Questions and answers
Short answers for operators, employers and training centres. If your question is not here, contact us.
Operators
- How do I get a BETA operator card?
- Book a course with a BETA approved training centre, then sit the theory test and the practical test on the machine. The centre sends your results to BETA. Once a BETA reviewer has approved them, you go on the register and your card is issued.
- Does BETA run training courses?
- No. BETA does not train operators or run courses. Approved training centres deliver the training and the tests. BETA sets the standard, reviews every result and issues the cards.
- What do I need to pass?
- The theory test has 25 questions. You must get all 5 safety questions right and at least 16 of the other 20. In the practical test, faults carry penalty points: 40 or fewer is a pass and 41 or more is a fail. Some faults, such as operating without the seatbelt, end the test at once. You must pass both tests.
- I already operate the machine. Do I have to do the full course?
- Not always. The experienced worker route is for someone who already operates the machine and can show it. The instructor records why you qualify and what evidence they saw, then gives a shorter course before the same tests and the same pass marks.
- What happens if I fail?
- You can take the test again. A failed test is recorded on the register but never shown on a card or on the public card check. If you passed one part and failed the other, the pass is recorded.
- What should I do if my card is lost, stolen or damaged?
- Tell BETA or the centre that issued the card as soon as you can. The old card is cancelled on the register and a replacement is issued with the same registration number and the same expiry dates. There is a fee for a replacement card.
Employers and site managers
- How do I check an operator card?
- Scan the QR code on the back of the card with a phone camera, or type the registration number from the front into the card check at betaqualifications.com/verify. It is free and you do not need an account or an app.
- Is there a forklift licence I can check?
- There is no government forklift licence in Great Britain, although people often call an operator card a licence. A BETA card is evidence that the holder was trained and passed a test on the machines listed. You can check it on the BETA register.
- What do Active, Expired, Suspended and Revoked mean?
- Only Active means the card can be relied on today. Expired means its date has passed. Suspended means BETA is investigating. Revoked means BETA has withdrawn it. Each machine on a card also has its own expiry date, so check the machine the person will use.
- The plastic card and the online check disagree. Which is right?
- The online check. It reads the register every time, so a suspension or revocation shows at once. A card whose check shows anything other than Active must not be relied on.
- Does a BETA card mean the operator can work on my site?
- No. A card shows the holder passed a test to BETA's standard. As the employer you still need to give training for the specific job, familiarisation on your site and machines, and written authorisation before they operate.
Training centres
- How does a training centre become approved?
- Send an application with evidence for each requirement. BETA reads it and tells you if anything is missing, then an assessor visits your site, machines and instructors. You are approved, approved with actions, or refused with reasons. Approval lasts 12 months and is renewed after an audit.
- Do we have to tell BETA before each test?
- Yes. Before every test you tell BETA the instructor, the place, the date and time, the route and the machine. That lets an auditor turn up unannounced to watch.
- Can the same instructor train and test a group?
- Yes, but the instructor must record on the test record that they did both and how it was managed. BETA checks these tests more often than tests where the roles were separate.
- What does approval cost?
- Ask BETA for the application pack and the current fees. The same fees apply to every centre. BETA does not set the price a centre charges for a course.
Cards and recognition
- What is the difference between Red, Blue and Gold cards?
- A Red card is for a trained operator and lasts 2 years. A Blue card is for a competent operator and lasts 5 years. A Gold card is for a Blue card holder with two clean renewals behind them; it lasts 5 years and is renewed by an audited logbook and a test.
- Which machines can a BETA card cover?
- At launch: counterbalance forklift, reach truck, very narrow aisle truck, powered pallet and stacker trucks, 360 excavators below and above 10 tonnes, forward tipping dumper, three telehandler categories, scissor lift and mobile boom MEWPs, and the slinger and signaller and plant and vehicle marshaller roles.
- Is BETA recognised by CITB or part of CSCS?
- Not yet. BETA is not recognised by CITB, is not part of the CSCS scheme and is not regulated by Ofqual. BETA is working towards recognition by CITB. If it is granted, the BETA website will say so with a link to CITB's own listing.