Forklift Training in Florida: License & Certification in Tampa FL

Are you looking to get a forklift certification in Florida but don’t know where to start?

I understand it seems tedious and time-consuming process on the surface, but the reality is that obtaining a forklift license in Florida is actually pretty straightforward, and doesn’t require massive amounts of time or money.

On successful completion of your forklift training, you will be eligible to apply for forklift operator jobs in the state.

See, it’s not only necessary to have a valid license if you want to operate a fork lift but also it is the law. And the law says…

It is a violation of Federal law for anyone UNDER 18 years of age to operate a powered industrial truck or for anyone OVER 18 years of age who is not properly trained and certified to do so.

Getting forklift certified is the first step towards securing a forklift operator job and ultimately leading to a lifetime career with great benefits.

But in order to get there, the first thing you will need to do is, follow the steps and become a certified forklift operator. This will be easy because, like any other state, Florida follows OSHA standards.

In this article, we will provide you all the information that you need to know about what is required and what you will have to do to get your fork lift certification.

We will also go over what kind of forklift training you are required to take and where you can find this type of training. Not only that, we will also explore all of the available opportunities available and what you can expect to make.

Last but not least, we will make sure you know how to keep your license up to date and valid throughout your career.

Central Florida Forklift Training

OSHA Forklift Certification Florida

Requirements for The Forklift Certification in Florida

Let’s start off with the requirements that you have to meet in order to get certified in this state.

Getting your training under way is the most important requirement to getting your forklift license in Florida. Before you do that though you must make sure that you meet the requirements in order to start training in the first place.

By law you must be 18 years of age or older, so be sure to provide proof of age by bring your Florida state issued I.D.

Along with age you must be physically able to handle training and your future job. This means that you will need to lift at least 50 pounds. The reason for this being is that you will have to be able to lift heavy cargo and load it onto pallets so that it can be moved.

This is a very fast paced job and you will need to be able to keep up with time limits on each load being moved.

Being mentally able to handle training is just as important, this means coming in refreshed and well-rested. You cannot operate a lift truck and be under any sort of substance that will alter your mind.

Communication is very important to the safety of you and your coworkers, so you will need to be able to read, speak and write in English.

OSHA requires all fork-lift-operators-to-be to complete adequate training in order to receive the license. This means that the course must contain three specific parts and cover all OSHA regulations.

There are also strict requirements that are expected of an instructor as well, that you will need to look for when you look for a trainer. We will go over, in detail, what the requirements of the training program are.

Another requirement is that once you receive your forklift certification in Florida, you must renew it at least every three years. There are other reasons that you may have to renew it which we will also go over later in the article.

Basically, OSHA sets the rules and it is up to the trainer to teach them, the employer to make sure they are followed and the employee to properly execute them while on the job. It is a circle of accountability that is easy to understand once you receive proper training.

If you have any questions at all feel free to contact OSHA and speak to a trained associate.

Now that you get a feel for the requirements, we will go over in detail how to go about getting your license.

But wait! Don’t you want to know the duties & responsibilities of a forklift operator.

Florida Forklift Certification Online

OSHA Forklift Certification Jacksonville FL

How to Get Forklift License in Florida

Now that you know that you meet all of the requirement previously stated we can move on to the next step which is getting certified.

As previously stated, the first step in this process is getting your certification. In order to reach this goal, you will need to find an adequate forklifting school.

You can do this by conducting a simple search on the Google for “forklift training school near me”. If you don’t have access to a computer you can always visit or call your future employer and ask them which facility they recommend.

This will need to be an actual place of business that you can go to and receive in-person training. When getting your license for the first time you will need this hands-on type of training center.

Another thing you will need to check is that the fork lift training school offers the three-part style course that OSHA requires. This course must include all three parts: formal lecture, written test and physical evaluation. These parts are all very important to you learning the proper way to operate a fork lift.

The lecture includes OSHA regulations, the basic structure of a lift truck and how to safely maneuver a fork lift.

The forklift training test (written test) is usually a multiple-choice type test that will quiz you on your knowledge of what you learned in the lecture.

The last part of the course is the evaluation, this is the part of the course that sets it apart from an online course. This is the part that you will actually get to operate a fork lift in real life scenarios to make sure that you are really ready for the job.

An online course will just simply not offer that type of education that will last throughout your whole career.

Once you have completed all three portions of the course then you will receive your forklift license in Florida state, or otherwise known as a certification. This could be in the form of a badge, license card or paper certificate.

Either way it should be recognized by your future employer and will be your ticket to your brand-new lift truck operating job.

