Forklift licenses: categories and procedure for obtaining in 2022

The rules for taking courses for the right to operate a forklift are adjusted regularly and supplemented with new requirements. As a rule, the need arises when using a forklift to perform production tasks, as well as for personal purposes. The issued certificate for this equipment includes categories B, C, D. Information on the deciphering of the categories of forklift control in 2022, the complexity of training and subsequent testing, as well as the nuances of passing exams are described below. Including an explanation of the question of where to go in general regarding rights and how difficult it is.

Why do you need a forklift license?

Managing specialized construction and warehouse equipment will require appropriate management rights. This is a common certificate that a forklift operator needs to be employed in a warehouse.

In this segment, professions are in high demand, and, therefore, a forklift license will simply be a necessary solution when you are applying for such a vacancy. You can obtain a certificate if you have accurately mastered the specifics of operation, management, and design features of the equipment. Training can be conducted in one or more categories. The main thing is to know exactly which of them the equipment for the upcoming control belongs to.

Attention! The presence of rights indicates the qualifications of the owner, so they must be treated with the utmost attention.

What types of forklifts are there?

Most often, you need to obtain a license for a front loader (front loader category C). It refers to a self-propelled unit, which is designed to lift and move loads. Such equipment is equipped with either a bucket or other means for capturing heavy objects.

Rights to such installations are classified depending on the power of the facility.

In addition, the following stand out:

Diesel.
Railway loader.

The first type of forklift is designed for driving a forklift and lifting heavy loads. This is a fork mechanism equipped with a special counterweight, which allows you to move very heavy objects. It is also called diesel by the type of fuel it uses.

A railway loader is referred to as such according to the place where it is used. This is a fork unit designed for transporting cargo while on a railway line, as well as filling trains with cargo masses.

A license to operate a forklift must be obtained for each specific type of self-propelled unit described above.

Who can receive

An applicant must be at least 18 years of age to obtain a forklift license. there are no contraindications regarding health status. The presence of contraindications is determined by a medical commission, which is mandatory for all applicants.

The student is also expected to have taken a driving course. This will be due to the fact that special equipment can move on public roads in the same way as other vehicles.

Individuals who plan to undergo not only training, but also re-certification, choosing work related to the operation of special equipment, apply to obtain rights.

How to train and obtain a license for a forklift:

Category of rights for a front loader up to 35 liters. With.

But there is another, very small family of front loaders with an engine power of up to 35 hp. With. There are so few of them that such mini-tractors are rarely mentioned even in construction equipment catalogs. But they exist (a typical example is the German Kramer 5035 with an engine of 31 horsepower, or 23 kW) and are most often used by public utilities for snow removal. What is the category of rights for a front loader of this type? Of course, B (special wheeled and tracked vehicles with an engine power of up to 35 hp). Moreover, the right to independently control the machine, without the supervision of a mentor, comes only with the assignment of the 3rd working category to the tractor driver.

What rights are needed?

To work, the driver must undergo training, pass an exam on the operation of special warehouse equipment and solve other problems. In the process, a special program is provided. It includes safety rules, specifics of loading and unloading equipment.

Expert opinion

Artemyev Dmitry

Experience as a forensic expert in the field of automotive technical examination for more than 2 years, more than 3 years of work in the field of insurance disputes, appealing guilt in road accidents.

Ask a Question

It is also suggested that you learn some of the design features of the equipment, and then obtain a forklift driver’s license. If you need to obtain a document, you need to undergo similar training within category “B”. This will give the right to use any type of electrical equipment.

The need for recertification

A driver's license is valid for 10 years, after which you will need to change your license. The operator must undergo retraining and take the tests again, after which he will be issued a new license. Please note that you cannot obtain a new certificate without passing tests at Gostekhnadzor. This is a prerequisite due to the increased danger on the roads and the difficulty of operating construction vehicles. Some types of forklifts require annual recertification to confirm skills.

