Forklift certification in Virginia

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

7 schools offer these forklift programs, and Virginia 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 Virginia, 5 of the 7 programs take students without a high school diploma and 2 ask for a diploma or equivalent.

All 7 are the same kind of program: forklift certification course.

See the 7 programs

How much does forklift certification cost in Virginia?

$246 to $338 is what most forklift programs in Virginia cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 6 programs with a price. All of them: $125 to $375

In the typical program

Finished the program: Not enough data; 3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later: Not enough data; 2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated: Not enough data; 2 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 Virginia may also offer forklift training. How these figures are made

Is there free forklift training in Virginia?

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 5 people at 1 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 Virginia cost $246 to $338. Prices on this page run from $125 to $375.

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

All 7 forklift programs in Virginia approved for WIOA funding

7 programs

Forklift certification courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Forklift Operator
Community College Workforce Alliance
Midlothian
High school diploma or equivalent
Community College Workforce Alliance, MidlothianForklift certification courseIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$29,400
Price if you pay yourself$125
More details about Forklift Operator at Community College Workforce Alliance
Finished
97%
Working at 6 months
37%
Earned in a quarter
$7,362
Length
1 week, 12 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
280
Earned a year, estimated
$29,400
Price if you pay yourself
$125
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Forklift Operator Course
QED Systems, Inc. Center for Training and Development
Norfolk
No diploma needed
QED Systems, Inc. Center for Training and Development, NorfolkForklift certification courseIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$375
5 students trained with WIOA funding
More details about Forklift Operator Course at QED Systems, Inc. Center for Training and Development
Finished
100%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 16 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
44
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$375
students trained with WIOA funding
5
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Forklift Operation-Sit Down, Stand up Highreach, and Electric Pallet Jack
Blue Ridge Community College
Weyers Cave
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Blue Ridge Community College, Weyers CaveForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$25,000
Price if you pay yourself$245
More details about Forklift Operation-Sit Down, Stand up Highreach, and Electric Pallet Jack at Blue Ridge Community College
Finished
100%
Working at 6 months
36%
Earned in a quarter
$6,245
Length
1 week, 8 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
28
Earned a year, estimated
$25,000
Price if you pay yourself
$245
Forklift certification courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Forklift and Reach Truck Operator
Tidewater Community College
Norfolk
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Tidewater Community College, NorfolkForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$250
More details about Forklift and Reach Truck Operator at Tidewater Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 15 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$250
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Forklift Operator Course
Hampton University
Hampton
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Hampton University, HamptonForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$300
More details about Forklift Operator Course at Hampton University
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
4 weeks, 15 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$300
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Fork, Clamp, & Reach Truck Operator
Paul D Camp Community College
Franklin
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Paul D Camp Community College, FranklinForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$350
More details about Fork, Clamp, & Reach Truck Operator at Paul D Camp Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 15 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$350
Forklift certification courseHybridNo diploma needed
OSHA Forklift Certification
Germanna Community College
Fredericksburg
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Germanna Community College, FredericksburgForklift certification course · Accredited schoolHybrid · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
More details about OSHA Forklift Certification at Germanna Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
2 weeks, 2 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 Virginia

WIOA funding can pay for forklift training in Virginia

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 Virginia

programs with a price cost under $1,000: 6 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 Virginia Beach, Richmond, Staunton and other Virginia cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 1 in smaller cities and towns.

Other training in Virginia

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

Where the Virginia forklift program numbers come from

Which Virginia forklift programs are on this list?

These are the forklift programs Virginia 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 Virginia offers.

How the prices and results of Virginia 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 Virginia

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