If you follow all of these steps and make sure that your training facility is up to code, then you should be well on your way to gainful employment in the state of Florida!

Keep reading for the awesome job opportunities that are available to you in this awesome state.

Forklift Certification Orlando FL

OSHA Forklift Operator License Florida

Forklift Training Schools in Florida

To obtain your forklift certification in Florida, 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 Florida state where you can get your on-site forklift license.

OSHA forklift certification locations in Florida in the alphabetical order.

NameAddressPhone
Accurate Forklift Training470 Meadow Sweet Ct, Ocoee, FL 34761407-656-9080
Action Forklift, Inc.3888 NW 125th St, Opa-locka, FL 33054305-525-4849
American Forklift5387 L B McLeod Rd, Orlando, FL 32811407-856-5438
American Forklift4420 Ashton Rd, Sarasota, FL 34233941-706-3392
Andersen Material Handling1360 SW 32nd Way, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442877-521-1850
Atlas Forklift Training & Certification2392 W 80th St #5, Hialeah, FL 33016786-401-7623
Atlas Forklift Training & Certification3350 Ulmerton Rd #8, Clearwater, FL 33762727-954-0002
Bay City Forklift, Inc.5201 36th Ave S, Tampa, FL 33619813-612-9700
Career Tech2219 W Memorial Blvd, Lakeland, FL 33815863-688-8800
Central Florida Safety6825 Fox Chase Dr, Lakeland, FL 33810863-859-2018
Clark Forklifts7801 NW 52nd St, Doral, FL 33166305-882-7000
Clark Forklifts5908 Georgia Ave, West Palm Beach, FL 33405561-582-4804
Coastal Lift Truck & Equipment, Inc.480 Tall Pines Rd, West Palm Beach, FL 33413561-712-1303
Crane Inspection & Certification Bureau11112 Boggy Creek Rd, Orlando, FL 32824407-277-0884
Crane Institute of America LLC3880 St Johns Pkwy, Sanford, FL 32771407-322-6800
Crane Tech1215 Millennium Pkwy, Brandon, FL 33511813-248-4800
Crown Lift Trucks4683 Oak Fair Blvd, Tampa, FL 33610813-628-5500
Crown Lift Trucks2971 Center Port Cir, Pompano Beach, FL 33064954-786-8889
Florida Forklift, Inc.1063 Haines St, Jacksonville, FL 32206904-674-6898
Florida Forklift, Inc.5583 Lee St unit # 6, Lehigh Acres, FL 33971239-674-9880
Florida Forklift, Inc.9190 Ulmerton Rd, Largo, FL 33771727-216-0228
Florida Lift System Inc.1623 N Magnolia Ave, Ocala, FL 34475352-509-9189
Florida Safety Council9389 N Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 33612813-248-3009
Florida Training Academy103 Century 21 Dr 203 and 205, Jacksonville, FL 32216904-551-0918
Forklift Academy, Inc.12952 NW 42nd Ave #93, Opa-locka, FL 33054305-503-5938
Forklift Connection, Inc.2030 SW 71st Ter # D3, Davie, FL 33317954-236-0061
Forklift Industrial Training Center4281 NW 167th St, Miami Gardens, FL 33055305-624-0199
Forklift Jacksonville5220 W Beaver St, Jacksonville, FL 32254888-347-8573
Forklift Operator Safety Training103 Century 21 Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32216904-300-0097
Forklift Safety Training Inc.Port Orange, FL305-460-0133
Forklift Safety Training Inc.3743 Mykonos Ct, Boca Raton, FL 33487561-842-4939
Forklift Training Ft LauderdaleFort Lauderdale, FL954-389-3544
Forklift Training Institute of America11550 W State Rd 84, Davie, FL 33325954-818-8708
Forklift Training Shop7975 W 20th Ave, Hialeah, FL 33016305-456-5162
Fort Myers Forklift2049 Towles St, Fort Myers, FL 33916239-337-2117
Kelly Tractor Co17300 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32820407-568-8055
Keytroller, LLC.3907 W Doctor M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Tampa, FL 33614813-877-4500
MacKinnon Equipment & Services1915 N Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32804407-843-0134
McFatter Technical Center6500 Nova Dr, Davie, FL 33317754-321-5700
Miami Forklift Training & Certification Classes8355 NW 74th St, Miami, FL 33166305-302-6256
National Lift Truck Service2110 N Andrews Ave Ext, Pompano Beach, FL 33069954-462-6500
OIC of South Florida3407 NW 9th Ave #100, Oakland Park, FL 33309954-563-3535
OSHA Safety Training Institute19200 SW 106th Ave #15, Miami, FL 33157305-883-4466
Pelican’s View, Inc.5779 W 28th Ave, Hialeah, FL 33016786-299-5478
Reads Forklift, Inc.4031 US-129, Live Oak, FL 32060386-362-7626
Reads Forklift, Inc.6973 Hwy Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32254904-695-0300
Ring Power Lift Trucks6202 US-301, Ocala, FL 34475352-732-4600
Ring Power Lift Trucks10421 Fern Hill Dr, Riverview, FL 33578813-620-1337
Ring Power Lift Trucks803 W Taft Vineland Rd, Orlando, FL 32824407-857-1973
Ring Power Lift Trucks8040 Philips Hwy, Jacksonville, FL 32256904-448-5438
Ring Power Lift Trucks3400 NW 77th Ct, Miami, FL 33122305-477-8656
Safety Council of Palm Beach4152 Blue Heron Blvd W # 110, Riviera Beach, FL 33404561-845-8233
Safety Solutions & Supply314 E Canal St, Mulberry, FL 33860863-535-1150
Southern States Toyotalift115 S 78th St, Tampa, FL 33619800-226-2345
Southern States Toyotalift560 Cynthia St, Jacksonville, FL 32254904-764-7662
Southern States Toyotalift11000 Palmbay Dr, Orlando, FL 32824407-859-3000
Southern States Toyotalift1623 N Magnolia Ave, Ocala, FL 34475352-840-0030
Suncoast Safety Council1145 Court St, Clearwater, FL 33756727-373-7233
Suncoast Safety Council455 31st St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33713727-373-7233
Tom’s Forklift Services1000 Ocoee Apopka Rd # 450, Apopka, FL 32703407-464-3858
Total Safety Training & Consultants LLC3590 NW 54th St #3, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309954-540-6241
Toyota Nationwide Lift Trucks6341 Arc Way, Fort Myers, FL 33966239-275-5300

