Forklift certification in California

7 forklift programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

6 schools offer these forklift programs, and California has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Forklift operators drive industrial trucks with a lifting mechanism and forks to move heavy and large loads around warehouses, storage yards and other worksites. No formal education is usually required, and a forklift may take only a few days to learn; training covers safety rules, many of them set by OSHA, and employers must certify that each operator has been properly trained.¹

In California, 5 of the 7 programs take students without a high school diploma and 2 ask for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 7 programs here are forklift certification course (6 programs) and forklift and warehouse course (1 program).

See the 7 programs

How much does forklift certification cost in California?

$225 to $792 is what most forklift programs in California cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 6 programs with a price. All of them: $100 to $1,000

In the typical program

Finished the program: 91%
Working 6 months later: Not enough data; 4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated: Not enough data; 4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length: 1 to 2 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in California may also offer forklift training. How these figures are made

Is there free forklift training in California?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴In program year 2024 it paid toward the training of at least 61 people at 4 of the 7 programs here.
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁵ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁴
Or pay yourself. Most forklift programs in California cost $225 to $792. Prices on this page run from $100 to $1,000.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 7 forklift programs in California approved for WIOA funding

7 programs

Forklift and warehouse courseIn personEducation and courses
Warehouse & Forklift Operator
Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD
San Pedro
Education and courses
Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD, San PedroForklift and warehouse courseIn person · Education and courses
Earned a year, estimated$37,800
Price if you pay yourself$770
School website, Warehouse & Forklift Operator at Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD
More details about Warehouse & Forklift Operator at Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD
Finished
81%
Working at 6 months
77%
Earned in a quarter
$9,459
Length
6 weeks, 9 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$430
Students counted
564
Earned a year, estimated
$37,800
Price if you pay yourself
$770
School website, Warehouse & Forklift Operator at Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD
Forklift certification courseHybridEducation and courses
Forklift Certification
Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD
San Pedro
Education and courses
Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD, San PedroForklift certification courseHybrid · Education and courses
Earned a year, estimated$44,500
Price if you pay yourself$300
15 students trained with WIOA funding
School website, Forklift Certification at Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD
More details about Forklift Certification at Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD
Finished
80%
Working at 6 months
73%
Earned in a quarter
$11,118
Length
2 weeks, 15 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$239
Students counted
548
Earned a year, estimated
$44,500
Price if you pay yourself
$300
students trained with WIOA funding
15
School website, Forklift Certification at Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD
Forklift certification courseHybridNo diploma needed
Forklift Preparation
Fairfield Suisun Adult School
Fairfield
No diploma needed
Fairfield Suisun Adult School, FairfieldForklift certification courseHybrid · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$100
3 students trained with WIOA funding
School website, Forklift Preparation at Fairfield Suisun Adult School
More details about Forklift Preparation at Fairfield Suisun Adult School
Finished
91%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 7 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
368
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$100
students trained with WIOA funding
3
School website, Forklift Preparation at Fairfield Suisun Adult School
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Forklift Operator Training
Sacramento City USD-Charles A. Jones
Sacramento
No diploma needed
Sacramento City USD-Charles A. Jones, SacramentoForklift certification courseIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$32,100
Price if you pay yourself$200
37 students trained with WIOA funding
Program website, Forklift Operator Training at Sacramento City USD-Charles A. Jones
More details about Forklift Operator Training at Sacramento City USD-Charles A. Jones
Finished
100%
Working at 6 months
100%
Earned in a quarter
$8,013
Length
1 week, 6 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$50
Students counted
48
Earned a year, estimated
$32,100
Price if you pay yourself
$200
students trained with WIOA funding
37
Program website, Forklift Operator Training at Sacramento City USD-Charles A. Jones
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Forklift/Electric Pallet Jack Operator
Compton Adult School
Compton
No diploma needed
Compton Adult School, ComptonForklift certification courseIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$20,600
Price if you pay yourself$800
6 students trained with WIOA funding
Program website, Forklift/Electric Pallet Jack Operator at Compton Adult School
More details about Forklift/Electric Pallet Jack Operator at Compton Adult School
Finished
94%
Working at 6 months
53%
Earned in a quarter
$5,145
Length
1 week, 16 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
19
Earned a year, estimated
$20,600
Price if you pay yourself
$800
students trained with WIOA funding
6
Program website, Forklift/Electric Pallet Jack Operator at Compton Adult School
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Forklift Training
San Bernardino Community College District
San Bernardino
No diploma needed
San Bernardino Community College District, San BernardinoForklift certification courseIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$1,000
More details about Forklift Training at San Bernardino Community College District
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 36 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$1,000
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Forklift
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Training Academy
Bakersfield
No diploma needed
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Training Academy, BakersfieldForklift certification courseIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
More details about Forklift at Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Training Academy
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 4 hours a week
Cost of supplies
Not reported
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
Left out

How to pay for forklift training in California

WIOA funding can pay for forklift training in California

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for forklift training

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁶⁷

GI Bill for forklift training

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁸

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Quick facts: Forklift certification in California

programs with a price cost under $1,000: 5 of 6
forklift programs here, against the typical state's 2: 7 vs 2

State comparisons use the same figures as the forklift training by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Forklift certification in Los Angeles, Vallejo, Sacramento and other California cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in California

How forklift training compares with the rest of transportation and logistics: Transportation and logistics training in California

Where the California forklift program numbers come from

Which California forklift programs are on this list?

These are the forklift programs California approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁹ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what California offers.

How the prices and results of California forklift programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about forklift training in California

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Forklift certification in California

How much does forklift certification cost in California?

Is there free forklift training in California?

All 7 forklift programs in California approved for WIOA funding

Warehouse & Forklift Operator