Search for a “forklift licence” in New Zealand and you will find two different things that both get called a licence: the forklift operator certificate (often still called the OSH certificate) and the F endorsement on your driver licence. They cover different places, come from different rules and expire differently. Here is how they work, and which one you or your staff actually need.
The short answer
- Driving a forklift at work, off the road (in a warehouse, yard or site with no public access): you need a forklift operator certificate.
- Driving a forklift on a road (and in New Zealand that includes far more places than you might think, see below): you need an F endorsement on your driver licence as well.
Most people who use a forklift every day only need the operator certificate. If your forklift ever leaves the site or crosses an area the public can reach, you need both.
What is the forklift operator certificate (OSH)?
The operator certificate is the standard workplace forklift qualification in New Zealand. People still call it the “OSH certificate” after the old Occupational Safety and Health service, which is now WorkSafe.
Training is based on WorkSafe’s Approved Code of Practice for Training Operators and Instructors of Powered Industrial Lift Trucks, which sets out the standard of training forklift owners, managers and trainers should provide. On our course you learn to:
- explain the safe operation of a forklift
- carry out a pre-operational inspection and start-up
- demonstrate practical forklift driving and load handling skills
- park and shut down a forklift safely
These outcomes line up with NZQA unit standard 10851, Operate a powered industrial lift truck (forklift), worth 7 credits at level 3. On our course the NZQA credits are optional: once earned, they stay on your NZQA Record of Achievement for good.
How long it lasts: the operator certificate is valid for 3 years. The Code of Practice recommends refresher training every three years, so before your certificate expires you do a refresher course to renew it for another 3 years.
Do you need a driver licence for it? No. The operator certificate is about operating the forklift safely at work, not about driving on the road.
What is the F endorsement?
The F endorsement is an NZTA endorsement that goes on your driver licence. NZTA’s rule is simple: if you drive a forklift on the road, you must have an F endorsement.
The key detail is what counts as a “road”. Under transport law it is very broad. NZTA’s definition includes not just streets and highways but any place the public has access to, including bridges, beaches, riverbeds, reserve land, wharves and road shoulders. That takes in places like public car parks too, and NZTA says a factory yard with no gate may also count. If your forklift goes into any of those areas, road rules apply, and you need the endorsement.
You also need the right class of driver licence for the weight of the forklift including its load:
- Class 1 (car) licence with an F endorsement covers forklifts up to 18,000 kg loaded
- Class 2 licence with an F endorsement covers forklifts over 18,000 kg loaded
How to get an F endorsement
- Hold a full driver licence of the right class.
- Complete an approved F endorsement course. Ours covers NZQA unit standard 18496 and runs for 3.5 hours. You need a current forklift operator certificate before you start.
- Apply at a driver licensing agent (such as AA or VTNZ). Take the completed DL19 application form, your driver licence or two other forms of ID, your course certificate and an eyesight check or certificate, and pay the NZTA application fee.
- Wait for the endorsement to appear on your licence. NZTA is clear that the course certificate alone does not let you drive a forklift on the road. The endorsement has to be on your licence first.
How long it lasts: the F endorsement expires on the same date as your driver licence. NZTA’s F endorsement page has the current fee and form.
Operator certificate vs F endorsement at a glance
| Operator certificate (OSH) | F endorsement | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it applies | Workplaces off the road: warehouses, closed yards, sites | Roads and any area the public can access |
| Based on | WorkSafe Approved Code of Practice | NZTA driver licensing rules |
| NZQA unit standard | 10851 (optional credits) | 18496 |
| Driver licence needed? | No | Yes, full class 1 or class 2 |
| How long it lasts | 3 years, then refresher | Until your driver licence expires |
Is the certificate enough on its own?
Not quite. A certificate shows someone has the core skills, but every workplace is different. WorkSafe notes that each work environment may need training to suit its own hazards, and employers have duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 to make sure workers are trained to use plant safely in their workplace. That means walking new operators through your own site: the routes, the racking, the pedestrian areas, the loads and the forklifts they will actually drive.
This is one reason businesses with several operators often train onsite. Our trainer comes to your workplace and can build the training around your own forklifts and layout.
Which course do you need?
- New to forklifts, working off-road only: Forklift Operator Training, full day, $255 + GST
- Already hold a current operator certificate and need to drive on the road: Forklift F Endorsement, 3.5 hours, $159 + GST
- New to forklifts and need both: Forklift Operator Training + F Endorsement, 9 hours, $310 + GST
- Certificate due for renewal: Forklift Operator Training Refresher, $210 + GST, or Refresher + F Endorsement, $270 + GST
Training a team? Request an onsite quote and tell us how many staff need training and which certificates they need.
A change coming to the forklift unit standard
NZQA has replaced unit standard 10851 with a new skill standard, 40735. The current standard can be assessed until the end of 2027. Credits already earned stay on your Record of Achievement, and we will keep our courses up to date as the change comes in.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a licence to drive a forklift in NZ?
To drive a forklift at work off the road, you need a forklift operator certificate, not a driver licence. To drive a forklift on a road, or in any area the public can access, you need a full driver licence with an F endorsement.
Is the OSH certificate the same as a forklift licence?
“Forklift licence” is what most people call the operator certificate, also known as the OSH certificate. It is a workplace training certificate, not a driver licence. The F endorsement is the part that goes on your actual driver licence.
How long is a forklift certificate valid in NZ?
The forklift operator certificate is valid for 3 years. To keep it current, complete a refresher course before it expires.
How long does an F endorsement last?
The F endorsement expires on the same date as your driver licence.
Can I drive a forklift in a car park without an F endorsement?
No, if the public can access the car park. NZTA treats any place the public has access to as a road, so you need an F endorsement to drive a forklift there.
Book your forklift training
Compare all our forklift training courses, see upcoming forklift course dates, or request an onsite quote to train your team at your workplace. Questions? Call us on 0800 692 244.