- What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)
- The Two-Stage Path in One Glance
- Exam-Day Logistics You Can Memorize
- The 20 Key Activities at a Glance
- Power Side: Engines, Fuel, Cooling, Diesel
- Electrical Side: Laws, Meters, Batteries, IC Circuits
- Hydraulics, Masts and Attachments
- Drivetrain, Brakes and Steering
- Safety and Orientation Essentials
- A Domain-Based Review Order
- Quick-Answer FAQ
- CFT is a maintenance-and-repair technician credential from MSSC, not forklift operator training.
- The prerequisite CFA exam has 92 multiple-choice questions, 90 minutes, and a 79% passing requirement.
- Passing CFA alone does not award full CFT; hands-on tasks must still be demonstrated to an instructor.
- A failed knowledge assessment means a 15-day wait before you can retest.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)
This page is a single-sitting review of the facts a Certified Forklift Technician candidate should be able to recite without notes. It compresses the credential's structure, the exam format, and the 20 technical areas into scannable blocks. It is a memory aid, not a replacement for hands-on shop time or a full course. For the long-form version of the preparation process, see our CFT study guide, and for a deeper walk through each content area, the complete guide to all 20 CFT content areas.
One identity note up front: "CFT" on this site means Certified Forklift Technician, administered by the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC). If you are looking for background on the name itself, our explainers on what CFT is and what CFT stands for cover the basics.
The Two-Stage Path in One Glance
Full CFT certification has a knowledge stage and a hands-on stage, and the order matters. The knowledge stage is the Certified Forklift Associate (CFA) assessment, which must be passed before you can complete the CFT hands-on stage. Passing CFA by itself does not award the full CFT credential; you must also demonstrate the required hands-on tasks to an instructor.
| Item | Stage 1: CFA (Knowledge) | Stage 2: CFT Hands-On |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Multiple-choice assessment | Required tasks demonstrated to an instructor |
| Questions | 92 | Task-based, not a question count |
| Time | 90 minutes | Performed in a hands-on setting |
| Passing requirement | 79% | Demonstrate the required tasks |
| Language | English | Instructor-observed |
| Sequence | Must be passed first | Follows CFA |
If you are weighing whether the whole path is worth the effort, our ROI analysis of the CFT certification and pricing breakdown lay out the cost side, and the CFT requirements guide covers eligibility in more depth.
Exam-Day Logistics You Can Memorize
Logistics trip up more prepared candidates than they should. The following items are the ones worth committing to memory.
- Questions and time: 92 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, which works out to a little under a minute per question.
- Passing requirement: 79%. For a full breakdown of what that means in practice, see CFT passing score explained.
- Closed book: no reference materials during the knowledge assessment.
- Calculators: personal calculators are prohibited; an on-screen four-function calculator is supplied. Practice basic arithmetic by hand so you are not relying on the tool.
- Identification: bring valid identification and have your MSSC identification number ready.
- Delivery: the October 2024 Candidate and Certificant Handbook identifies NOCTI/The Whitener Group for assessment delivery, MSSC-authorized assessment centers as testing sites, and an approved ProctorU remote-proctoring option.
- Retake rule: after a failed knowledge assessment, expect a 15-day wait before retesting.
- Prerequisites: there are no mandatory education or work-experience prerequisites for CFA.
- Optional training: MSSC offers an optional 55-hour online course. It is optional, not required.
Scheduling windows and deadlines are covered in CFT exam dates and scheduling, and the question of how demanding the exam feels is addressed in our difficulty guide. For published outcome data, see what the CFT pass rate page says.
The 20 Key Activities at a Glance
MSSC's official CFT key activities organize the technical coverage. They are a map of the subject matter, not a weighted allocation of the CFA's 92 questions, so do not assume each area carries equal or proportional weight. Treat every one as fair game.
