Forklift license in Germany
To drive a forklift at work in Germany you need to be 18, pass training with an exam and get written authorisation from your employer. The driver's card does not expire, but instruction is due every year.
Which case is yours?
First forklift license for work
CheckedBasic training takes three to five days and ends with a written test and a driving test.
Details and source
The general qualification should take three to five days or 20 to 32 teaching units of 45 minutes each. At least 10 of these units are theory.
Source: DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitt 3.5 · checked 13 Oct 2026
New employer
CheckedYou keep your training certificate, but you need a workplace briefing and a new written authorisation.
Details and source
The authorisation cannot be transferred to other companies and ends when you leave the company. At the new employer you need a workplace briefing (level 3) and a new written authorisation.
Source: DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitte 3.4 und 4 · checked 13 Oct 2026
Pedestrian pallet truck
CheckedTrucks you steer on foot only need an instruction, unless they have a platform and go faster than 6 km/h.
Details and source
For industrial trucks you steer on foot, an instruction is enough and the authorisation does not have to be in writing. If the truck has a standing platform and drives faster than 6 km/h, it counts as a ride-on truck and you need the full training.
Source: DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitt 1.2 · DGUV Vorschrift 68 § 7 Abs. 2 mit Durchführungsanweisung (BGN Branchenwissen) · checked 13 Oct 2026
On public roads
CheckedOn public roads you also need a driving license; class L is included in classes B and T.
Details and source
On public roads you additionally need a driving license. Forklifts up to 25 km/h fall under class L (from age 16), which is already included in classes B and T.
Source: DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitt 2.2 · FeV § 6 (Klasse L, Einschluss in B und T) · FeV § 10 (Mindestalter Klasse L) · checked 13 Oct 2026
What does a forklift license cost?
€165 to €499
Prices are set by each provider. For the basic course with exam (level 1) we checked 5 providers. Prices are partly net, partly including VAT, as published. Often your employer pays, and with a Bildungsgutschein the employment agency can.
Prices by provider
- TÜV Rheinland Akademie: €375
- TÜV NORD Akademie: €428.40 to €440.30
- TÜV Thüringen Akademie: €490
- ITC Akademie: €165 to €218.90
- All in Dienstleistungen AiD: €499
Source: TÜV Rheinland Akademie and the other providers listed · as of 13 Oct 2026
The detailed cost calculator is available in German.
What applies, according to the source
The sources are official German documents, so their titles stay in German.
Show all 14 rules with source, status and check date
| Rule | What applies | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age 18 | You may drive forklifts with a driver's seat or platform on your own only from the age of 18. As an apprentice under 18 you may only drive under qualified supervision, and that training section should as a rule not last longer than three months. DGUV Vorschrift 68 § 7 (BGN Branchenwissen) · DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Dezember 2022, Abschnitt 2.1 | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
| Suitable, trained, competence proven | You must be suitable and trained for the job and have proven your competence, meaning you passed the theory and practical exam. Physical fitness (sight, hearing, reaction) is best confirmed by a doctor. DGUV Vorschrift 68 § 7 Abs. 1 (BGN Branchenwissen) · DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitt 2.1 | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
| Written authorisation by the employer | The forklift license alone is not enough: your employer must authorise you in writing, naming the site or part of the site and the trucks. Before that you need a truck-specific briefing and an instruction on the conditions at the workplace. DGUV Vorschrift 68 § 7 und Durchführungsanweisung (BGN Branchenwissen) · DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitt 4 | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
| Scope of the basic training (level 1) | The general qualification should take three to five days or 20 to 32 teaching units of 45 minutes each. At least 10 of these units are theory. DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitt 3.5 | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
| Three qualification levels | Level 1 is the general qualification, level 2 an additional qualification for other truck types such as reach or side-loader trucks, level 3 the briefing at your own workplace. Level 2 requires a passed level 1 exam. DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitt 3.1 bis 3.4 | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
| Final exam: theory and practice | The theory is tested in writing and is passed with 70 percent correct answers. On top comes a practical driving test of about 15 to 20 minutes; you can repeat both parts. DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitt 8 | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
