Forklift certification in North Carolina

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

13 schools offer these forklift programs, and North Carolina 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 North Carolina, 10 of the 13 programs take students without a high school diploma and 3 ask for a diploma or equivalent.

All 13 are the same kind of program: forklift certification course.

See the 13 programs

How much does forklift certification cost in North Carolina?

$131 to $144

is what the 2 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program: Not enough data; 2 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 week

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

Is there free forklift training in North Carolina?

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 10 people at 1 of the 13 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. These programs cost $131 to $144.

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

All 13 forklift programs in North Carolina approved for WIOA funding

13 programs

Forklift certification courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Forklift Operator
Guilford Technical Community College
High Point
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Guilford Technical Community College, High PointForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$28,900
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
10 students trained with WIOA funding
Program website, Forklift Operator at Guilford Technical Community College
More details about Forklift Operator at Guilford Technical Community College
Finished
96%
Working at 6 months
73%
Earned in a quarter
$7,226
Length
1 week, 14 hours a week
Cost of supplies
Not reported
Students counted
452
Earned a year, estimated
$28,900
Price if you pay yourself
Left out
students trained with WIOA funding
10
Program website, Forklift Operator at Guilford Technical Community College
Forklift certification courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Forklift Operator/Safety
College of the Albemarle
Elizabeth City
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
College of the Albemarle, Elizabeth CityForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$26,400
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
Program website, Forklift Operator/Safety at College of the Albemarle
More details about Forklift Operator/Safety at College of the Albemarle
Finished
94%
Working at 6 months
58%
Earned in a quarter
$6,593
Length
1 week, 8 hours a week
Cost of supplies
Not reported
Students counted
58
Earned a year, estimated
$26,400
Price if you pay yourself
Left out
Program website, Forklift Operator/Safety at College of the Albemarle
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Forklift Training
Durham Technical Community College
Durham
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Durham Technical Community College, DurhamForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$131
School website, Forklift Training at Durham Technical Community College
More details about Forklift Training at Durham Technical Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 8 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$131
School website, Forklift Training at Durham Technical Community College
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Forklift Certification Training (AUX 7500)
Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Central Piedmont Community College, CharlotteForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$144
Program website, Forklift Certification Training (AUX 7500) at Central Piedmont Community College
More details about Forklift Certification Training (AUX 7500) at Central Piedmont Community College
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
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$144
Program website, Forklift Certification Training (AUX 7500) at Central Piedmont Community College
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
56-Hour Forklift Operator WFD/CE
Craven Community College
New Bern
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Craven Community College, New BernForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
Program website, 56-Hour Forklift Operator WFD/CE at Craven Community College
More details about 56-Hour Forklift Operator WFD/CE at Craven Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
5 weeks, 12 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
Program website, 56-Hour Forklift Operator WFD/CE at Craven Community College
Forklift certification courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
FORKLIFT - Fundamentals for Forklift Driver
Fayetteville Technical Community College
Fayetteville
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Fayetteville Technical Community College, FayettevilleForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
School website, FORKLIFT - Fundamentals for Forklift Driver at Fayetteville Technical Community College
More details about FORKLIFT - Fundamentals for Forklift Driver at Fayetteville Technical Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
3 weeks, 24 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
School website, FORKLIFT - Fundamentals for Forklift Driver at Fayetteville Technical Community College
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Fork Lift Operation/Operator
Surry Community College
Dobson
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Surry Community College, DobsonForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
Program website, Fork Lift Operation/Operator at Surry Community College
More details about Fork Lift Operation/Operator at Surry Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 8 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
Program website, Fork Lift Operation/Operator at Surry Community College
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Forklift
Piedmont Community College
Roxboro
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Piedmont Community College, RoxboroForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
Program website, Forklift at Piedmont Community College
More details about Forklift at Piedmont Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 12 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
Program website, Forklift at Piedmont Community College
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Forklift
Richmond Community College
Hamlet
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Richmond Community College, HamletForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
School website, Forklift at Richmond Community College
More details about Forklift at Richmond Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 8 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
School website, Forklift at Richmond Community College
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Forklift Operator
Bladen Community College
Dublin
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Bladen Community College, DublinForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
School website, Forklift Operator at Bladen Community College
More details about Forklift Operator at Bladen Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 10 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
School website, Forklift Operator at Bladen Community College
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Forklift Training
Davidson-Davie Community College
Thomasville
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Davidson-Davie Community College, ThomasvilleForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
Program website, Forklift Training at Davidson-Davie Community College
More details about Forklift Training at Davidson-Davie Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 6 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
Program website, Forklift Training at Davidson-Davie Community College
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Lift Truck Operator
Sandhills Community College
Pinehurst
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Sandhills Community College, PinehurstForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
Program website, Lift Truck Operator at Sandhills Community College
More details about Lift Truck Operator at Sandhills Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 11 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
Program website, Lift Truck Operator at Sandhills Community College
Forklift certification courseIn personNo diploma needed
Lift Truck Operator (Forklift Certification)
Cape Fear Community College
Wilmington
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Cape Fear Community College, WilmingtonForklift certification course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
Program website, Lift Truck Operator (Forklift Certification) at Cape Fear Community College
More details about Lift Truck Operator (Forklift Certification) at Cape Fear Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 10 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
Program website, Lift Truck Operator (Forklift Certification) at Cape Fear Community College

How to pay for forklift training in North Carolina

WIOA funding can pay for forklift training in North Carolina

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.

Forklift certification in Durham, Greensboro, Charlotte and other North Carolina cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 4 more programs are in 4 other areas, 2 in smaller cities and towns.

Other training in North Carolina

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

Where the North Carolina forklift program numbers come from

Which North Carolina forklift programs are on this list?

These are the forklift programs North Carolina 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 North Carolina offers.

How the prices and results of North Carolina 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 North Carolina

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Forklift certification in North Carolina

How much does forklift certification cost in North Carolina?

Is there free forklift training in North Carolina?

All 13 forklift programs in North Carolina approved for WIOA funding

Forklift Operator

Forklift Operator/Safety

Forklift Training

Forklift Certification Training (AUX 7500)

56-Hour Forklift Operator WFD/CE

FORKLIFT - Fundamentals for Forklift Driver

Fork Lift Operation/Operator

Forklift