Do I need a forklift licence to apply?

Most employers ask for one, and you usually need training on the truck type you will drive. If you do not have one, mention your warehouse experience and say that you are willing to train.

Is my licence valid on every site?

Your employer must make sure you are trained and authorised for their trucks and site, so they may give you familiarisation training. Say which trucks you have used.

What should I do if my licence is old?

List it with the date and say that you are ready for refresher training. Employers usually want operator training kept up to date.

Forklift driver CV example

A strong forklift driver CV shows a valid licence for the truck type you drive, safe handling of pallets and loads and accurate stock movements. It should state your truck types, your licence or training details and your record for safety and reliability.

Daniel Reyes

Forklift driver

daniel@example.com07700 900145Glasgow

Profile

Safe and dependable forklift driver with five years of experience moving pallets in a busy distribution warehouse. Holds a counterbalance forklift licence and is also trained on reach trucks and pallet trucks. Carries out daily safety checks, loads and unloads accurately and follows site rules closely.

Experience

Forklift Driver

a regional distribution warehouse

Loaded and unloaded around 20 lorries a shift using a counterbalance forklift

Carried out daily pre-use checks on the truck and reported faults before starting work

Put pallets into racking up to five levels high, using a handheld scanner to record locations

Followed site traffic rules, kept walkways clear and worked safely around pedestrians

Helped the team meet dispatch cut-off times by moving priority orders to the loading bays first

Warehouse Operative

a food and drinks distributor

Picked and packed orders accurately to meet daily targets

Used pallet trucks to move stock around the warehouse

Checked stock against delivery notes and reported damage or shortages

Kept work areas clean and free from hazards

Worked early and late shifts, plus overtime during busy periods

Key skills

Counterbalance forklift licenceReach truck operationPallet truck useDaily truck safety checksLoading and unloading lorriesStock locations and scanningRacking and stackingManual handlingHealth and safety rulesWorking to shift targets

Example · fictional candidate · Sunrise design · Use this design

Tips for a forklift driver CV

State the truck types you are trained on, such as counterbalance or reach, and when you last renewed
List your licence or certificate and the training provider, if you have it
Mention your daily checks and safety habits, because employers want a safe driver
Give the type of warehouse and loads, such as pallets, cold storage or long goods
Include an accident-free record if you can honestly say so
Note your early, late, night and overtime availability

Applying with a cover letter? See our forklift driver cover letter example.