click Here to see the steps.

For employers: You can make an arrangement with a training school. You can request that the training be conducted at your workplace, they will send an instructor. This is the best way to certify your operators because the trainer can change the training course based on the condition of the workplace, types of machines in your fleet, and behavior of the operators.

The employer has the obligation to provide forklift certification to its operators. Now some questions are being raised, what if operators are from staffing agencies? Who will provide the certification? It is the staffing agency’s duty to provide forklift training, while the employer must supply additional training that tackles topics specific to the workplace.

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• Can You Apply for a Forklift Job in Other Company if You Have License Issued by Others?

Forklift Training Schools in Tennessee

If you do not have an in-house trainer, then the school is a good location where you can take your certification. The schools are complete with the training facility, equipment, and certified trainers. Here is the list of training schools in Tennessee:

• FDRsafety, LLC - 360 Cool Springs Boulevard, Suite 101, Franklin, TN 37067, 1.888.755.8010
• Paramount Staffing - 5888 Distribution Dr Memphis, TN 38141, Phone: (901) 367-8888, Fax: (901) 367-8900
• Southfork Lift Truck, Inc. - 725 Massman Drive, Nashville, TN 37210, (615) 647-9615
• Forklift Systems Incorporated - 884 Elm Hill Pike, Nashville, TN 37210, Phone: (615) 255-6321, Main Fax: (615) 255-8242
• Delta Materials Handling, Inc. - 4480 Highland North, Jackson, TN 38305, 731-668-0484
• The Bailey Company - 1815 Allin Street, Chattanooga, TN 37406, Phone: (423) 624-7671
• Olympic Career Training Institute - 2851 Lamb Place, Suite #11, Memphis, TN 38118, Tel: (901) 614-2060, Fax: (901) 297-4218
• Allied Toyota Lift - Johnson City: (423) 282-6041, Knoxville: (865) 573-0995
• LiftOne - 546 West Scott Ave, Knoxville, TN 37921, (865) 637-6161
• Lift Truck Sales - Knoxville (865) 673-8877, Chattanooga (423) 867-7676
• MHI (Material Handling Inc. - 1121 Elm Hill Pike, Nashville, TN 37210, (615) 445-4550
• National Lift, LLC - 5625 E Raines Rd. Memphis, TN 38115, (888) 778-4270
• Kenco - 2001 Riverside Drive, Chattanooga, TN, (423) 267-1203
• Crown Lift Trucks - 105 Shelby Dr Ext., Piperton, TN 38017, Fax: 901-396-7774
• Tennessee Valley Training Center - 324 W. Mallory Avenue, Memphis, TN 38109, Phone: 901-774-3415, Fax: 901-774-3276
• Superior Industrial Products - 404 Melrose Avenue, Nashville, 615-256-0116
• Wheeler Material Handling - 750 Industrial Park Drive, Piney Flats, TN 37686, (800) 948-0581
• The Lilly Company - 3613 Knight Arnold Road, Memphis, TN 38118, (901) 363-6000, 800-238-3006
• C&K forklift LLC - 5278 E Hwy 70, White Bluff, TN 37187, (615) 651-2735
• Black Equipment Company Inc. - 1187 Burch Dr, Evansville, IN 47725, Memphis, TN, (866) 414-7062
• HEUBEL·SHAW Material Handling - 3150 New Brunswick Road, Bartlett, TN 38133, Phone: 901-386-1081
• KMH Fleet Solutions - 1155 Haley Road, Murfreesboro, TN 37129, Ph: 615-793-8100, Fax: 937-890-2392
• Brauer Material Handling Systems - 226 Molly Walton Drive, Hendersonville, TN, 37075, 800.645.6083, Fax: 615.859.2937
• Sunstate - 777 Steel Stock Rd, Clarksville, TN 37043, P:(931) 263-0967
• Briggs Equipment - 5511 East Shelby Drive, Memphis, TN 38141, 901-795-7200
• H&E Equipment Services - 2927 Brick Church Pike, Nashville, TN 37207, Toll Free: 866-GO-RENTAL, Local: 615-248-0266
• United Rentals - 301 CRUTCHER ST, NASHVILLE, TN 37213-1404, 615-248-7822
• The Associated General Contractors of Tennessee - 2612 Westwood Drive, Nashville, Tennessee 37204, Phone: (615) 244-4555, Fax: (615) 248-6317
• WIESE - 10400 Ridge Wood Dr., Olive Branch, TN 38654
• OSHA Certify - Nashville, TN, 37203, 615-961-6037 

The training school will help you acquire the knowledge you much needed. 