- Operator orientation
- Lift truck fundamentals
- Basic safety
- Basic engines
- Basic hydraulics
- Brake systems
- Basic laws of electricity
- Batteries
- Masts
- Basic attachments for lift trucks
- Components & symbols
- Cooling systems
- Front drive axle & differential
- Gasoline & LPG fuel systems
- Use meters for testing electrical circuits & components
- IC electrical systems
- Oil cooled wet disc brakes of electrical and mechanical braking systems
- Steering systems
- Transmissions
- Diesel operation
The sections below cluster these 20 areas into five working groups so they are easier to hold in your head. Each cluster lists the concepts a technician is expected to understand, framed as what to be able to explain rather than as exact exam answers.
Power Side: Engines, Fuel, Cooling, Diesel
Four areas share a common thread: how an internal-combustion lift truck makes and manages power.
Basic Engines
Know the fundamentals of internal-combustion operation and how the major engine systems depend on one another.
- Be able to describe the four-stroke cycle in order.
- Understand how lubrication, cooling, fuel, and ignition interact when something fails.
- Recognize symptoms that point to a mechanical fault versus a fuel or electrical one.
Gasoline & LPG Fuel Systems
Gasoline and LPG trucks share engine fundamentals but differ in how fuel is stored, delivered, and handled.
- Understand the safety implications of handling LPG cylinders versus gasoline.
- Know the general role of each major component in the fuel path from tank or cylinder to the engine.
- Be ready to reason about fuel-related drivability complaints.
Cooling Systems
Overheating is a common failure mode in lift trucks working long shifts in demanding environments.
- Know the purpose of the major cooling-system components and how coolant circulates.
- Understand what restricted airflow, low coolant, or a failed component does to engine temperature.
- Treat hot-system safety as part of the topic, not an afterthought.
Diesel Operation
Diesel engines ignite fuel through compression rather than a spark, which changes how you diagnose them.
- Contrast diesel and spark-ignition operation conceptually.
- Understand why clean fuel and proper air supply matter for diesel reliability.
- Be prepared for questions that ask which system to suspect first given a symptom.
Electrical Side: Laws, Meters, Batteries, IC Circuits
The electrical cluster covers Basic laws of electricity, Use meters for testing electrical circuits & components, Batteries, and IC electrical systems. It also touches Components & symbols, since reading a schematic requires knowing the symbols. Many candidates find this the most abstract group, so give it deliberate attention.
- Basic laws of electricity: be comfortable with the relationships among voltage, current, and resistance, and with the difference between series and parallel circuits. A four-function on-screen calculator is enough for the arithmetic, but you need to know which relationship to apply.
- Use meters for testing electrical circuits & components: understand what each meter measurement tells you, how a meter is connected for each type of reading, and what an out-of-range result implies. Hands-on practice with a real meter is far better than reading about it.
- Batteries: know the safety practices around charging and handling batteries, including protective equipment and ventilation concerns, and understand the role of the battery in electric trucks versus the starting and charging role in IC trucks.
- IC electrical systems: understand the starting, charging, and ignition-related circuits on internal-combustion trucks and how to approach a no-start complaint logically.
- Components & symbols: practice reading schematic symbols until they are automatic, because they show up as a language across several other areas.
Key Takeaway
Treat the electrical group as one connected skill set. Understanding the basic laws makes meter readings meaningful, and meter readings make battery and IC-circuit diagnosis logical. Studying them in isolation makes each one harder.
Hydraulics, Masts and Attachments
Lifting is what a lift truck is for, so the hydraulic and mast areas deserve respect.
Basic Hydraulics
Hydraulic systems transmit force through fluid, and the exam expects you to understand the principles and the components that apply them.
- Know the role of the pump, valves, cylinders, lines, and reservoir.
- Understand how pressure and flow relate to lifting force and speed.
- Recognize common symptoms of leaks, contamination, and worn components.
Masts
The mast is the structure that raises and tilts the load, and it demands careful inspection and service.
- Understand the major mast components and how they move relative to one another.
- Know why chains, rollers, and cylinders require regular inspection.
- Treat any work under a raised mast as a serious safety topic.