Education

The average duration of the program is one and a half months. While studying the theory, special attention is paid to the rules of working with equipment, which will ensure safe work in open areas.

As separate lectures, relevant data regarding the characteristics of the machines and units with which the driver will work is also provided. Information is provided regarding the transmission, in the installed attachments, as well as individual mechanisms and units.

In some cases, training centers improve the necessary knowledge and skills of traffic rules. The practical course covers the basics of maneuvering on special equipment, as well as the subsequent movement of different types of cargo with a specific mass. As part of the study of the theoretical part, various models of equipment and the specifics of their operation are considered.

Attention! Issues of working on asphalt, soil, and performing work even in bad weather conditions are considered. All these skills will be tested by Gostekhnadzor employees in the future.

How to exchange a “red” forklift driver’s license for a new document?

Employees with a red-collar forklift license...can still operate forklifts or electric forklifts with engine power up to 4 kW . Such floor-mounted, trackless wheeled vehicles are called differently: electric cars, electric carts, stackers (forklifts or with a platform). Battery-powered forklifts typically transport goods inside warehouses, industrial and commercial bases, and logistics centers. They are prohibited from driving on public roads.

A small clarification: in accordance with inter-industry rules on labor protection when operating industrial vehicles (floor-mounted trackless wheeled vehicles), you (workers operating forklifts, electric forklifts, cargo trolleys) must annually undergo a knowledge test of labor protection rules in accordance with GOST 12.0.004-2015 . And workers who have had a break in work in a given type of work, position, profession for more than three years, and when working with hazardous production facilities for more than one year, undergo training and testing of knowledge of rules, regulations and instructions on labor protection and safety before they are allowed to work independently. work in accordance with clause 8.10.POT RM – 008-99.

If you can confirm your work experience with an entry in your work book or 3 years have not passed since the certificate was issued, it is possible to extend your forklift license if you are required to do so when applying for a job.

Unfortunately, it will not be possible to exchange an old-style forklift driving license (crust) for a plastic tractor license.

Exam

The main task is to check the actual level of knowledge and skills of the person being certified, to make sure that the person can operate a special device without risking the life and health of other workers involved at the facility.

The exam is administered by a separate engineer-inspector working in the federal service:
To pass the theoretical part, you must answer questions in the computer class, set out in the form of tickets, and also pass an oral test (depending on the wishes of the person authorized to take the exam).
Only those examinees who have properly mastered and answered the theoretical part are allowed to take the mastered practical part.

If the first attempt was unsuccessful, you will need to wait a week and then take the test again.

Discharges when working with a loader

Depending on the degree of qualification of a specialist in working with forklifts, he is assigned one or another rank.

2nd category. Assumes minimal authority to operate equipment. The holder of this rank can work under the supervision of a more experienced specialist. He can also help in repairing equipment.
3rd category. Makes it possible to work with small loaders, including repairing and servicing machines.
4th category. Allows you to work with medium-power loaders. His responsibilities also include repair and maintenance of units.
5th category. Drivers with this rank can operate large equipment, such as excavators and bulldozers.
6th category. Used to control a tractor loader with maximum power if it is used as an excavator or bulldozer.

Price

An important issue is the cost, which course participants need to focus on. Prices vary by category. The final price is the sum of the total cost for the course of study, as well as the amount of the mandatory state fee.

In addition to training costs, assessment of skills and obtaining special medical corrections are also included. This allows us to cover the production of the certificate, as well as the working time spent by Rostechnadzor employees on the process of issuing the document. You can save a little on the state fee (but not more than 30%) if you pay it using the State Services service. Upon restoration, you will need to contact Rostekhnadzor and pay a fee in the prescribed manner.

Attention! The ID card is made from plastic, which has recently replaced the paper form.

What they look like

An electric forklift driver's license is issued in the form of a plastic certificate.

