Aerial platform certificate: IS-005, IPAF and validity
Same logic as the forklift: the law demands training and fitness, the sites demand a certificate; in petrochemicals that is IS-005, internationally the IPAF PAL Card.
| Who needs it, by law or by the site? | Anyone operating a scissor lift, telescopic or articulated boom lift |
|---|---|
| Validity and renewal | No statutory term; IS-005 and IPAF PAL Card five years |
| How do you get it? | Theory and practical exam at a training centre; IS-005 at a BeSaCC-recognised centre |
Who needs it, by law or by the site?
Anyone operating an aerial work platform: scissor lift, telescopic or articulated boom lift, self-propelled or truck-mounted. As with forklifts there is no legal certificate, but the employer may only let self-propelled mobile work equipment be driven by employees with adequate training, and operating lifting equipment of any kind is a safety function with mandatory health surveillance by the occupational physician. [1] [2] [3]
On (petro)chemical and large industrial sites the BeSaCC-VCA Register of Risk-bearing Tasks applies: 'Working with a self-propelled aerial platform' (IS-005) and 'Working with a truck-mounted aerial platform' (IS-004) are tasks with a mandatory exam at a recognised centre. Anyone working with a telehandler with work platform needs IS-005 on top of the telehandler certificate. [4]
Legal basis
Code on well-being at work: book IV title 3, article IV.3-7, 1° (adequate training for drivers of self-propelled mobile work equipment); book I title 4, article I.4-1, §2, 1° (operating lifting equipment of any kind is a safety function) and I.4-3 (mandatory health surveillance); book I title 2, articles I.2-16 to I.2-21 (information and training). The BeSaCC register is not law but a requirement from VCA certification (VCA question 3.4) and from the clients who refer to it; for certain tasks in (petro)chemicals it contains requirements, not just guidance. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
How do you get it?
You follow training at a training centre and take a theory and a practical test on the machine type. For the BeSaCC IS-005 certificate you must be at least 18; the theory exam lasts 20 minutes (maximum 40) and the practical exam 30 minutes. If you work in (petro)chemicals the exam must be taken at a recognised centre. [4]
The VDAB catalogue lists a two-day basic course and a one-day refresher (Zwijnaarde), courses in Tessenderlo-Ham, Hasselt and Pittem, and the IS-005 course in Bilzen-Hoeselt, where you only receive the certificate if you pass the official exam. Conditions for the refresher: minimum 18 years old, declared medically fit by the occupational physician and your own helmet and safety shoes. The online VDAB course 'Hoogwerker' (about three hours, recognised by VDAB) only prepares the theory part of the certificate 'Working safely with an aerial platform'. [8]
IPAF, the international federation of aerial platform manufacturers and rental companies, issues the PAL Card (Powered Access Licence) after training at an IPAF training centre. International rental companies and construction sites often ask for it; in Belgium it complements, but does not replace, the training duty under the Code. [7] [1]
Length of the training
At the training centres in the VDAB catalogue: basic course two days, refresher one day; the VDAB online theory course about three hours. Other centres set their own duration; the law sets no minimum. [8]
Validity and renewal
The law sets no validity period; your employer decides on refreshers based on the risk analysis. The BeSaCC IS-005 certificate is valid for five years, as is IS-004; after that you sit the exam again at a recognised centre. The IPAF PAL Card is also valid for five years: renewal is done through an IPAF training centre before the expiry date, and only those who kept their log book (on paper or in the ePAL app) are eligible for a renewal. [1] [4] [7]
Finding or requesting it
A BeSaCC IS-004 or IS-005 certificate from a recognised centre is in the Central Diploma Register (csm-examen.be/cdr, section Risk-bearing Tasks); you search by diploma number or by name plus date of birth. An IPAF PAL Card is checked through 'Verify PAL Card' on ipaf.org. Certificates from other training centres are requested from the centre itself; a VDAB qualification is found in the LED through Mijn Burgerprofiel. [6] [7] [9]
What does it cost?
The VDAB online theory course 'Hoogwerker' is recognised by VDAB and free for jobseekers. The price of practical courses and of the IS-005 exam differs per training centre; employers usually pay for the training because it is their training duty. [8] [1]
Frequently asked questions
Is an aerial platform certificate legally required?
The certificate is not, the training is: the Code obliges the employer to let self-propelled mobile work equipment be driven only by employees with adequate training, and operating lifting equipment is a safety function with mandatory health surveillance. The certificate is the usual proof; on VCA sites and in petrochemicals the BeSaCC IS-005 certificate is concretely required. [1][2][4]
What is the IS-005 certificate?
IS-005 'Working with a self-propelled aerial platform' is a task from the BeSaCC-VCA Register of Risk-bearing Tasks, with a mandatory theory and practical exam at a recognised centre for those working in (petro)chemicals. You must be at least 18, the diploma is valid for five years and is listed in the Central Diploma Register. IS-004 is the variant for truck-mounted platforms. [4][6]
How long is an aerial platform certificate valid?
The law names no term; your employer decides on refreshers. The BeSaCC IS-005 certificate is valid for five years, as is the IPAF PAL Card. Training centres offer one-day refreshers for those who already have experience. [4][7][8]
What is the difference between IS-005 and the IPAF PAL Card?
IS-005 is the Belgian BeSaCC-VCA certificate that (petro)chemical and VCA sites require; the PAL Card is the international proof from IPAF that rental companies and international sites ask for. Both are valid for five years. For the PAL Card you must keep a log book to be eligible for renewal. Which certificate you need depends on the site where you work; ask your employer or the client. [4][7]
Can you get an aerial platform certificate through VDAB?
The VDAB catalogue contains a free online theory course (about three hours) preparing the theory part of the certificate 'Working safely with an aerial platform'; for the certificate itself you also have to pass a practical test. It also lists practical courses from partners (basic two days, refresher one day) and the IS-005 course in Bilzen-Hoeselt, which are not free. [8]
How do you find your aerial platform certificate?
An IS-004 or IS-005 certificate is found in the Central Diploma Register at csm-examen.be/cdr; a PAL Card is checked on ipaf.org. Certificates from other centres are requested from the centre or the employer that organised the training; VDAB qualifications are in the LED through Mijn Burgerprofiel. [6][7][9]
Vacancies that mention this certificate
Sources
Every paragraph points with a number to the source it rests on. What no official source says is not on this page; where the rule differs per employer or per training centre, it says so literally.
- Codex over het welzijn op het werk, boek IV titel 3 Mobiele arbeidsmiddelen (FOD WASO, pdf) (checked on 23 October 2026)
- Codex over het welzijn op het werk, boek I titel 4 Gezondheidstoezicht (FOD WASO, pdf) (checked on 23 October 2026)
- FOD Werkgelegenheid: attest voor het besturen van een gemotoriseerd transportwerktuig (checked on 23 October 2026)
- BeSaCC-VCA: Register van Risicovolle Taken, versie 2020-01 (pdf) (checked on 23 October 2026)
- BeSaCC-VCA: info risicovolle taken (checked on 23 October 2026)
- BeSaCC-VCA: Diplomaregister (checked on 23 October 2026)
- IPAF: How do I renew my PAL Card when it expires? (PAL Cards are valid for 5 years) (checked on 23 October 2026)
- VDAB: opleidingsaanbod hoogwerker (checked on 23 October 2026)
- Vlaanderen.be: een diploma raadplegen via de LED (Mijn Burgerprofiel) (checked on 23 October 2026)
This page is information, not legal advice. Your employer, its prevention advisor and the competent region remain responsible for what applies at your workplace.