What is the CACES and how to obtain it?
07 March 2025 · 4 min reading time
Join Staffmatch
See job offersThe CACES (Certificat d'Aptitude à la Conduite En Sécurité - Certificate of Aptitude for Safe Driving) is an essential certification for many jobs in the logistics, construction, and industrial sectors. In addition to guaranteeing worker safety, it meets legal requirements for risk prevention. In this guide, we detail everything you need to know about the CACES in 2024: its definition, its advantages, the categories of equipment concerned, and the steps to obtain it.
CACES Training: Definition and Usefulness
What is the CACES?
It is a certificate that verifies that an employee or temporary worker has the necessary skills to safely operate specific equipment, such as forklifts or aerial work platforms.
Established in France as part of occupational risk prevention, unlike a classic driver's license, the CACES is a supplementary training requirement demanded by employers, often accompanied by a driving authorization issued by the company. It is part of a compliance approach with the Labor Code and employers' obligations regarding safety training.
🚀 Don't forget: when you are a temporary worker, your employer is the temporary employment agency (ETT).
The certificate is valid for 5 years and must then be renewed by taking a two to five-day training course. However, there is an exception: the CACES R 482 Construction Site Equipment which has a validity period of 10 years.
If you wish to pursue a career in construction or logistics, this type of license is practically mandatory.
The Different CACES Categories and Their Validity
The CACES (Certificat d’Aptitude à la Conduite En Sécurité - Certificate of Aptitude for Safe Driving) is an essential certification in many sectors where the use of lifting or handling equipment is common. This certificate attests not only to the operator's competence to handle this equipment safely, but it is also a legal prerequisite in several professional fields.
In logistics and transport, for example, CACES training is essential for forklift drivers, warehouse operators, and operators working in warehouses or on logistics platforms. In the construction sector (Building and Public Works), certification is required for driving cranes, construction machinery, and aerial work platforms to ensure safety on construction sites. Similarly, in industry, particularly on production sites or in factories, the CACES is often required to operate equipment such as overhead cranes or self-propelled trucks. Finally, in the field of the environment and recycling, where waste management sometimes requires the use of excavators or other lifting equipment, the CACES constitutes an indispensable safety guarantee.
The different types of CACES are defined according to the equipment to be handled and the specific requirements of each sector. They are issued by approved training centers, which rely on CNAM (National Health Insurance Fund for Salaried Workers) recommendations to supervise the training. Each certificate has a validity period, generally 5 years, with the exception of the CACES R482 for construction site equipment, which is valid for 10 years. Here is an overview of the main categories:
- CACES R482
Construction Site Equipment – Validity: 10 years
- CACES R483
Mobile Cranes – Validity: 5 years
- CACES R484
Overhead Cranes and Gantries – Validity: 5 years
- CACES R485
Pedestrian Pallet Trucks and Stackers – Validity: 5 years
- CACES R486
Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) – Validity: 5 years
- CACES R487
Tower Cranes – Validity: 5 years
- CACES R489
Ride-on Industrial Trucks (Forklifts) – Validity: 5 years
- CACES R490
Lorry-mounted Cranes – Validity: 5 years
A special case is found in some job offers that mention CACES 1, 3, and 5. This actually refers to CACES R489, which is highly sought after in the logistics and construction sectors. This certificate attests to the ability to operate various types of equipment, classified according to the skill levels required for:
- CACES 1A and 1B, which concern pedestrian pallet trucks and stackers.
- CACES 2A and 2B, relating to platform trucks and industrial tractors with a lifting height of less than 1.20 m.
- CACES 3: dedicated to counterbalance forklift trucks with a capacity of less than two tonnes.
- CACES 4: for counterbalance forklift trucks with a nominal capacity of more than six tonnes.
- CACES 5: which concerns reach trucks.
- And finally, category 6, for elevating operator platform trucks with a platform height of less than 1.20 m.
This grouping (CACES 1, 3, and 5) is particularly sought after because it demonstrates a complete mastery of handling equipment, an essential skill for forklift operator or warehouse worker positions.
In summary, whether you work in logistics, construction, industry, or the environmental sector, the CACES is an indispensable tool to guarantee safety in the workplace. Its diverse categories make it possible to meet the specific needs of each sector, while ensuring rigorous training and regular validation of operators' skills.
Caces: How Does the Training Take Place?
CACES training takes place in several stages, designed to allow you to acquire both the essential theoretical knowledge and the practical skills necessary to operate equipment safely. Here's how this training is generally structured:
- Theoretical Phase
You start by learning the safety rules and current regulations, which are essential to understand the issues related to the handling of lifting or handling equipment.
