Do I need a licence to hire a cherry picker?
What people call a cherry picker licence is usually the IPAF PAL card, short for Powered Access Licence. It shows which categories of MEWP its holder is trained to operate. Whether you need one, and whether your driving licence matters too, depends on the lift and how you hire it. Every lift below links to its machine page.
Working the lift yourself: the IPAF PAL card
On every self-drive lift we hire, the operator must hold a valid IPAF PAL card for the machine's category. That covers 87 of the lifts we list. The category depends on the type of lift, and each machine page shows the one it needs.
| Type of lift | IPAF category | Models |
|---|---|---|
| Mast lifts | 1A (Static Vertical) or 3A (Mobile Vertical) | 13 |
| Scissor lifts | 1A (Static Vertical) or 3A (Mobile Vertical) | 18 |
| Spider lifts | 1B (Static Boom) | 11 |
| Trailer mounts | 1B (Static Boom) | 4 |
| Articulated boom lifts | 3B (Mobile Boom) | 24 |
| Telescopic boom lifts | 3B (Mobile Boom) | 17 |
Which IPAF category do I need?
What 1a, 1b, 3a and 3b mean, with the category of every lift we list.
IPAF training and the PAL card
What the PAL card covers and the courses for each category.
Operated hire: no card needed
4 lifts come with our own trained operator, who holds the IPAF card for the machine and works the controls, so you need no card or operator of your own. That includes every van and truck mounted platform we list: the operator drives it to site and sets it up, so your driving licence does not come into it. Operated hire is quoted and booked by enquiry.
| Machine | Working height | IPAF category |
|---|---|---|
| 12m operated van mounted platform | 12m working height | 1B (Static Boom) |
| 14m operated van mounted platform | 14m working height | 1B (Static Boom) |
| 22m operated van mounted platform | 22m working height | 1B (Static Boom) |
| 20m operated truck mounted platform | 20m working height | 1B (Static Boom) |
How operated hire works and what we need for a quote.
Towing a trailer mounted cherry picker
A trailer mount is towed to the job, so the operator needs an IPAF card for category 1B (Static Boom) and whoever tows it needs the right driving licence and vehicle. These are GOV.UK's rules for car licence holders (gov.uk/towing-with-car):
| Machine | Working height | Published minimum weight | Stowed width | Stowed length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.2m trailer mounted cherry picker | 12.2m (40ft) | 1,400kg | 1.5m | 4.5m |
| 14.7m trailer mounted cherry picker | 14.7m (48ft 3in) | 1,775kg | 1.6m | 5.55m |
| 17.1m trailer mounted cherry picker | 17.1m (56ft 1in) | 2,160kg | 1.65m | 6.2m |
| 21m trailer mounted cherry picker | 21m (68ft 11in) | 3,495kg | 1.8m | 6.95m |
Licence from 1 January 1997
If you got your car licence from 1 January 1997, GOV.UK says you can tow a trailer that weighs up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass (MAM), known as category BE.
Licence before 1 January 1997
If you got it before 1 January 1997, GOV.UK says you can usually drive a vehicle and trailer with a combined weight of up to 8,250kg MAM.
Maximum authorised mass
The MAM is normally shown on a plate or sticker on the trailer and in its manual.
Your vehicle
Your vehicle's gross train weight, the fully loaded vehicle plus fully loaded trailer, must not be exceeded. GOV.UK says that if your vehicle's VIN plate does not list a train weight, you should not use it for towing.
Width and length
The maximum trailer width for any towing vehicle is 2.55m, and a vehicle with a MAM of 3,500kg or less cannot tow a trailer longer than 7m (not counting the A-frame).
Brakes
A trailer that weighs over 750kg loaded must have a working brake system.
The full rules, including training and towing equipment.
Telehandlers need different training
Telehandlers are not MEWPs, so IPAF cards do not cover them. Operators must be trained and competent on telehandlers, which HSE's code of practice L117 covers. A CPCS A17 or NPORS C010 telehandler card is the usual proof on UK sites.
The telehandlers we hire, with their lift heights.
Choosing a lift
Not sure which lift the job needs? Start here.
Which lift do I need? Free tool
Enter your height, outreach, ground and access width and get the right class of lift with live prices.
The types of access platform explained.
Questions
- Do I need a licence to hire a cherry picker?
- To work a cherry picker yourself, the operator must hold a valid IPAF PAL (Powered Access Licence) card for its category. The self-drive cherry pickers we list are IPAF category 1B (Static Boom) or 3B (Mobile Boom), depending on the machine. With operated hire, our trained operator holds the card and works the controls, so you need no card. Towing a trailer mounted cherry picker also depends on your driving licence.
- Do I need a licence to use a scissor lift?
- The operator must hold a valid IPAF PAL card for the category. The scissor lifts we list are IPAF category 1A (Static Vertical) or 3A (Mobile Vertical), depending on the machine, and each machine page shows which.
- Can I tow a trailer mounted cherry picker on a car licence?
- If you got your car licence from 1 January 1997, GOV.UK says you can tow a trailer that weighs up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass (MAM), known as category BE. If you got it before 1 January 1997, GOV.UK says you can usually drive a vehicle and trailer with a combined weight of up to 8,250kg MAM. The trailer mounted cherry pickers we list have published minimum weights of 1,400kg to 3,495kg, and the build supplied can weigh more depending on its power option. Check the MAM on the trailer's plate, your licence and your vehicle's towing limits, and we confirm the weight with your quote.
- Do I need a licence for a van mounted cherry picker?
- Not with us. Every van and truck mounted platform we list is operated hire: it arrives with a trained operator who holds the IPAF card for it, drives it to site, sets it up and works the controls.
- Do I need a licence for a telehandler?
- Telehandlers are not MEWPs, so IPAF cards do not cover them. Operators must be trained and competent on telehandlers, which HSE's code of practice L117 covers. A CPCS A17 or NPORS C010 telehandler card is the usual proof on UK sites.
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