Employers can pay more than the award, and many large distribution centres pay under enterprise agreements. The Jobs and Skills Australia median shows what forklift drivers actually earn.
Junior rates under this award apply as a percentage of Storeworker grade 1 or Wholesale employee level 1 (cl 15.2): 40% under 16, 50% at 16, 60% at 17 and 70% at 18, with the adult rate from 19.
Which award covers forklift operators
Forklift operators in warehouses, distribution centres and wholesale businesses are usually covered by the Storage Services and Wholesale Award 2020 [MA000084]. The award covers the receiving, handling, storing, packing, sorting, loading and dispatch of goods in the storage services and wholesale industry.
A licensed forklift or ride-on equipment operator is a Storeworker grade 2 (the award's Schedule A lists forklift operator as an indicative job title for the equivalent Wholesale employee level 2). Grade 3 covers operation of all materials handling equipment under licence and supervision of up to 10 employees; grade 4 covers responsibility for a warehouse or large section.
Which award applies depends on the employer's industry, not the machine. A forklift driver in a shop is Retail Employee Level 2, in a factory is generally C12 or C11 under the Manufacturing Award, and in a transport business may be a Transport Worker Grade 3 under the Road Transport Award. Those rates are in the second table.
Read the Storage Services and Wholesale Award 2020 [MA000084] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 July 2026).
Forklift Operator award pay rates 2026–27
These rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Part-time employees are paid the same hourly rates for the hours they work.
Forklift operator pay rates — Storage Services and Wholesale Award, 2026–27
Storage Services and Wholesale Award cl 15.1, from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Casual rates are the award's Schedule B.2.1 column: the hourly rate plus the 25% casual loading (cl 11.2). Grade 1 is entry level; a licensed forklift operator starts at grade 2.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storeworker grade 1 — on commencementEntry level | $27.08 | $1,029.10 | $53,513 | $33.85 |
| Storeworker grade 1 — after 3 months | $27.41 | $1,041.60 | $54,163 | $34.26 |
| Storeworker grade 1 — after 12 months | $27.72 | $1,053.50 | $54,782 | $34.65 |
| Storeworker grade 2Licensed forklift and ride-on equipment operator (Wholesale employee level 2) | $27.97 | $1,062.80 | $55,266 | $34.96 |
| Storeworker grade 3Operation of all materials handling equipment under licence; supervising up to 10 | $28.77 | $1,093.10 | $56,841 | $35.96 |
| Storeworker grade 4Warehouse or large section; leading hand over 10 storeworkers | $29.61 | $1,125.30 | $58,516 | $37.01 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Forklift operator pay rates — retail, manufacturing and transport awards
The same job under other awards, from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Retail and Manufacturing from the shared award data on this site; Transport Worker Grade 3 from the Road Transport and Distribution Award.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing C12 — Employee Level IIIOperation of mobile equipment including fork-lifts | $27.08 | $1,029.10 | $53,513 | $33.85 |
| Road Transport — Transport Worker Grade 3Forklift up to 5 tonnes | $27.83 | $1,057.60 | $54,995 | $34.79 |
| Manufacturing C11 — Employee Level IVLicensed and certified above C12 level | $27.97 | $1,062.90 | $55,271 | $34.96 |
| Retail Employee Level 2Forklift or ride-on equipment operator | $28.45 | $1,081.00 | $56,212 | $35.56 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Forklift driver pay per year and after tax
Forklift driver and forklift operator are the same job as far as the award is concerned: the classification turns on licensed operation of materials handling equipment, not the job title. These are the full-time minimums turned into a yearly figure and an after-tax weekly amount, so you can compare them with what lands in your account.
