Forklift truck hire prices
Last updated
Forklift hire prices for 2026
Every forklift price on our guide: machine only (operator on request), excluding VAT, with transport both ways as its own line. Prices updated: November 2026.
| Size | Rate | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 t forklift | Per day, machine only | R940–R1,600 * |
| 1–2 t forklift | Per week, machine only | about R5,650 * |
| 2.5–3 t forklift | Per day, machine only | R1,150–R1,600 * |
| 3.5–5 t forklift | Per day, machine only | R1,600–R1,900 * |
| 3.5–5 t forklift | Per week, machine only | about R8,500 * |
| 3.5–5 t forklift | Per month, machine only | about R30,000 * |
* Few price points for this one, so treat it as a guide; the exact price comes back on WhatsApp.
Forklift prices rest on fewer price points than our earthmoving machines, so treat them as a guide; the exact price for your size, dates and town comes back in writing on WhatsApp. Bigger forklifts (7 t and 10 t), rough-terrain forklifts and side loaders are priced per job. For lift heights, load centres and turning space, see forklift hire.
Get my forklift price on WhatsAppForklift hire per day, week and month
| Hire period | 1–2 t | 2.5–3 t | 3.5–5 t |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | R940–R1,600 | R1,150–R1,600 | R1,600–R1,900 |
| 5 days at the day rate | R4,700–R8,000 | R5,750–R8,000 | R8,000–R9,500 |
| Weekly rate | about R5,650 | on WhatsApp | about R8,500 |
| 22 days at the day rate | R20,680–R35,200 | R25,300–R35,200 | R35,200–R41,800 |
| Monthly rate | on WhatsApp | on WhatsApp | about R30,000 |
- A day: book the delivery for the start of the day to get the full day's use. Our forklift prices are day rates, so a two-hour job is planned at the day rate.
- A week or more: ask for the weekly rate rather than paying day by day.
- A month or more: for a 3.5–5 t, about R30,000 against R35,200–R41,800 for 22 separate days. Seasonal peaks, stocktakes and warehouse moves suit a monthly hire.
Operator on request
Hire the forklift on its own and your certified staff drive it, or add one of our certified operators, priced per day on WhatsApp. A copy of the operator's certificate comes before the forklift arrives, on request.
Under the Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015 (reg 18(11)), nobody may operate a forklift unless they hold a certificate of training from an accredited training provider, and the 2024 National Code of Practice lists forklifts by type: for example F1 is a counterbalanced lift truck up to 3,000 kg and F2 up to 7,000 kg. If your staff drive, check that each certificate covers the type you're hiring. The forklift itself is load-tested at intervals of no more than 12 months, and we send a copy of the load-test certificate on request. More in our forklift guide.
Gas or diesel: what the fuel costs you
On machine-only hire you pay the fuel. The maker's figures on the standard VDI 2198 test cycle give a fair idea of how much (Hyster H2.0–3.5A or similar):
| Forklift | Diesel, per hour | LPG, per hour | 8-hour day, diesel | 8-hour day, LPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 t (Hyster H2.0A or similar) | 2.5–3.15 litres | 2.4 kg | about 20–25 litres | about 19 kg |
| 3 t (Hyster H3.0A or similar) | 3.2–4.26 litres | 3.2 kg | about 26–34 litres | about 26 kg |
| 3.5 t (Hyster H3.5A or similar) | 3.5–4.8 litres | 3.5 kg | about 28–38 litres | about 28 kg |
- Diesel for yards, building supply and loading outdoors.
- LPG (gas) for work that moves between a shed and the yard; gas bottles swap in minutes. It still gives off exhaust, so indoors needs good ventilation.
- Electric for warehouses, food and cold stores: no exhaust and no fuel bill, but it must be charged between shifts.
