A forklift licence in Qld is a compulsory requirement in order for an operator to get accepted for a job in warehousing, construction and many other industries.
To get your HRW forklift licence, Worksafe Qld obliges the applicant to complete the formal training conducted by an RTO and informal training administered by a licenced supervisor. If you are needing licence for yourself, training for your employees, or need a competency upgrade, you have to hire a registered RTO to do the training and evaluation.
Breach to existing legislations has stiff fine for both operator and employer.
How to Apply for a Forklift Licence
- Determine which type of licence you want to apply for: an LO or an LF licence.
- Look for a Registered Training Organization (RTO) offering the course you required. Some registered RTOs are listed below. Select the one nearest to your location and provide the HRW training requirement you need.
- RTO will conduct formal and practical training. The applicant must attend the number of hours (40) of practical forklift operation and undertake lectures of a formal training course.
- Reserve for written examination and practical assessment with your chosen RTO. You should notify your RTO at least six (6) days in advance.
- Applicants who passed the formal and practical training will receive an assessment (AS1) from an accredited supervisor and a statement of attainment from the RTO.
- Complete the requirement When Applying for the Licence. Here are what you need: AS1 form issued by the assessor, you need a valid email address, you need to create QGov account, One of the following IDs: driver’s licence, proof of age card, industry authority card, marine licence indicator card, As of this writing, the application for a new licence is $98.50.
- Complete the online application, visit this page for more information. The lodgement of the application must be done within 60 days after completing the assessment.
- Keep your AS1 and payment receipt issued to you. These are proofs that you properly submitted an application awaiting a decision. You can present these to your prospective employer attesting that a pending licence application has been properly submitted and awaiting decision.
If you supply sufficient evidence proving you to be an experienced operator, you can present that to adjust the type of training to achieve relevant to your competency.
You can discuss your level of skill with your RTO, so they can modify the type of training suitable to you.
Registered Training Organizations in Queensland
Here are some of the Workplace Health and Safety standard compliant RTOs. They provide training and refresher course at the workplace:
- Industry Training Qld - 51-55 Toll St, Mount St John QLD 4818, Australia, Phone: +61 1300 872 462
- Transqual - Unit 4 / 308 Bradman Street, Acacia Ridge, QLD 4115, Telephone: (07) 3344 5272, Fax: (07) 3344 6335, Mobile: 0407 541 377
- FMS Training - 1/42 Paisley Dr, Lawnton Qld 4501, Phone: (07) 3889 2003, 0423 187 314
- The Operator School - 27 Technology Dr, Arundel QLD 4214, Australia, Phone: +61 7 5537 9244
- Get Skilled Qld - 11 Wilkins St, Annerley, Brisbane City QLD 4103, Phone: 1300 856 832
- AG Training - 49 Carrington Rd, Toowoomba QLD 4350, Phone: +61 7 4634 6887
- One Stop Training - 1 Marine Parade, Southport, Queensland, Phone: 1300 556 387
- Site Skills Training - 07 4979 1722,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 63 Raedon St Biloela, 4715 - Major Training Group - 21-25 Monigold Place, Dinmore / Ipswich, Queensland 4303, Phone: 07 3282 0344
- Backlay Thomas - Loganholme QLD 4129, Australia, Phone: +61 7 5573 0216
- Tafe Queensland - Call 1300 308 233
- AG Training - 49 Carrington Rd, Toowoomba QLD 4350, Phone: +61 7 4634 6887
- CTAD - Servicing Manunda, QLD, 4870, Mobile: 0404 70 0409
- Alpha Truck and Driver Training - 218/220 Spence St, Bungalow QLD 4870, Phone: +61 438 010 614
- Wallace Forklift Training and Assessment - 15 Sauger Ct, Mountain Creek Queensland 4557, Phone: (07) 5478 4929
- Morgan and Sons Plant Operator Training - 7 Albion Rd, Eatons Hill, QLD 4037, Phone: (07) 3264 1777
- Coates Hire - Lot 1, Northridge Road, Mt Isa QLD 4825, Ph: (07) 4749 9000, Fax: (07) 4749 1915