You study the best practices and specific techniques for each type of equipment, to integrate the fundamentals before moving on to practice.
- Practical Phase
You apply your knowledge to real equipment, under the supervision of an experienced trainer.
Practical exercises allow you to master the essential technical gestures and prepare you for real field conditions.
Work situation simulations are carried out to familiarize you with the challenges and requirements of the job.
- Final Exam
A theoretical assessment is organized to verify your understanding of safety rules and procedures.
A practical test is then offered to validate your ability to operate the equipment in real conditions.
Passing these two tests allows you to obtain the official certificate, attesting to your competence to operate the equipment safely.
This progressive process, combining theory and practice, ensures complete and rigorous training, essential to guarantee safety in the field.
What are the Procedures to Obtain My CACES? 🖋️
The prerequisites for obtaining this certificate are:
✅ Be of legal age (+18 years old).
✅ Be able to read, write, and communicate in French.
✅ Be recognized as fit following a medical examination.
Does your profile meet the prerequisites? You can register at a training center and choose the CACES training you wish to obtain.
For most training courses, the duration is between two to five days, during which you will learn the correct operation and handling of equipment in a theoretical and practical manner, the safety measures to be respected, as well as information about the profession related to your CACES.
At the end of your training, you will take two exams: a theoretical one and a practical one. If you pass them, congratulations! You are now the holder of your CACES!
The Prices of CACES Training
The prices of CACES training vary depending on the chosen category and the training center. To give an average, rates are often between €300 and €1200.
For example, training for the CACES R372m generally ranges from €300 to €600, while training for more specialized categories tends to be more expensive.
Financing CACES Training
To finance CACES training, the solutions differ depending on your professional status. If you are a temporary worker, access to classic financing can sometimes be more complicated due to the temporary nature of your contracts. In this case, you can use your Personal Training Account (CPF) to cover part of the costs. In addition, your temporary employment agency often plays a determining role by offering social action funds or by collaborating with partners such as the FASTT (Fund for Temporary Workers' Social Action) to facilitate access to training. You can also benefit from additional funding via Approved Joint Collection Organizations (OPCOs) or, in some cases, by the Individual Training Account (CIF). Furthermore, France Travail provides specific schemes for temporary job seekers, which helps to reduce the overall cost of training.
On the other hand, if you are an employee on a permanent contract, you generally benefit from greater professional stability, which facilitates access to classic financing. You can easily mobilize your CPF and, if necessary, take advantage of your employer's financial support as part of skills development. The CIF also remains an interesting option, often offering more comprehensive coverage of training costs.
In summary, whether you are a temporary worker or an employee on a permanent contract, several solutions are available to finance your CACES training. It is advisable to compare the different options available and contact your temporary employment agency or your human resources department to find the solution best suited to your situation.
🚀 In some cases and depending on your employment contract, it is possible that your employer will cover the cost of the necessary CACES training courses corresponding to your assignments!
Your CACES training can also be financed by Pôle Emploi according to eligibility criteria.
Who Issues the CACES?
The CACES is issued by approved and specialized training centers, recognized by the competent authorities, particularly the Ministry of Labor. These organizations, with in-depth expertise in safety and equipment operation, provide comprehensive training that combines theoretical and practical modules. Experienced and certified trainers supervise the learning process, ensuring that candidates acquire the necessary skills to work safely. The final exam, carried out in accordance with current standards, validates the certificate and attests to a level of technical mastery essential for preventing risks in the field.
How to Renew Your CACES?
First, you need to identify the expiration date of your certificate as well as the requirements for the type of CACES you wish to renew.
Prior to its expiration, you will need to take a renewal training course at a training center. At the end of your training, you will need to take a practical and theoretical exam. Once you pass the exam, you will receive your new certificate.
What is the Validity Period of a CACES?
The validity of a CACES is limited in time and generally varies from 5 to 10 years depending on the category of equipment and technological or regulatory changes. At the end of this period, it is necessary to undergo retraining or revalidation to ensure that the operator maintains their skills up to date and remains compliant with current standards. This renewal may include practical or theoretical tests to validate that the knowledge is still relevant and applied correctly in the field.
Similar articles
Advice
Jobs in transport and logistics
19 March 2023 · 5 min reading time
Key sectors in the economy, transport and logistics account for more than two million jobs in the French labor market each year.
Advice
Skills to highlight to find a temporary work assignment!
03 October 2022 · 3 min reading time
Beyond your academic background or professional experiences, your future employer will place great importance on your skills.
Become a temp worker with Staffmatch!
OUR MOBILE APPS
Download the temp worker app
Download the business appDownload our temp worker appDownload our business app
Download the temp worker appDownload the business appDownload our temp worker appDownload our business app