Price, validity, rules
CACES training: from day one to the certificate
Pick the categories you are aiming for: the tool counts the test units, theory included, and the number of test days needed.
Independent site, not linked to the French Health Insurance (Assurance Maladie), the INRS, testing bodies or training centres.
How long is the R489 test?
Full test
2 TU
| Theory | 1 TU (1 h ± 10 min) |
| Practical | 1.00 TU |
| Median course (CPF) | 21 h, €784 |
At most 7 test units per candidate per day.
A CACES is prepared in two stages: a course, then tests. The course has no set length: the provider adapts it to the candidate’s level, experience and the number of categories targeted. As of 23 October 2026, the median Mon Compte Formation catalogue offer is 21 hours for an initial R489 category 3 course, three days, and 14 hours for R485. The recommendations require the training to be certified before the tests are taken, and specify that a course limited to preparing for the test is not enough. The tests themselves have a fixed length, expressed in test units: one test unit is one hour, give or take ten minutes. The theory test counts as one unit, each practical test as half a unit to one and a half units depending on the category, and a candidate cannot sit more than 7 test units in a single day. Finally, the tester cannot be the person who delivered the training.
What does a CACES cost me with my CPF?
Left to pay
€150
| Paid by the CPF | €650 |
| Of which flat contribution | €150 |
| CPF cap for a CACES | €1,500 |
Questions, explanations and calculations by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
Test units by category
| Recommendation | Theory | Practical test per category |
|---|---|---|
| R489 | 1 TU | 3: 1.00 · 4: 1.00 · 5: 0.75 · 6: 0.75 · 7: 0.75 · 1A: 0.50 · 1B: 0.75 · 2A: 0.50 · 2B: 0.50 |
| R485 | 1 TU | 1: 0.75 · 2: 0.75 |
| R482 | 1 TU | A: 1.50 · B1: 1.00 · B2: 1.00 · B3: 1.00 · C1: 1.00 · C2: 1.00 · C3: 1.00 · D: 1.00 · E: 1.00 · F: 1.00 · G: 1.20 · option: 0.50 |
| R486 | 1 TU | A: 1.00 · B: 1.00 · C: 1.00 · option: 0.50 |
| R490 | 1 TU | crane: 1.00 · option: 0.50 |
A typical course
- Assessment: the provider checks the candidate’s experience to adjust the length.
- Theory: regulations, technology, stability, reading plates, risks, signs.
- Practice on a machine of the category: checks, driving, manoeuvres, picking up and setting down loads.
- Training certificate, then theory and practical tests with a tester other than the trainer.
- The certified testing body issues the CACES for each category passed.
How long is the R482 test?
Full test
2.50 TU
| Theory | 1 TU (1 h ± 10 min) |
| Practical | 1.50 TU |
| Median course (CPF) | 25 h, €1,560 |
At most 7 test units per candidate per day.
Arriving prepared
Theory can be worked on before the course: a candidate who has taken two or three mock exams gets more out of the time spent on the machine. Marking rules are detailed on the theory test page, and course prices on the CACES price page.