- Sharp Training - website: www.sharptraining.com.au, provides other construction training
- JADS Training and Assessing - 5 Marryatt Street, 4740 Mackay, Queensland, Phone: +61 402 311 280
- NOVA Skill - Unit 10/110 Brisbane Road, Labrador QLD 4215, Phone: (07) 5665 0800, Fax: (07) 3208 2641
- Industry Training QLD - 51-55 Toll St, Mount St John QLD 4818, Phone: +61 1300 872 462
- Mt. Blue Training - Provides service in Mackay, North Mackay, Beaconsfield, Paget, Slade Point, Walkerston, Marian, Sarina, Dysart, Moranbah, Mobile: 0428 73 2147
- Koolat Safety - 2/492 Beaudesert Rd, Salisbury QLD 4107, Phone: +61 1300 186 308
- Diverse Training - Meadowbrook & Burleigh Heads, QLD, Phone: 07 3450 9895 or 0406 713 644
- Civil Safety - 52 Commerce Circuit, Yatala QLD 4207, Phone: 07 3804 7723
- Hi Reach Training Australia - 28 Goodman Place, Murarrie QLD 4172, Phone: 1300 661 400
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Pinnacle Safety and Training - 5/9 Archimedes Place, Murarrie, Queensland, 4172, 49 Newheath Drive, Arundel, Queensland, 4214, 2/14 Roseanna Street, Gladstone, Queensland, 4680, Phone: 1300 990 810;
- Professional Training Solutions - 132 Southwood Road Stuart Qld 4811, PO Box 2274 Townsville QLD 4810, Phone: 0419 793 063
- Global Driver Training - 3/8 Millers Street, Slacks Creek, Brisbane, Queensland 4127, 07 3290 0200; 0478 163 800
- OHSA Occupational Health Services - CTC Construction Training Centre, Building 4, 460-492 Beaudesert Rd, Salisbury QLD 4107, 1300 647 200
Cost may vary depending on the course, length of training and the number of applicants an employer will apply.
Types of Forklift Licence You Can Apply For
If you are an LF licence holder, you are allowed to operate a forklift truck but not allowed to drive an order-picker. To classify, a forklift is a kind of powered industrial truck equipped with a pair of forks and a load carriage to lift load to a certain height.
On the other hand, if you are an LO licence holder, you are only allowed to drive an order picker type of truck. To classify an order-picker, it is a truck that has operator control as part of the carriage that lifts or lowers with it.
You can apply for LF and LO licence. Separate training and application must be done in order to acquire both. The training can be done in an RTO, please refer above for the list.
If you are from another state, you can apply for licence as long as you are assessed by a Queensland-based training provider.
How Much Does it Cost for Forklift Licence Training
Pricing will depend on the type of course you applied for. If you are a new student and no knowledge of forklift truck driving, then you may need to take some time taking the course, thus, it is more expensive, around AU$400 to AU$500.
However, if you are an experienced operator and needing only the formality of the RTO training course to get your licence, you will spend much lesser time, 1-2 days perhaps. You may need to pay as much as AU$200 to AU$350, depending on the RTO.
In addition to the RTO training course fee, you need to pay also AU$70 to Australia Post for processing of the plastic licence.
I wish you good luck and continue your endeavor to obtain a forklift licence.
Importance of Having a Licence
- Since forklift operation is considered high-risk work in Australia, anyone who is performing such work must have training and licence. It is compliance with the law. If you don’t have it yet, the course can be taken in just short a 2 days and the application can be done online. For more information about applying for a licence, see the steps above.
- You could open a variety of employment opportunities if you have the proper training in the operation of forklift truck and of course the licence. You could work in the construction sites, warehouses, and supply chain. The opportunities are endless. But before an employer hires you, you need to have something to present – that’s the licence.
- Workplace safety is a top priority. Employers don’t want to hire candidates who did not undergo training and have the proper licence. In order to maintain safety, operators must be competent and qualified in the forklift operation.