The list of forklift certification classes and schools was last updated on March 1, 2024. If there are any inaccuracies, please report it to us.

Forklift Training Tampa FL

OSHA Forklift Certification Tampa FL

Employment Opportunities & Forklift Jobs in Florida

Florida is an extremely diverse state with many opportunities and landscapes that depend on expert lift truck operators.

First of all, with all of its coasts and ports, Florida is huge on exports and imports. Many products come in to Florida, especially those from South and Central America, 40% to be exact.

You might not think it but Florida is also huge in agriculture; some of Florida’s best-selling products are oranges, cane sugar, tomatoes and cattle.

Most of these products need to be stored in warehouses to be shipped all over the country, which is where someone of your fork lift expertise comes in.

Florida is also a huge transportation hub and has many airports across the state including Southwest Florida, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood international airport to name a few.

Airports have a huge need for people to work behind the scenes to move not only passenger cargo but commercial cargo as well. Having all these job opportunities, obtaining forklift license in Florida makes total sense.

Last but not least Florida is home to Disney world, where people travel from all over the country and perhaps the world to visit. Although many people don’t know is that there is a huge city underneath so that workers can move product across the park.

Working for a huge company such as Disney can provide you with great benefits and opportunity to move up.

This state is as diverse as they come and offers many awesome opportunities for hardworking fork lift operators that are licensed.

Now that you are excited about the opportunities that may be available to you we will go over all of the benefits that come with obtaining your license.

Further reading: How to write a perfect forklift operator resume.

Just don’t wait too long to apply, as these jobs go as quickly as they come.

OSHA Forklift Certification Lakeland FL

OSHA Forklift Training Orlando FL

Benefits of Having a Forklift Certification in Florida

Getting your license to operate a powered industrial truck is not only the law, it is common sense. There are many benefits not only to you but to your employer and fellow employees as well.

First off, a fork lift is a heavy piece of machinery and without the proper training can be very dangerous and cause serious bodily harm.

It is a fact, that nearly a quarter of all accidents are caused by a lack of proper training. This is a jaw-dropping fact and is the main reason why having the proper training is mentioned so much in this article.

Another reason to have a license is because chances are that you will not even be able to get a job without one. This is because employers will not take the risk of hiring someone without a license.

This brings us to why it benefits employers to hire certified operators; the main reason being is because it costs a lot of money to be involved in any lawsuit.

Lawsuits are more prevalent the more accidents that happen in the workplace. Lawyers, court fees and fines can tank any company depending on the severity of the accident.

