Forklift Training in Arizona: License Schools in Phoenix & Tucson

Looking for a convenient way to get your forklift certification in AZ?

If so, then this guide is going to help you!

The beautiful sunny weather isn’t the only thing attracting people to Arizona: so are the job opportunities.

Not just any job opportunity though, we are especially talking about forklift jobs in Arizona state.

Arizona is the home of many large national and international companies and hundreds of warehouses. That’s why the state has great opportunities of a skilled and certified forklift driver.

But for you to be able to drive a fork lift and secure a job of your dreams, there are certain general and legal requirements that you must meet.

To qualify, you will be required to take your forklift training in Arizona, pass the test and earn your forklift license in AZ.

Without a valid license, you will not get hired for a job of lifttruck operator, even if you know the ins and outs of driving a fork lift.

Why not? The short answer is, it’s the law.

Since a powered lift truck can be deadly in the hand of an unskilled or an unstable person, the law prevents anyone from driving this large piece of machinery without a proper training and valid certification.

So in this article, we will do our best to guide you in the right direction to a rewarding career as a forklift operator. First off, we will provide you with all of the tools in order to obtain your license, which is necessary before getting a job.

We will also go over all of the exciting opportunities and benefits that you could receive in your new job to help get you excited about reaching your goal.

There are requirements that you must meet in order to achieve employment here, which we will lay out for you in simple terms. Putting in the effort is well worth it to have a great, stable job in this popular industry.

So, let’s get to it!

Free Forklift Training Yuma AZ

Requirements for the Forklift Certification in AZ

When it comes to requirements, Arizona is fairly straight forward in the sense that it simply follows the industry standards.

Standards are set by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), which is a division of the United States Department of Labor.

Although OSHA sets the standards, it is employers that are responsible for making sure that standards are being followed.

The first thing that employers must make sure of is that all new fork lift operators have their license. The three-part training course is a necessary step into getting your license for the first time.

So that you can be ready for forklift training in AZ, we will go over all three parts of this course later in the article.

You will need to have a basic skill set that includes reading, writing, and communication for day to day duties of a forklift operator and for safety reasons as well.

One of the things that employers will look for to make sure that you have the skills necessary for the job is a GED or a high school diploma.

Also by law, in order to operate a lifttruck and get your forklift license in Arizona, you will need to be a legal adult which is 18 in the state of Arizona. Bring your state I.D. to your interview so that the employer can verify that you are legally able to work.

Like any other job interview, be sure to bring your forklift operator resume with your education and work-related experience on it.

Most employers will often make you pass a background check and drug test, to make sure you are mentally able to handle the job. This means that you must have no criminal record and be drug-free. This is necessary to the safety of you and your coworkers as you are operating this large piece of machinery.

Taking care of yourself physically is also very beneficial to the job, as you will be expected to lift some fairly heavy cargo at times.

If you have any questions on the requirements of this job you can ask your future employer. If you feel more comfortable doing so, you can always ask an OSHA representative as well, here is their contact page.

These requirements are easy for most people to meet, and if you think you have what it takes keep reading on to find out how to become licensed!

OSHA Forklift Certification Tucson AZ

How to Get Forklift License in AZ

Obtaining your forklift certification in Arizona is fairly straight forward and easy to go about as long as you take the right steps. In this section, we will lay out all the steps that you will need to take in order to obtain a legit license.

All of those wishing to get their license will need to go through in person training. This school will need to be highly regarded in the industry and will need to follow the three-part training model.

This model is set by OSHA and includes a lecture, written test also known as the forklift training test, and a physical evaluation.

Once that you think that you have found a training school, look them up on the BBB (Better Business Bureau) to validate they are legit.

One thing is for sure: and that is that all training schools must follow and teach OSHA standards. A law for all of the united states, according to OSHA, states that a fork lift operator must be taught by a trained professional in the field.

The instructor must be a veteran in this field, and obviously will need to have a license him/herself. Being able to operate and maintain all types of powered lift trucks is a must for all forklift instructors.

They will need to be able to train any new hire on any fork lift vehicle.

You will need to start by searching online for a training school, ignore all of the ads that claim that you can get your forklift certification online. When you are new to the field you will need more than just the online course, you will need one on one training.

To make this search easier, you can just simply type in “forklift training school near me” If you have any doubts, then ask your future employer or other warehouse companies what training school they recommend.

What is awesome about Arizona is that many employers handle all of the training in-house. Either they will have their own bona fide instructor, or they will hire one when needed to train new hires.

This method can be very beneficial because you will actually be trained in your own work environment. You will learn the layout of your own workplace while also learning the company’s personal policies.

Either way will be a great learning opportunity, so ask your future company if they offer this service.

Rest assured that when you get your forklift license in Arizona, it will be good for three years unless you get into an accident or need additional training. After 3 years of having your license, you will need to take a refresher course, to renew it.

An employer will want to verify training so be prepared to give references, not only from your past work in the field, but from the training school as well.

Now that you know how easy it is to get your forklift license, let’s go over what kind of opportunities are available to you in this state.

Forklift Training School in AZ

Forklift Training Schools in AZ

To obtain your forklift certification in AZ, you will need to enroll in one of OSHA forklift training classes and complete your training. Here is a list of schools for forklift training in Arizona state where you can get your on-site forklift certification.

OSHA Forklift certification locations in Arizona in the alphabetical order.

The list of forklift certification classes and schools was last updated on September 1, 2023. If there are any inaccuracies, please report it to us.

