Price, validity, rules
Which CACES for which machine?
Pick the family, then the machine: the tool gives the recommendation, the category, other CACES that cover it and any training to add.
Independent site, not linked to the French Health Insurance (Assurance Maladie), the INRS, testing bodies or training centres.
CACES you need
R482 cat. F
| Valid for | 10 years |
| Median price (CPF) | €1,140 |
| Median length | 21 h |
You never take a CACES in general: you take it for a specific recommendation and category, which depend on the machine. A telehandler falls under R482 category F, not R489; an articulated boom lift under R486 category B; a lorry-mounted crane under R490; a pedestrian stacker under R485. Getting it wrong means paying for a useless course: as of 23 October 2026, the median initial course ranges from €480 for a pedestrian stacker to €1,560 for compact construction machines in the Mon Compte Formation catalogue. The tool above sorts 42 common machines according to annex 1 of each recommendation, including 5 that fall under none of this site’s CACES: mobile cranes, tower cranes, overhead cranes, or construction machines with no category such as pavers. For some machines, the recommendation requires extra training on top of the CACES, for example for narrow aisles; the tool flags it.
Which construction machinery CACES category?
R482 CACES
Category B1
| Compact machine threshold | 6 t |
| Valid for | 10 years |
Questions, explanations and calculations by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
The five recommendations in one table
| Family | Recommendation | Categories | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ride-on industrial trucks | R489 | 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | 5 years |
| Pedestrian-controlled stackers | R485 | 1, 2 | 5 years |
| Construction machinery | R482 | A, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D, E, F, G | 10 years |
| Mobile elevating work platforms | R486 | A, B, C | 5 years |
| Lorry loader cranes | R490 | one category, remote-control option | 5 years |
The most common traps
- Telehandler: R482 category F, not R489.
- Stacker: R489 1B if you ride it, R485 if you walk beside it.
- Truck-mounted lift: R486 category B, even though the truck is driven on a road licence.
- Farm tractor on site: R482 category A up to 100 hp, category E above.
- Turret truck: R489 category 5 or 6, plus extra training.
Which R489 CACES category?
R489 CACES
Category 3
| Valid for | 5 years |
| Theory test | the same for every category |
Once the category is chosen
Once you know the category, the recommendation page offers a mock test: R489, R485, R482, R486 or R490. The CACES price page then compares rates by category and region.