Jobs and Skills Australia's median for forklift drivers is $1,340 a week before tax (ABS, May 2025), above every award grade here, because many distribution centres pay under enterprise agreements and drivers often work overtime.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly | Annual | Take-home a week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road Transport — Transport Worker Grade 3 | $27.83 | $1057.60 | $54,995 | $905 |
| Storeworker grade 2 (licensed forklift driver) | $27.97 | $1062.80 | $55,266 | $908 |
| Storeworker grade 3 | $28.77 | $1093.10 | $56,841 | $928 |
| Storeworker grade 4 | $29.61 | $1125.30 | $58,516 | $950 |
Full-time minimums from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Annual is weekly x 52. Take-home uses 2026–27 resident tax rates, the low income tax offset and the 2% Medicare levy, with no HECS.
Forklift Operator penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Friday, 7 am–5:30 pm (ordinary hours) | 100% | 125% |
| Saturday | 150% | 175% |
| Sunday | 200% | 225% |
| Public holiday | 250% | 275% |
Day workers, from the award's Schedule B.1.1 and B.2.1: percentages of the minimum hourly rate, with the casual percentages including the 25% loading. Shiftworkers have separate loadings: 112.5% early morning, 115% afternoon and 130% night for full-time and part-time employees (Schedule B.1.2).
Overtime
- Full-time and part-time: 150% of the minimum hourly rate for the first 2 hours, then 200% (cl 21.1(b)). Sunday overtime is 200% and public holiday overtime 250%.
- Casual: 175% for the first 2 hours, then 225% (cl 21.1(d)), because the 25% casual loading is added to the overtime percentages.
- A casual is guaranteed at least 4 hours' engagement each time they start (cl 11.1). A part-time employee must be rostered for at least 3 consecutive hours a shift (cl 10.5).
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Allowances
| Allowance | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| First aid allowance | $16.88 per week | 1.5% of the standard rate, for employees appointed to give first aid (cl 17.2(a)(i)). |
| Cold temperatures allowance | $1.13 to $2.25 per hour | Working in cold stores from -15.6°C down to below -23.3°C, by temperature band (cl 17.2(b)). |
Forklift Operator pay after tax
On the Storeworker grade 2 rate of $1,062.80 a week, a full-time forklift operator earns $55,266 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $55,266 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$6,929 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,105 |
| Take-home per year | $47,232 |
| Take-home per week | $908 |
2026–27 resident tax rates with the low income tax offset and the 2% Medicare levy; no HECS-HELP repayment and no Medicare levy surcharge. Superannuation is paid on top by your employer. For the full breakdown see take-home pay on $55,000 (the nearest step to $55,266), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What forklift operators actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Forklift Drivers (ANZSCO 7213) at $1,340 a week ($35 an hour), against $1,852 a week for all occupations.
Median weekly pay of full-time, non-managerial adult employees before tax and salary sacrifice, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025) as published by Jobs and Skills Australia. It reflects what employers actually pay, including people on enterprise agreements or above-award salaries, so it is a market figure, not a legal minimum.
What this page does not show
- Shiftworker rates in dollars, junior rates in dollars, and trainee rates.
- Rates under enterprise agreements at individual distribution centres.
- Licence costs and the High Risk Work Licence rules, which are a work health and safety matter, not a pay matter.
Forklift Operator pay questions
Pay rates for other jobs
How this page is sourced▼
Every minimum rate was read from the Fair Work Commission's consolidated text of the Storage Services and Wholesale Award 2020, consolidated to 1 July 2026, on 5 October 2026. Casual rates are the award's own published figures wherever it publishes them. Nothing is estimated.
The median comes from Jobs and Skills Australia’s occupation profile and is a market figure, not an entitlement. Take-home figures use the same tax engine as the rest of this site. Award rates change every 1 July, so re-check after the next Annual Wage Review.
Sources & References
- 1Storage Services and Wholesale Award 2020 [MA000084] — consolidated to 1 July 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 2Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
- 4Forklift Drivers (ANZSCO 7213) occupation profile — ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025— Jobs and Skills Australia
Last verified: 5 October 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
Accountancy degree (2015); certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One
Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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