OSHA Forklift Certification Phoenix AZ

Employment Opportunities & Forklift Jobs in AZ

There are many opportunities available to you in Arizona that will help relieve the pressure you may or may not be feeling about getting your forklift license in AZ.

Starting off, in Arizona’s capital, Phoenix, is the 10th largest airport in the United States. Airports are extremely fast paced, and there are a lot of people behind the scene making it all possible.

One of the main jobs behind the scene are fork lift operators, moving not only passenger cargo but also cargo to be shipped through FedEx, UPS, and USPS as well. Chances of you finding a job at this busy airport is very likely, especially being freshly licensed.

Arizona is also home to some huge companies such as PetSmart, Swift Transportation, and Sprouts Farmers Market to name a few. These companies are massive and have a lot of product.

These types of companies need to have warehouses strategically places throughout the state, the country and even the world.

They need good hard working fork lift truck operators to help move these products from warehouses to stores or suppliers. Not only that they need employees that will help keep their product organized and stacked in its designated place.

These companies have the money and will often times offer higher pay in order to find quality workers. Not only that companies such as these offer very competitive benefits for their employees that are hard to resist.

As you can see this state offers many awesome opportunities for hardworking fork lift operators that are licensed. If these opportunities sound good to you, then keep on reading for even more benefits to getting your forklift certification in Arizona!

OSHA Forklift License Phoenix AZ

Certified Forklift Driver’s Salary in Arizona

Now that you are excited about the benefits and opportunities available to you let’s go over the numbers of how much you can expect to make.

Arizona is a little different from other states in the fact that salaries vary widely from city to city. Salaries tend to be higher the bigger the company and the more the training you have under your belt.

For instance, the low end of the salary is $32,126 versus the high end you could make up to $37,545. Having great training will help close the wage gap and improve your chances of even exceeding the average.

According to salary.com, Glendale, Phoenix, and Yuma on average pay the most of all the cities, averaging over $35,000 per year.

So let’s look at how much does a Fork Lift Operator make in different cities of the Arizona state.

The table below shows fork lift operator’s annual base salary for 18 major cities in the Arizona region.

* Forklift operator salaries were last updated on September 1, 2023.

Now: Did you know, a fork lift operator in New Jersey gets paid at $16.50/hour on average?

Well, they do and if you are looking to get forklift certification in NJ, then you must check our guide to see how to get your fork lift operator license.

Forklift Jobs Tucson AZ

Benefits of Having a Forklift Certification in AZ

There are only pros into getting your forklift certification before applying for a job in Arizona.

First off you will be ready and confident for your first day on the job. Practicing in a safe place with a certified forklift trainer will really make a difference to how comfortable you feel on the job.

Getting a well-paying fork lift job will require a forklift license in Arizona, as most employers will not hire someone without one.

Getting your license is proven to prevent accidents in the workplace and protects not only you but your coworkers as well. Not only that, a manager is far more likely to promote a well-trained powered lifttruck operator.

So, the more training, the better!

If someone comes in to the interview ready to start the next day they will be given a higher priority over someone who is unlicensed.

In order to find a safe, secure and well-paying lift truck job you will need to come prepared with your license in hand!

Here is the list by Payscale.com of what higher positions make in the warehouse so that you can see that it really is worth the forklift training in AZ.

Forklift Jobs in Phoenix AZ

Forklift License Renewal in Arizona

Like any other state, you will need to renew your license every three years.

OSHA sets this law to make sure operators are staying up to date on any new regulations. If you let your license expire, you will be unable to operate a forklift and will be out of a job.

Renewing your license is a great opportunity to gain any extra training so that you can move up as well. Although there is a 3-year minimum, in certain situations, you may need a refresher course before then.

Getting into an accident in the workplace is something that no one wants. If an accident does occur, you will need to be retrained on all safety aspects to make sure there are no repeat incidences. In this case, you will need to take the whole 3-part course to ensure proper training.

In-person training will also be necessary when you need to be trained on a new vehicle.

If you are just simply renewing your current license, then an online refresher course is often sufficient.

Basically, it is up to your employer to make sure you have the proper training you need. So, if you have any questions, ask your employer or OSHA representative to see which is necessary in your situation.

Sometimes you will get lucky, and your future company may do all training in-house.

If not, you can do a simple search or ask your employer which he/she recommends, because when all is said and done, they will be the ones accepting it.

Once you get your license, renewing it is a very simple task that will keep you in your position as a successful fork lift operator.

OSHA Forklift Training Phoenix AZ

Getting in Touch With The Authorities

If you still have any question or need more information about forklift certification in Arizona state, then you can get in touch with the Industrial Commission of Arizona or an OSHA Area Office in Arizona.

Industrial Commission of Arizona
800 W Washington St #307,
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: (602) 542-4411
Fax: (602) 542-7889
Web: https://www.azica.gov/

OSHA Area Office Arizona
Phoenix Federal Building
230 N. 1ST Avenue, Suite 202
Phoenix, AZ 85003
Phone: (602) 514-7250
Fax: (602) 514-7251
Web: https://www.osha.gov/oshdir/az.html

In Conclusion

If you have your forklift license in AZ, Working here can be very rewarding for a hardworking fork lift operator looking for a great job. This state makes it easy for you to find awesome training facilities and to get your license.

There are many opportunities available to you in this state, as long as you stay focused. With all of the opportunities available to you in Arizona, you should have no problem finding a job and starting your exciting career.

Once you get your license anything is possible in the world of fork lift operating!

Now, I have laid out everything that you need to know about getting your forklift certification in AZ, but if you still have any questions, you can ask them in the comments section below, or you can also email me.

Applying for forklift certification in Minnesota, check our MN guide!