Ask around a warehouse and you’ll hear “forklift licence” used as a catch-all term, but SafeWork doesn’t see it that way. In South Australia (and nationally, through the harmonised High Risk Work Licence system), there are two separate licence classes covering what most people just call “a forklift”: LF and LO. They’re issued differently, they’re assessed differently, and one does not cover the other.
Here’s the difference, in plain terms, and how to work out which one your job actually needs.
LF: Licence to Operate a Forklift Truck
LF covers what most people picture when they hear “forklift”: a counterbalance or reach truck, where the operator sits or stands in a fixed cab and the mast lifts the load in front of, or next to, via a carriage that travels up a mast.
- Unit of competency: TLILIC0003, Licence to Operate a Forklift Truck
- Covers: Counterbalance forklifts and reach trucks with a mast and elevating load carriage that can lift 900mm or more off the ground
- Typical use: Pallet movement, staging, replenishment, put-away, dock work or construction
- Course options: Three day beginners ($710.00), two day intermediate ($570), or one day assessment-only for experienced operators ($570)
LO: Licence to Operate an Order Picking Forklift
LO is a different machine entirely. Instead of a fixed cab, the operator stands on a platform that rises with the load, letting them reach stock at height in narrow-aisle, high-bay racking. This licence class also covers turret trucks, which are purpose-built, battery-powered machines for narrow aisle work.
- Unit of competency: TLILIC0004, Licence to Operate an Order Picking Forklift
- Covers: Order picking forklifts (platform rises with the load) and turret trucks
- Typical use: High-bay warehousing, e-commerce fulfilment, narrow-aisle picking
- Course options: Two day intermediate ($490), or one day assessment-only for experienced operators ($490)
The part that catches people out: LF does not cover LO, and LO does not cover LF
This is the single most common point of confusion we see at enrolment. Holding an LF licence does not authorise you to operate an order picking forklift, and holding an LO licence does not authorise you to jump on a counterbalance forklift. They are assessed against different units of competency and issued as separate licence classes on your SafeWork card. If your job (or the job you’re applying for) could involve both machines, you need both licences.
The good news is that if you’re doing both at once, Forklift Quality Training bundles LF and LO courses (along with other High Risk Work Licence plant courses like Boom Lift over 11 metres) at a discounted rate. It’s worth asking about when you enquire.
How the licence actually gets issued (it’s the same process for both)
Whether you’re doing LF or LO, the pathway is identical:
- Complete the accredited training and assessment course (TLILIC0003 for LF, TLILIC0004 for LO).
- Sit the SafeWork High Risk Work Licence assessment, a closed-book test completed individually, covering knowledge, calculations and a practical component.
- On a satisfactory result, you’ll receive a Notice of Satisfactory Assessment (NSA) and a tax invoice.
- Lodge the paperwork with Service SA (or your local regulator’s equivalent) within 60 days to have your High Risk Work Licence issued.
Both LF and LO licences are valid for five years and are recognised nationally while current, under the harmonised system administered by Safe Work Australia and, in South Australia, SafeWork SA.
Which one do I need?
A quick way to work it out: if the operator stays in a fixed position and the fork carriage moves up and down a mast in front of them, that’s LF. If the operator physically rises with the platform to reach the pick, that’s LO. If you genuinely can’t tell, the safest move is to ask FQT. This is as some stock pickers fall into a Elevated Work Platform (EWP RIIHAN301E) category instead of a Order Picker LO licence category.
For a full walkthrough of how forklift licensing fits into the broader High Risk Work Licence system, see our complete guide to forklift licences in Aussie workplaces. If cost or renewal timing is your main question right now, we’ve also broken down what a forklift licence costs in Adelaide in 2026 and how to renew your forklift licence in South Australia.
Quick answers
Does an LF licence cover order pickers? No. LF and LO are separate High Risk Work Licence classes, each with its own unit of competency and SafeWork assessment. You need both if your role covers both machines.
Which licence do I need for a reach truck? LF. Reach trucks fall under the same TLILIC0003 unit of competency as counterbalance forklifts.
Do turret trucks need a separate licence? No, turret trucks are covered under the LO licence class alongside order picking forklifts.
How long is an LF or LO licence valid for? Five years, and it’s nationally recognised while current.
Book LF or LO training in Adelaide
Forklift Quality Training runs LF and LO courses at our Wingfield training centre, with onsite delivery available across metro Adelaide, regional SA, Darwin and regional NT. Get in touch or call 08 8244 4958 to find the right course for you.
Forklift Quality Training (FQT), RTO 45625, Adelaide.