A CSCS card shows that you have the appropriate training and qualifications for your job on a construction site. It costs £36 to apply, rising to £42 from 1 February 2027, and apprentice cards are free. First you must pass the right level of the CITB Health, safety and environment test within the last two years.
Key points
✓The CITB Health, safety and environment test costs £23.50 and should be booked directly through CITB.
✓If you work in a non-construction occupation, or are on work experience for less than three weeks, you do not need a card.
✓Cards can only be renewed from six months before to a year after the expiry date printed on the card.
✓Third-party sites that sell CSCS cards are not approved by CSCS and often charge admin fees.
Which CSCS card do you need?
It depends on your job and your qualifications. CSCS says the My CSCS app will confirm the right type of card for your occupation and level of experience, and if you do not hold the correct card for your role on site, you may be refused entry.
Card
Who it is for
How long it lasts
Labourer
Labouring occupations only, not those training for or working in skilled roles
Two years at first, then five years if you renew as a labourer
Apprentice
People on recognised apprenticeships, issued free
Four years and six months, cannot be renewed
Trainee
People registered for a competence-assessed qualification
Five years, or two years then a new three-year card
Experienced Worker
Workers with on-the-job experience who are registered to complete a qualification
One year, cannot be renewed
Blue Skilled Worker
Workers with a construction related NVQ or SVQ
Five years
Gold Skilled Worker
Workers with a construction related NVQ or SVQ at level 3
Five years
Provisional
People in a probationary period while an employer assesses them
Six months, cannot be renewed
The Labourer card also needs the Level 1 Award in health and safety, or a recognised alternative. If you already hold or are enrolled on a qualification for a skilled occupation, you do not need a separate Level 1 course: you can apply for the card that matches your role.
How much does a CSCS card cost?
What you pay for
Cost
CSCS card application
£36, or £42 from 1 February 2027
Apprentice card
Free
CITB Health, safety and environment test
£23.50
CSCS says third-party organisations offering CSCS cards are often more expensive and can charge admin fees or other costs, and they are not affiliated to, associated with or approved by CSCS. If you are paying more than £36 for a card, check what extra services you are getting and that you are happy to pay for them.
Which CITB test do you need?
You must pass the appropriate level of the CITB Health, safety and environment test within the last two years, or an approved alternative. You book it directly through CITB, because CSCS does not provide tests, qualifications or courses.
Test
Needed for
Operatives
The Labourer, Trainee and Apprentice cards, most Blue Skilled Worker cards and most Gold Advanced Craft cards
Managers and Professionals
The Black Managers card and the Academically or Professionally Qualified Person cards
Specialists
The Gold Supervisor card, and Blue Skilled Worker and Gold Advanced Craft cards in certain occupations
How do you apply for a CSCS card?
Download the My CSCS app, which confirms the right type of card for your occupation.
Have a copy of your qualification certificate, proof of registration on a qualification, or proof of professional body membership.
Have your CITB test ID number from the top of your pass certificate ready.
Pay the application fee by credit or debit card.
Once your application is approved, you can access your digital CSCS card straight away and use it to access site. Employers, training providers and third parties apply through CSCS Online instead.
Who needs a CSCS card?
CSCS says all construction workers should hold the relevant CSCS card to access a construction site, and that many contractors and site managers insist on the correct card for each occupation. People attending site to do a non-construction job should not be expected to carry one.
If a site wrongly refuses you entry because you do not hold a card, CSCS says to direct the site manager to its webpage on who needs a card, the Build UK Training Standard, or to ask them to contact CSCS directly.
How do you renew or replace a CSCS card?
You renew through the My CSCS app. Blue and Gold Skilled Worker cards are renewed using the construction qualification you used for the previous card, and you must also have passed the right level of the CITB test, or an approved alternative, within the last two years.
If you have changed roles or gained a new qualification, you may need to apply for a new card rather than renew. Lost, stolen or broken cards can be replaced through My CSCS. Our work and industry guides cover other rules you may need on site, and our guide to accidents at work explains what to do if you are hurt.
Know Your Rights UK. "CSCS Card: Which Card You Need, the Cost and How to Apply." Know Your Rights UK, https://www.knowyourrightsuk.com/industries/cscs-card