It looks like this:
On the left side, an individual code is indicated, information about the owner is written down: full name, date, place of birth, current place of residence. The date of issue, signature of the owner and inspector are indicated. A photo of the owner is posted.
On the right side there is a description of the categories of self-propelled vehicles, and a permit mark is affixed. Special marks are indicated.

By analogy with the VU, it is possible to replace the certificate, which is important in cases of expiration, change of previously established qualifications, or changes in the owner’s personal data. Replacement is carried out in case of damage (provided it is impossible to familiarize yourself with the information), as well as if there is a loss.

Category and ranks

For all such equipment, categories of self-propelled vehicles are provided.

In particular:

A – driving motor vehicles traveling off-road is permitted. There are 4 subcategories.
B - tracked as well as wheeled vehicles that have an engine with a power of up to 25.7 kW.
C – wheeled vehicles, the engine power rating of which is 25.7-110.3 kW.
D – wheeled vehicles with engine power exceeding 110.3 kW.
E – tracked vehicles with engine power parameters exceeding 25.7 kW.
F – this category includes agricultural machines.

Expert opinion

Artemyev Dmitry

Ask a Question

When the material has been mastered, the test has been passed, the applicant receives a category (for example, category C forklift driver). Alternatively, punitive rights may be granted if it fits into one of the categories above. The category of rights to a front loader also differs in access rights, which must be taken into account when submitting an application to an educational institution.

Level 3 forklift driver training program

Form of study:

full-time, full-time and part-time with the use of distance learning technologies (with travel to the customer’s territory)

Training period:

160 ac. hour.

Price:

7,000 rub.

The program is designed in accordance with:

Federal Law of December 29, 2012 No. 273-FZ “On Education in the Russian Federation”;
Labor Code of the Russian Federation;
Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia dated April 18, 2013 No. 292 “On approval of the Procedure for organizing and implementing educational activities in basic vocational training programs”;
Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation dated July 2, 2013 No. 513 “On approval of the list of professions of workers, positions of employees for which vocational training is carried out”;
Federal state educational standard for primary vocational education by profession 190700.01 Transport terminal operator approved by order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation dated April 26, 2010 N 438;
A typical approximate training program for tractor drivers of category “B”, approved by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation on September 24, 2001, developed by the Institute for the Development of Vocational Education and approved by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, and agreed upon by Gostekhnadzor on September 21, 2001;
Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated July 12, 1999 No. 796 “On approval of the Rules for admission to driving self-propelled machines and issuing tractor driver-driver (tractor operator) licenses.”

Category of trainees:

must be at least 18 years old and have basic general or secondary general education or vocational education.

The goal of the program is

mastering new professional competencies necessary to operate battery-powered forklifts and all special lifting mechanisms and devices when loading, unloading, moving and stacking cargo in accordance with the requirements of regulatory documents for the practical activities of a 3rd category forklift driver.

Theoretical training:

special technology;
Traffic Laws;
basics of control and traffic safety;
provision of first aid;

Industrial training:

qualifying exam

Receipt procedure

Course training will be required. After completing the training, the applicant is required to undergo testing. This is an incomplete exam, but a difficult stage of obtaining a license that cannot be neglected. In the event that the test is passed, the candidate is given a corresponding certificate stating that he has completed the full course of classes. This is required for a subsequent trip to Gostekhnadzor.

It is also necessary to bring a medical certificate and a certificate of completion of training to the regulatory authority, where the recipient of the license is tested. Gostekhnadzor sets a day, as well as an exact time for testing.

Important! The package of documents must be accompanied by a student’s identity certificate.

Instructions for obtaining a license for a forklift

Recently, the procedure for obtaining a new license has been simplified. You can complete the document without ceasing to improve your vehicle driving skills. Previously, the driver’s actual experience was not taken into account.

To obtain a forklift driver's license you must:

choose a training center certified to provide educational services (driving school);
complete training in the required category (course duration is approximately 45 days);
study traffic rules;
pass a theoretical exam;
pass a practical exam at the training ground and then in real conditions.

