How much the CACES® R489 costs and how to fund it

How much does the CACES® R489 cost?

The price depends on your experience, the number of categories and the training centre. There is no official price: each centre sets its own.

Typical ranges seen in 2026, to check with centres near you:

• Beginner training, 1 category (3 to 5 days): about €600 to €1,500
• Beginner training, several categories (for example 1A, 3 and 5): often over €1,500
• Tests only for an experienced driver (theory and practical): about €200 to €500 per category
• Renewal before expiry (1 to 3 days): about €300 to €800

Paying with the CPF

The CACES® R489 is a registered certification, so training that leads to it can be paid for with your Compte personnel de formation (CPF) on moncompteformation.gouv.fr.

Pick a session that includes the CACES® tests, check which categories it covers, then confirm with your digital ID. You may have some left to pay.

Other funding

Depending on your situation:

• Job seekers: France Travail can top up or fund the training (individual training aid), often when a job offer depends on it.
• Employees: the employer usually pays, through its skills development plan and its OPCO.
• Temp workers: many agencies fund the CACES® for their workers, sometimes with an assignment afterwards.

Keeping the cost down

Failing the theory test often means paying for another session, so arriving prepared is the easiest way to save money.

Practise the 4 scored themes before your training, especially load plates and charts: that is where most candidates lose points.