Forklift Instructor Course

Become an accredited in-house forklift instructor for your company

Next Forklift Instructor Course Date

The next course date will be: 17th September 2026 at our Birmingham Forklift Training Centre.

Start date: 17/09/2026 | Re-Registration/ conversion start date 24/09/2026

Examination Date: 30/09/2026

Call us directly on 0121 411 0727 to discuss discounts and offers

Who is The RTITB Accredited Forklift Instructor Course For?

This forklift instructor course is designed for businesses that want greater control over how forklift training is delivered on site. It is particularly suited to organisations that operate forklifts daily and need a practical, reliable way to train and refresh operators without relying on external providers every time.

The course is ideal for:

Warehouses and distribution centres with multiple forklift operators
Manufacturing and production sites where forklifts form part of daily operations
Businesses with regular staff turnover that need to train new operators efficiently
Companies looking to keep operator training up to date with current guidance and best practice
Organisations that want to reduce downtime caused by waiting for external training availability

It is also well suited to individuals within a business who are being nominated to take responsibility for forklift training, such as:

Health and safety managers
Warehouse or operations managers
Supervisors or team leaders with operational experience
Experienced forklift operators progressing into a training role

This course is not aimed at people looking to become freelance trainers. It is designed specifically to qualify an in house member of staff to train, assess, and refresh forklift operators within their own organisation, helping businesses maintain consistent standards and safer working practices across their site.

10 Day – RTITB Novice Forklift Instructor

Aimed at instructors who want to train operators to RTITB standards, either in-house or on a commercial basis

Total Cost: £1,899+VAT

RTITB registration fee not included.

5 Day – Re-registration + Refresher Forklift Instructor

Aimed at existing (typically commercial) RTITB instructors who train on a regular basis to a high standard.

Total Cost: £999.99+VAT

RTITB registration fee not included.

Instructor Course Detail

Introduction to and familiarisation with the truck and operations
Health and Safety
Relevant Regulations
Approved Code of Practice (ACOP)
Instructor Role and Qualities
Basic Principles of Instruction
Skills and Task Analysis
Planning, preparing and presenting instruction
Example of practical instruction
Lesson Structure (Practical)
Lesson Structure (Theory)
Report Writing
Visual Aids
Lift Truck Test

Have proof of successfully completing the Counterbalance Basic Operating Skills Test within the last 12 months
Have significant experience as a counterbalance operator, we recommend an absolute minimum of 6 months
Have good communication skills
Have the confidence to present to large and small groups of their peers

RTITB Pre-course Requirements

Effective January 1st, 2023, RTITB has revised the prerequisites for participating in its Lift Truck Instructor course. The goal of these changes is to enhance the calibre of RTITB Instructors and ultimately advance safety standards throughout the industry.

All candidates attending an RTITB Instructor course must now have completed the eTruck UK lift truck theory eLearning course. This is so that Instructor training candidates begin the course with a suitable level of operator-level fundamental knowledge. This helps ensure that accurate and relevant safety information is passed down to the operators they train.

The eTruck curriculum goes beyond the typical operator theory training by including topics such as behavioural safety and the impact of stress on decision-making. It provides a fresh perspective on material not usually covered in conventional training sessions.

This eligibility change is part of a ‘flipped classroom’ approach. The RTITB Lift Truck Instructor course is undergoing a comprehensive update and this is the first step. The update aims to bring the training into the modern age by giving candidates more control over their learning process and enhancing their digital skills. The update will modernise the overall training experience.

A ‘flipped classroom’ pushes candidates to engage in more active learning. This supports better knowledge retention. And it enables them to arrive at the course with greater confidence.

To pass the lift truck instructor course you will need to pass an examination consisting of three elements:

1. Basic operating skills test on a counterbalance lift truck and pass to instructor standard on the first day of the course (maximum 25 penalties allowed). This test also requires the candidate to undertake both the Associated Knowledge element of the Operator test and also the Pre-Use Inspection test. (A suitable period of truck familiarisation will be provided prior to the tests being conducted)

2. Associated Knowledge, multiple choice theory paper (Pass mark is 80%)

3. Practical Instructional Ability, deliver a session of no more than 40 minutes in length covering a basic operating skill (Pass mark is 70 out of a possible 100)

What This Forklift Instructor Course

Allows You to Do

On successful completion of the forklift instructor course, the nominated individual will be qualified to deliver forklift operator training within your organisation.

This includes the ability to:

Train new forklift operators from scratch in house
Provide refresher training to existing operators
Assess operator competence and performance
Deliver training that reflects current safety guidance and best practice
Maintain consistency in how forklift training is delivered across your site

This gives businesses the confidence that operator training is managed internally, delivered to a consistent standard, and aligned with operational needs.

Why Businesses Choose an In House Forklift Instructor

Many businesses move to an in house forklift instructor model to gain greater flexibility and control over training.

Key reasons include:

Reduced reliance on external training providers
Faster onboarding of new staff
Training scheduled around operational demands
Improved consistency in operator standards
Greater oversight of safety and compliance

For organisations with ongoing forklift use, qualifying an in house instructor is a practical, long term approach to managing operator training effectively.