Guide
IPAF course cost: what UK training centres publish, by category
Updated
An IPAF course costs a median of £268.50 for the 3a and 3b dual course across the four UK centres that print that price, from £204 to £428.75, read on 28 October 2026. A single category is cheaper, a median of £210 for 3a, and adding the 1b static boom or a harness module costs more.
The published prices, course by course
| Course | What the centre publishes | Centre |
|---|---|---|
| 3a and 3b dual | from £204 excl. VAT | VHTS |
| 3a and 3b dual | £260 booked online (list £265) | Nationwide Platforms |
| 3a and 3b dual | £277 + VAT | HSS Training (SpanSet) |
| 3a and 3b dual, novice | £428.75 excl. VAT | Kentec Training |
| 3a scissor lift | from £161 excl. VAT | VHTS |
| 3a scissor lift | £210 excl. VAT | Kentec Training |
| 3a scissor lift | £215 booked online | Nationwide Platforms |
| 3b boom | £215 booked online | Nationwide Platforms |
| 1b static boom | £180 | Utilities Training |
| 1b static boom | £265 booked online | Nationwide Platforms |
| 1b, 3a and 3b triple | £410 booked online | Nationwide Platforms |
| Operator and harness user | £365 booked online | Nationwide Platforms |
| MEWPs for Managers | £120 online course | Nationwide Platforms |
| MEWPs for Managers | £255.50 + VAT | HSS Training (SpanSet) |
Sources, each the centre's own page: VHTS, Nationwide Platforms 3a and 3b, HSS Training dual, Kentec novice dual, Kentec 3a, Nationwide triple, HSS MEWPs for Managers. The full table, with every centre that publishes nothing, is on the price index.
What moves the price
- How many categories
- Each category is trained and tested on its own machine, so 3a alone costs less than 3a and 3b, and the triple course with 1b costs most.
- New operator or experienced
- Kentec prices its novice dual course separately from the standard course, because a first-time operator needs more time on the machine.
- Booking online
- Nationwide Platforms prints an online price and a higher list price on every course page: £260 against £265 for the London dual course.
- VAT
- Most centres quote excluding VAT, so a £260 course costs £312 to a buyer who cannot reclaim it. Ask which the quote is.
- Theory online, practical in person
- Nationwide Platforms sells the theory as an online module for £50, with the practical session priced separately by the number of categories (its own page).
What to ask before you book
- Which categories does the course cover, and is the PAL card included?
- Is the price per person or per day, and does it include VAT?
- Is the practical on a machine like the one you will use on site?
- If you are renewing, does your card need to be in date to book the renewal?
Published figures are what each centre advertises on its own page, read through our fetch box on the date shown. A 'from' price is the centre's floor, not the price of your booking.