Forklift driver salary in France
Average monthly net salary in full-time equivalent in the French private sector, according to INSEE (occupation group “Ouvriers qualifiés de la manutention, conducteurs de chariots élévateurs, caristes”).
- Average net per month
- €2,113
- full-time equivalent, 2024
- Estimated monthly gross
- €2,669
- estimate with 2026 non-executive contributions
- Gap to the average
- -23%
- compared with all private-sector employees (€2,733 net)
- Compared with the SMIC
- 1.4 × the net SMIC
- 2026 net monthly minimum wage: €1,478
Source: INSEE, all-employees database 2024 (average net private-sector pay, full-time equivalent) · Data downloaded on 18 October 2026
Source: French minimum wage (SMIC) as of 1 June 2026 · Data downloaded on 18 October 2026
By sex
| Women | €2,016 |
|---|---|
| Men | €2,125 |
By age
| Under 30 | €1,917 |
|---|---|
| 30 to 39 | €2,066 |
| 40 to 49 | €2,152 |
| 50 to 59 | €2,209 |
| 60 and over | €2,350 |
Working as a forklift driver in France
In France, search for cariste, cariste d'entrepôt, cariste magasinier, cariste réceptionnaire or conducteur de chariot élévateur. Driving a forklift at work requires a driving authorisation (autorisation de conduite) issued by the employer after training and a medical fitness check. The usual proof of training is the CACES R489, by category (1 pallet trucks, 3 and 4 counterbalance, 5 reach trucks, 6 order pickers), to be renewed periodically. A CAP or Bac pro in logistics or the Titre professionnel Cariste d'entrepôt can also cover training. Foreign certificates are rarely accepted directly. Temp agencies recruit many drivers, often for shift work.
How to read these figures
The salary shown is an average, not a median: a few high salaries pull the average up. It is net pay before income tax, converted to full time.
The gross figure is an estimate: it applies 2026 employee contributions for a private-sector worker to the net salary. It leaves out bonuses, overtime and health insurance.
Salaries are from 2024 while the minimum wage is the 2026 one, so the comparison gives an order of magnitude.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary of a forklift driver?
According to INSEE, a forklift driver employed in the private sector earns on average €2,113 net per month in full-time equivalent (2024), about €2,669 gross based on our estimate with 2026 contributions.
Do women and men earn the same as a forklift driver?
According to INSEE (2024), the average full-time equivalent net salary is €2,016 for women and €2,125 for men in this occupation. The gap can come from the positions held, seniority or actual working time.
Does a forklift driver earn more than the minimum wage?
The average net salary for the occupation (€2,113, INSEE 2024) is 1.4 times the 2026 net monthly minimum wage (€1,478). Early in a career, pay is often closer to the minimum wage than to this average.