Example: a week of forklift hire in Boksburg
A 2.5–3 t diesel forklift for five days, offloading and stacking stock at a warehouse on the East Rand, your own certified driver:
| Example quote (for illustration only) | Amount |
|---|---|
| 2.5–3 t forklift, 5 days at R1,150–R1,600 a day machine only | R5,750–R8,000 |
| Transport both ways to Boksburg | R1,300–R3,840 |
| Example total, excl. VAT | R7,050–R11,840 |
Add the fuel (about 26–34 litres of diesel a day for a 3 t on the test cycle) and VAT. For five days or more, ask for the weekly rate on WhatsApp. Your own price is confirmed in writing on WhatsApp before the forklift moves.
What changes the price of forklift hire
- Capacity: 1–2 t, 2.5–3 t or 3.5–5 t on our guide; bigger trucks per job.
- Mast height: a higher mast for tall racking. Capacity falls as the forks go up, so a high lift may need the next size.
- Fuel type: diesel, LPG or electric.
- Attachments: side-shift, fork extensions or a jib. Any attachment reduces the safe load.
- Ground: a standard forklift needs hard, level ground; gravel, mud or slopes call for a rough-terrain forklift or a telehandler.
- Operator: machine only, or with a certified operator.
- Hire period: day, week or month.
- Transport both ways on a truck.
How to keep forklift hire costs down
- Pick the size by your heaviest load and lift height, not bigger. A 1–2 t from R940 a day does most pallet work in shops and stores.
- Hire by the week or month when the work runs that long.
- Have the loads and the space ready before delivery, so the forklift works the whole day.
- Use your own certified staff if you have them; add our operator if you don't.
- For a single delivery, a crane truck lifts the load off and drives it to the next site, which can beat hiring a truck and a forklift.
Hire or buy a forklift?
Owning means the purchase, services, tyres, insurance, a load test by a registered lifting machinery entity at least every 12 months with the records kept on site, and certified drivers. Hiring means R1,150–R1,600 a day for a 2.5–3 t, only on the days you need it, with a replacement machine on breakdown or no charge for downtime. Sixty days a year at the day rate is R69,000–R96,000; a business that runs a forklift every day should compare the monthly rate with buying.
Forklift hire prices near you
The price guide is the same everywhere; the transport line changes with your town. Inside our main centres, transport both ways is R1,300–R3,840. Out of town it's worked from the road distance: Secunda is about 106 km from eMalahleni (Witbank) by road. Transport for a forklift there and back usually comes to R9,120–R11,020, shown as its own line on your quote.
Every other town: areas we cover. Booking takes a WhatsApp, a written price and a deposit: see how it works.
WhatsApp the forklift size, town and datesQuestions people ask
How much does it cost to hire a forklift for a day?
R940–R1,600 for a 1–2 t forklift, R1,150–R1,600 for 2.5–3 t and R1,600–R1,900 for 3.5–5 t, machine only and excluding VAT. Transport both ways is a separate line; inside a main centre it's R1,300–R3,840.
How much is forklift hire per hour?
Our forklift prices are day rates. For a job of a few hours, such as offloading one container, the day rate is the number to plan with; book the delivery for early in the day and use the rest of it.
How much is forklift hire per week?
About R5,650 a week for a 1–2 t forklift and about R8,500 for a 3.5–5 t, machine only. A weekly rate for a 2.5–3 t comes back on WhatsApp.
How much is monthly forklift hire?
About R30,000 a month for a 3.5–5 t forklift, machine only, against R35,200–R41,800 for 22 days paid one at a time. Monthly rates for the smaller sizes come back on WhatsApp.
Does forklift hire include a driver?
Our prices are machine only. A certified operator comes on request, priced per day on WhatsApp, with a copy of the operator's certificate before the forklift arrives. If your own staff drive, each needs a certificate of training covering that type of forklift.
Is gas or diesel included?
No, on machine-only hire the fuel is yours. On the maker's VDI 2198 test cycle, a 3 t forklift (Hyster H3.0A or similar) uses about 3.2–4.3 litres of diesel an hour, or about 3.2 kg of LPG an hour. Electric forklifts need charging between shifts instead.
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Sources we checked
Need a forklift?
WhatsApp us the job, the town and the dates. We confirm the machine, the start date and the price in writing before the machine moves.
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