Forklift course: cost, content and choosing a centre

Is a training course compulsory?

The law doesn't require a course before you can take the UDT exam. The application doesn't ask for a course certificate, and a training certificate on its own doesn't let you operate a forklift. So pick a course for the knowledge and practice you'll get out of it. If you're new to the machine, ask what supervised exercises you'll do. The exam date alone tells you very little.

To take the UDT exam you must be at least 18 and speak enough Polish to sit it, or arrange a sworn interpreter. A medical certificate is not a required attachment to the UDT application. According to training centres, though, a centre or an employer may still ask for medical checks. Keep exam requirements apart from enrolment conditions and from what you need to start work.

Choosing between II WJO and I WJO

Training centres call ordinary forklifts II WJO and specialised trucks, including telescopic handlers, I WJO. These are market labels. You won't find them in the current validity table, so check the full wording in your documents. The scope that excludes boom-equipped trucks and trucks that raise a person with the load is valid for 10 years.

The scope that covers boom-equipped trucks and trucks that raise a person with the load is valid for 5 years and also covers the remaining forklifts. Don't let the longer certificate period make the decision for you. Ask your future employer which machine you'll be operating, then compare it with the scope of the course, the application and the practical exercises the centre offers.

What the syllabus should cover

The official UDT topic list covers regulations, types of lifting and handling equipment, lifting capacity, stability, construction and mechanisms. It also includes electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems and the operating instructions. A good course ties each component's name to what it does and shows you how to read a capacity diagram for a real task. Memorising answer letters won't get you there.

The topics also include checks before, during and after work, what to do after an accident, working with slingers, special working conditions, LPG and safe operation. Ask to practise daily technical checks and moving a load. Find out whether the instructor covers when you must not attempt a manoeuvre, as well as how to do it correctly.

Course duration and price

Training-centre examples vary. Akademia Operatora lists 11 hours of theory and 5 hours of practice, while ODEKA describes courses that usually run 40-80 hours. These show how centres organise training; they are not an official UDT minimum. Ask how much time you'll personally spend at the controls, how the group is split and what counts as a practical hour in that offer.

According to training-centre websites, October 2026, a II WJO course costs roughly 600-1100 zł, and the 333.88 zł UDT exam fee is usually paid separately. ODEKA's example for I WJO is 800 zł plus the exam. Compare what's in the package before you compare prices. Similar totals can hide different amounts of practice and different arrangements for organising the exam.

LPG forklifts and cylinder replacement

Anyone operating a gas-powered forklift, and anyone changing its cylinders, must be trained in safe use and cylinder replacement. That comes from § 4 ust. 3 of the Polish forklift safety regulations. The training is done with an employer or a centre and is not a separate UDT exam for cylinder replacement. Don't confuse replacing a cylinder with filling one, either. They're different jobs.

If an offer mentions LPG, ask what the training covers and how completion is documented. According to training centres, this training costs about 150-600 zł. Check whether it's already in your forklift package. The letters LPG in an ad tell you nothing about the content or how it's paid for.

Check the centre before enrolling

Compare the centre's facilities with the official practical-exam requirements: a START area, a route with at least 2 obstacles and a load placement area at least 1 m high. Confirm that a suitable forklift, its documentation and a qualified operator will be there. Ask whether you'll practise on a layout that actually prepares you for those tasks.

In the exam you carry a load along the route and reverse back to START. If the venue isn't prepared, or the documentation or a qualified operator is missing, the exam can end with a negative result before you do the task at all. That's why organisation matters when you choose a centre. Ask who provides the machine and prepares the area for your exam date.

Start your theory practice in UDT Trener, in the Forklift trucks or Specialised forklifts bank, using the link below this guide. Read the explanations, go back to the diagrams and write down questions for your instructor. The trainer helps you organise what you know, but daily technical checks and driving with a load need supervised practice on the right equipment.