| Driver's card (forklift license) | After passing level 1 you receive a qualification certificate and a driver's card for industrial trucks (Fahrausweis für Flurförderzeuge) with photo plus type and load capacity of the training truck. Further levels are entered in it. DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitt 3.6 | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
| New employer | The authorisation cannot be transferred to other companies and ends when you leave the company. At the new employer you need a workplace briefing (level 3) and a new written authorisation. DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitte 3.4 und 4 | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
| Instruction at least once a year | Your employer must instruct you before your first assignment and after that at least once a year. Date and names are recorded in writing. DGUV Vorschrift 1 § 4 (BGN Branchenwissen) · BetrSichV § 12 · ArbSchG § 12 | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
| Validity: no expiry | No expiry: DGUV Principle 308-001 names no expiry date, and according to the occupational safety authority of NRW the license stays valid even if an instruction was missed. The annual instruction must still be made up. KomNet NRW (Landesamt für Gesundheit und Arbeitsschutz NRW), Dialog 29297 · DGUV Grundsatz 308-001 | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
| Public roads: driving license needed | On public roads you additionally need a driving license. Forklifts up to 25 km/h fall under class L (from age 16), which is already included in classes B and T. DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitt 2.2 · FeV § 6 (Klasse L, Einschluss in B und T) · FeV § 10 (Mindestalter Klasse L) | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
| Pedestrian-controlled trucks (e.g. pallet trucks) | For industrial trucks you steer on foot, an instruction is enough and the authorisation does not have to be in writing. If the truck has a standing platform and drives faster than 6 km/h, it counts as a ride-on truck and you need the full training. DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitt 1.2 · DGUV Vorschrift 68 § 7 Abs. 2 mit Durchführungsanweisung (BGN Branchenwissen) | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
| Online only does not work | You can partly learn the theory online, but the practical training and the driving test take place on site. Only after passing the theory and practical exam do you get the driver's card. DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitte 3.6 und 8 · TÜV Rheinland Akademie, Staplerschein Blended Learning (Beispiel) | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
| Funding with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein) | An education voucher (Bildungsgutschein) from the employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit) can cover course and exam fees if the training is necessary and the provider and course are approved. The Mettmann agency explicitly lists the forklift license in its 2026 funding overview; the decision is made in the counselling interview. Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Bildungsgutschein · Bildungszielplanung 2026 Agentur für Arbeit Mettmann | Checked checked 13 Oct 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
How long does the forklift license training take?
According to the DGUV principle, the basic training takes three to five days or 20 to 32 teaching units of 45 minutes, at least 10 of them theory.
Source: DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitt 3.5 · checked 13 Oct 2026
Is my forklift license valid with every employer?
You keep your training certificate, but the written authorisation ends when you change jobs. The new company briefs you and authorises you again.
Source: DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitte 3.4 und 4 · checked 13 Oct 2026
How long is the forklift license valid?
It does not expire; DGUV Principle 308-001 names no expiry date. Your employer must still instruct you at least once a year.
Source: KomNet NRW (Landesamt für Gesundheit und Arbeitsschutz NRW), Dialog 29297 · DGUV Grundsatz 308-001 · DGUV Vorschrift 1 § 4 (BGN Branchenwissen) · BetrSichV § 12 · ArbSchG § 12 · checked 13 Oct 2026
Can I get the forklift license online?
Only partly: some providers teach the theory online, but the practical training and the driving test take place on site.
Source: DGUV Grundsatz 308-001, Abschnitte 3.6 und 8 · TÜV Rheinland Akademie, Staplerschein Blended Learning (Beispiel) · checked 13 Oct 2026
Can the employment agency pay for it?
Yes, an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein) from the Agentur für Arbeit can cover course and exam fees if the training is necessary and provider and course are approved. The decision is made in a counselling interview.
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Bildungsgutschein · Bildungszielplanung 2026 Agentur für Arbeit Mettmann · checked 13 Oct 2026
Orientation, not legal advice. Binding are the DGUV regulations and your employer.