Once your skills have been confirmed, you must submit an application with a package of documents to obtain permission from Gostekhnadzor to issue a license to operate a forklift.

Required documents

To obtain employment in a position, the applicant will need to undergo appropriate training. To take a mandatory course, you will need to submit an application to an accredited institution and fill out an application form. It’s easy to apply as an applicant; you just need to submit an application and attach the relevant materials to it.

These include:
A general passport that establishes the identity of the future student.
It is important to confirm that a person has no contraindications for health, for which an appropriate medical certificate issued in a form approved by the Ministry of Health is suitable.
It is important to attach a driver's license, which allows you to drive any vehicle.
You must attach photographs of your license, which will be pasted into the finished form. There should be two photographs, measuring 3x4 centimeters.

Do I need a medical certificate?

To obtain categories of rights for a Bobcat, you will need to undergo a special medical commission. Based on the results, a certificate is issued indicating that the driver is admitted to the category corresponding to the forklift, and not the car. As part of the medical commission, the category of special equipment specifies its own requirements.

The cost is included in the final price set for completing the training. The list of doctors can be clarified when applying for training. At the same time, the Ministry of Health is considering the issue of developing new certificates.

How much does the whole process cost?

Young people who want to master such a popular profession are interested in how much it costs to study at the center. The cost of training depends on the number of training hours and the type of category assigned. Thus, in Moscow, the training price for 480 hours of study for a category B, C, D driver is 6,000 rubles.

In Moscow, the price of 2.5 months of training is 7640 rubles, and 1 month - 5640 rubles. In St. Petersburg, in preparatory school, in order to obtain a category B, C license, you need to pay for training, the price of which is 10,200 rubles.

In Podolsk, at the Center for Operational Vocational Training, you have to pay 9,000 rubles for 320 hours of classes. In remote regions of Russia, the cost of training may be less.

When is recertification needed?

Recertification is carried out once a year. This approach will allow you to easily improve your skills in managing special equipment. The employer must initiate the process, but if this does not happen, you need to contact the driving school yourself. Also, recertification allows you to increase work productivity.

Expert opinion

Artemyev Dmitry

Ask a Question

It is important to note that the replacement is completed in a timely manner. It is better to apply for re-certification in advance - no less than 6 months before the expiration of your existing rights. Regardless of the situation, after the expiration date, the certificate is considered invalid.

Replacement of expired rights

To replace an expired license, you will need to re-pass the exam at a driving school, which includes theoretical and practical parts. The cost of the procedure will depend on the region where it is performed by the citizen. After this, the replacement of the expired certificate is carried out in accordance with the standard step-by-step instructions.

A fine for the very fact of having expired rights will not be assessed. This is possible only in the case when the owner of the license was stopped by a traffic police officer and determined that the driving was carried out after its validity period.

Is a regular driver's license required?

It is worth noting that having a driving license will be a condition for obtaining admission to take special courses. A driver's license must be of any category. But, if such a document is not on hand, this will not become a critical condition that should be emphasized.

This factor will complicate the learning process, because in parallel with this, you will have to master traffic rules and the specifics of driving a car. To enroll in a driving school, you will need to prepare and submit documents. In this case, the time spent on training can increase to three months. Training under this program is carried out in separate specialized rooms equipped with the necessary infographics and simulators.

How the forklift driver exam and courses work:

Appearance of the ID

Students should know what the ID looks like. Gostekhnadzor issues standard licenses. When drivers go to apply for a job, they present their ID. The employer must know for sure that the document presented by the operator is genuine. To check the authenticity rights, you need to know what they should be. The driver's license is made on special paper, its form is approved by the state. There is a photo on the outside, fill in the data:

last name, first name and patronymic;
time and place of birth;
operator's signature.

Inside there is a list of equipment that the operator can work on. To register to drive a forklift, you must present your driver's license to management. The ID should only be used within our country. This is what distinguishes an unloader license from a driver’s license.