Basic Attachments for Lift Trucks
Attachments change how the truck behaves and what it can safely handle.
- Know the general purpose of common attachment types.
- Understand that an attachment affects the truck's capacity and requires correct hydraulic plumbing.
- Be aware of the inspection and service implications of added equipment.
Drivetrain, Brakes and Steering
This cluster covers how power reaches the wheels and how the truck is controlled and stopped: Front drive axle & differential, Transmissions, Brake systems, Oil cooled wet disc brakes of electrical and mechanical braking systems, and Steering systems.
| Area | What to be able to explain |
|---|---|
| Transmissions | How power is routed from the engine or motor to the drive wheels, and what symptoms suggest a transmission problem |
| Front drive axle & differential | Why the differential exists and how the axle carries the truck's load and drive torque |
| Brake systems | The components of a service brake system and the inspection points that affect stopping safety |
| Oil cooled wet disc brakes | How enclosed, oil-cooled disc brakes differ from conventional brakes and why fluid condition matters |
| Steering systems | How steering on a lift truck differs from a car, including rear-wheel steering behavior and hydraulic assist |
Brakes and steering are safety-critical, so expect scenario-style thinking: given a symptom, what should be inspected first, and what is unsafe to ignore?
Safety and Orientation Essentials
Three areas frame everything else: Operator orientation, Lift truck fundamentals, and Basic safety. They are less glamorous than engines or electrical theory, but they are the foundation of the whole credential.
- Operator orientation: understand the controls, gauges, and daily-inspection mindset from the technician's perspective. A technician needs to know how the truck is supposed to behave in order to spot when it doesn't.
- Lift truck fundamentals: know the major truck classes and components, how load capacity and stability work, and the basic vocabulary used across the rest of the exam.
- Basic safety: expect lockout practices, safe lifting and blocking of the truck, personal protective equipment, and hazard awareness around fuels, batteries, and stored energy.
A Domain-Based Review Order
If you want a sequence for working through this cheat sheet, build it around the dependencies between topics rather than the numbered list. Foundations first, then the systems that build on them, then the safety-critical systems you will want fresh going into the exam.
Foundations and vocabulary
- Operator orientation, Lift truck fundamentals, Basic safety, Components & symbols
- Reason: every later topic uses this vocabulary and these safety rules.
Electrical block
- Basic laws of electricity, then Use meters for testing electrical circuits & components, then Batteries and IC electrical systems
- Reason: the laws make the meter work meaningful, and both support the later circuits.
Power and fluid systems
- Basic engines, Gasoline & LPG fuel systems, Cooling systems, Diesel operation, Basic hydraulics
- Reason: engine systems depend on one another, and hydraulics underpins the lifting function.
Lifting, drivetrain, and stopping
- Masts, Basic attachments, Transmissions, Front drive axle & differential, Brake systems, Oil cooled wet disc brakes, Steering systems
- Reason: these are the most safety-critical areas, so keep them freshest before test day.
Finish by taking timed sets of questions under 90-minute conditions so the pacing feels natural. You can practice that format on our CFT practice test site, and the full set of practice questions lets you check which clusters need another pass.
Quick-Answer FAQ
No. CFA is the knowledge stage and must be passed before the hands-on stage, but passing it alone does not award full CFT. You must also demonstrate the required hands-on tasks to an instructor.
The CFA assessment has 92 multiple-choice questions in English, a 90-minute time limit, and a 79% passing requirement. It is closed book, and an on-screen four-function calculator is provided in place of personal calculators.
You must wait 15 days before retesting. Use that window to review the areas where you felt least certain rather than simply re-reading everything.
There are no mandatory education or work-experience prerequisites for CFA. MSSC offers an optional 55-hour online course, but it is not required. See the CFT requirements guide for the full picture.
No. CFT is a maintenance-and-repair technician credential. It focuses on diagnosing, servicing, and repairing lift trucks rather than on operating them. If you are exploring where the credential can lead, our pages on CFT jobs and the salary guide are good next stops.