If you do not know how to choose a school to get the training from, here are some articles that could help:

• Tips on Choosing the Forklift Training Schools
• If You Lost Your Forklift License, What Do You Need to Do?
  

Forklift Certification Requirements 

Training requirements vary from school to school, be prepared when you are asked for more. Generally, here is the strictest prerequisite you need to comply with:

• Training attendees must be high school graduates or in possession of a GED certificate
• You must be at least 18 years old. You cannot be accepted to the training or job if you are a minor.
• You must be physically fit: driving a forklift demands vigor, therefore, you must be in great shape.
• No federal or state derogatory record.
• You can show the medical prescription you are taking. If asked, you can let them know your illness and why are you taking such medication.

When you make an inquiry with the training school, do not forget about their enrollment requirements so you can complete them beforehand.

If You have further questions, these articles might help you:

• If You Were Injured Doing Your Work, Is the Company Liable?
• How Much Will It Cost You?
• How Long Does It Take to Finish the Training?

Renewal of Forklift License

The forklift certification can be renewed every three years. The renewal takes much lesser time compared to the initial training. Here's a guide to renewal. In many instances, a refresher course must be given if the operator is involved in an accident, driving the machine in an unsafe manner, changes in the workplace and if the operator is assigned to operate other trucks he is not familiar with.

Forklift Operator Salary in Tennessee

A certified forklift operator can receive a yearly income from $33,005 and $42,062 . The salary of the operator in Tennessee may differ. A town may be slightly lower while others are higher.

If you can establish your skill upgrade, an operator could be a warehouse supervisor or safety trainer which dictates better employment status and a higher salary. If you can demonstrate your worth to the company, then the chances of promotion increase.

Here's the  salary guide on how much can you make as a forklift operator:

• Salary of Forklift Operator by State and City
• Your Job Description as Operator

According to Salary.com latest February 27, 2023 report, here are the cities of TN that offer high wages for forklift operators:

The Authorities

If you have further questions about laws and regulations relating to forklift certification, you can contact these offices:

Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
220 French Landing Drive
Nashville, Tennessee 37243-1002
(615) 741-2793
(615) 741-3325

OSHA Area Offices
51 Century Boulevard Suite 340
Nashville, TN 37214
Phone: (615) 232-3803
fax: (615) 232-3827

Cities of TN

MMurfreesboro, Johnson, Franklin, Bartlett, Hendersonville, Kingsport, Collierville, Cleveland, Smyrna, German, Brentwood, Columbia, La Vergne, Cookeville, Gallatin, Oak Ridge, Morris, Spring Hill, Maryville, Bristol, Lebanon, Mount Juliet, East Ridge, Farragut, Shelbyville, Tullahoma, Dyersburg, Springfield, Goodlettsville, Greeneville, Sevierville, Dickson, Elizabethton, McMinnville, Athens, Soddy-Daisy, Lakeland, Red Bank, Arlington, Portland, Martin, Lewisburg, Union, Crossville,Lawrenceburg, Brownsville, White House, Millington, Paris, Manchester, Clinton, Covington, Lenoir, Winchester, Humboldt, Alcoa, Ripley, Atoka, Collegedale, Jefferson, Hartsville/Trousdale County, Pulaski, Milan, Fairview, Lexington, Signal Mountain, La Follette, Dayton, Savannah, Newport, Fayetteville, Church Hill, Oakland, Millersville, Greenbrier, Lynchburg, Harriman, Henderson, Erwin, Kingston, Munford, Pigeon Forge, Nolensville, Sweetwater, Rockwood, Mount Carmel, Bolivar, Loudon, McKenzie, Jonesborough, Sparta, Dunlap, Forest Hills, Whiteville, Madisonville, Hohenwald, Oneida, Centerville, Unicoi,Camden,Algood, Etowah, Medina, Newbern, Jasper, liver Springs, White Bluff, Somerville, New Tazewell, Dresden, South Pittsburg, Belle Meade, Monterey, Bean Station, Dandridge, Kingston Springs, Brighton, Clifton, Woodbury, Tusculum, Mountain, Alamo, Waynesboro, Louisville, Bells, Maynardville, Parsons, Mosheim, Decherd, Jellico, South Fulton, Dyer, Carthage, Lakewood, Caryville, Halls, Tazewell, Adamsville, Westmoreland