Another benefit to getting your license is that you will be well-prepared to start your new job and will lay a solid foundation for a potentially rewarding career.

Once you have your license you can drive your fork lift anywhere in the state of Florida or any other state that recognizes it. As you can see there are only pluses to obtaining your license before jumping into the job.

Having an instructor that will physically teach you how to operate a vehicle is priceless to your career.

An online course will not provide the type of training that hands-on training facility will.

Next, we will go over how much you can expect to receive as pay for being a licensed forklift operator in the state of Florida.

Forklift Jobs in Florida

forklift jobs in Orlando FL

Certified Forklift Driver’s Salary in Florida

After reading all of the ins and outs of actually getting your forklift certification in Florida, you may be wondering how much can you expect to make.

In the state of Florida, you can expect to make $34,000 a year, which is above the national average of $31,000 a year. Because of all of the industry throughout this state, the demand for skilled lift truck operators are higher than average.

This is great news for you because not only will it be easy for you to find a job, you will get paid a good salary for your work as well.

Here is a list of the 6 cheapest places to live in Florida, to help make your pay stretch a bit more. Not only working here has its perks, living here is not too shabby as well.

Whether you like surfing, lounging at the beach or visiting theme parks, Florida has it all!

Furthermore, for a skilled operator, there are a lot of opportunities for growth within the company. Following image shows what higher positions in the warehouse can a lift truck driver be promoted.

Forklift Jobs in Tampa FL

forklift jobs in Jacksonville FL

Now, let’s look at how much does a fork lift operator make in different cities of the Florida state.

The table below shows fork lift operator’s annual base salary for 26 major cities in the Florida region.

LocationSalaryLocationSalary
Boca Raton$35,202Miami$34,421
Bradenton$33,463Orlando$33,711
Brandon$34,137Palm Bay$32,008
Cape Coral$33,250Pembroke Pines$34,173
Clearwater$33,676Pensacola$32,079
Daytona Beach$31,866Pompano Beach$34,741
Fort Lauderdale$34,741Port Saint Lucie$33,392
Fort Myers$33,250Saint Petersburg$33,711
Gainesville$32,292Sarasota$33,747
Hialeah$34,208Spring Hill$33,640
Hollywood$34,741Tallahassee$32,186
Jacksonville$34,066Tampa$34,137
Melbourne$32,008West Palm Beach$34,882

* Certified forklift operator salaries were last updated on March 1, 2024.

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

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

OSHA Forklift Certification in Florida

Forklift Training in Jacksonville FL

Forklift License Renewal in Florida

Once you receive your forklift certification in Florida, there will be a renewal process every three years in order to keep it up to date.

You will not want to let your license expire because you could easily lose your job and credibility. The process of renewing is much easier than getting your license for the first time.

Usually an online refresher course is adequate, as you already have on-hand experience maneuvering a fork lift. There are a couple circumstances that you will need to take the whole three-part course again.

Reason number one being is if you want to get additional training on a different type of lift truck.

All fork lifts are different and you will need to learn how to operate a different type in person, with the assistance of a qualified trainer.

The other reason would be if you were in an accident in the workplace you may need to take the whole three-part course. This depends on how severe the situation was.

When in doubt, ask your employer or OSHA representative which you should take in your situation.

All in all, keeping your license should be simple as long as you abide by the rules and are careful in the workplace

Forklift License Florida

OSHA Forklift Training Florida

Getting in Touch With The Authorities

If you still have any question or need more information about forklift license in Florida state, then you can get in touch with the Florida Department of Labor & Employment or an OSHA Area Office in Jacksonville, Florida.

Florida Department of Labor & Employment
Charles E. Bennett Federal Building,
400 West Bay Street, Room 956, Box 017
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Phone: (904) 359-9292
Web: http://www.stateofflorida.com/employment.aspx

OSHA Area Office Florida
Ribault Building, Suite 227
1851 Executive Center Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Phone: (904) 232-2895

Fax: (904) 232-1294
Web: https://www.osha.gov/oshdir/fl.html

In Conclusion

Florida is an awesome state, with many great things to do and see. It is considered a great place to live and has promising opportunities.

Once you do some soul searching and you know that you have what it takes to be a part you can start your journey to becoming a fork lift operator.

In order to get forklift certification in Florida state, you will need to follow the proper steps in getting licensed.

Worry no more!

Once you get your license you are sure to find a great job in this field, as Florida has a wide array of opportunities just waiting for someone like you!

Now, I have laid out everything that you need to know about getting your forklift license in Florida, 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 Oregon, check our OR guide!


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