How to Get Forklift Certified in California (Cal/OSHA Rules)

California is one of the states that operate their own State Plan. According to OSHA, California’s State Plan covers most private-sector workers and all state and local government workers. In California the operative forklift training rule is Title 8, California Code of Regulations, section 3668 (Powered Industrial Truck Operator Training), in the General Industry Safety Orders.

Section 3668 says the employer must ensure that each operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as shown by successful completion of the training and evaluation the section describes. Training must consist of a combination of formal instruction (for example lecture, discussion, interactive computer learning, video tape and written material), practical training (demonstrations by the trainer and practical exercises by the trainee) and evaluation of the operator’s performance in the workplace. All training and evaluation must be conducted by people who have the knowledge, training and experience to train operators and evaluate their competence.

In practice, section 3668 is very close to the federal rule, 29 CFR 1910.178(l). There is no state forklift license. Compliance is shown by your employer’s training and evaluation records. Neither OSHA nor Cal/OSHA approves or accredits online training providers.

• Competence before operating. An operator must complete the required training before being allowed to operate a truck, except for training purposes.
• Supervised practice. Trainees may operate a truck only under the direct supervision of qualified people, and only where it does not endanger the trainee or others.
• Required topics. Initial training covers truck-related topics (operating instructions and warnings, controls, steering, visibility, capacity, stability, inspection and maintenance, refueling or charging) and workplace-related topics (surface conditions, load handling, pedestrian traffic, narrow aisles, ramps, hazardous locations, ventilation), unless the employer can show a topic does not apply.
• Refresher training. Required when an operator is observed driving unsafely, has an accident or near-miss, receives a poor evaluation, is assigned to a different type of truck, or when a workplace condition changes in a way that could affect safe operation.
• Evaluation every three years. The section states that an evaluation of each operator’s performance must be conducted at least once every three years.
• Certification. The employer certifies that each operator has been trained and evaluated. The record includes the operator’s name, the training date, the evaluation date and the identity of the person who performed the training or evaluation.

Section 3668 also includes a provision for avoiding duplicate training: if an operator already received appropriate training on a topic and was evaluated as competent, the employer does not need to repeat that topic. It also states that it does not apply to agricultural operations as defined in section 3437 of the General Industry Safety Orders.

1. Take an online forklift course that covers the section 3668 topics. This is your formal instruction.
2. Pass the exam. With Gama Safety the pass mark is 80%, with unlimited free retakes.
3. Download your certificate and wallet card as soon as you pass.
4. Complete practical training on the type of truck you will operate, with a qualified trainer.
5. Be evaluated in the workplace. The evaluator watches you inspect the truck and operate it where you will actually work.
6. Get your employer’s certification and keep a personal copy.

Section 3668 lists interactive computer learning as one way to deliver formal instruction, so the classroom part can be completed online. The practical training and the workplace evaluation cannot be done on a website. A California employer who hires you based only on an online certificate still needs to train you on its trucks and evaluate you before you operate independently.

Online courses sold as “state license” or “instant 100% certification” are misleading. California does not issue a forklift license.

California has some of the largest logistics networks in the country. Forklift roles are common at:

• Ports and intermodal yards in the Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland areas.
• Large distribution centers in the Inland Empire, the Central Valley and the Bay Area.
• Manufacturing plants, food processing and wine or beverage distribution.
• Retail, home improvement and construction supply warehouses.

Operators in agriculture should note that section 3668 states it does not apply to agricultural operations as defined in section 3437. Ask your employer which rules cover your specific job.

• Online instruction: about 1.5 to 2 hours, on your own schedule.
• Practical training and evaluation: typically a few hours, depending on experience and truck type.
• Online course price: typically $40 to $80. Gama Safety’s forklift course is $59 and includes the certificate, printable wallet card and unlimited retakes.
• In-person classes with truck time often cost a few hundred dollars.

Many California employers pay for forklift training. Ask before you spend your own money if you already have the job.

The workplace evaluation is where an employer confirms you can apply what you learned. Evaluators generally look for a thorough pre-shift inspection, smooth and controlled travel, correct load handling with forks fully under the load and the load carried low and tilted back, awareness of pedestrians, and careful parking with the forks lowered and the brakes set.

Because California warehouses can be busy and fast-moving, take your time during the evaluation. Evaluators want to see safe habits, not speed. If you want to refresh the rules first, try our forklift practice test, which has 20 sample questions with explanations.

Keep a copy of your online certificate and any records your employer gives you. When you apply for new jobs, they show that you have completed the classroom portion, even though the next employer will still evaluate you on its own trucks.

• California Department of Industrial Relations, Title 8 CCR section 3668, Powered Industrial Truck Operator Training.
• OSHA, State Plans, California State Plan coverage.
• OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.178, the federal rule that applies in states without a State Plan.