Is the CITB test the same as the CSCS test?

Yes. There is one exam and it goes by both names. CITB owns and sets the Health, Safety and Environment test; CSCS is the card scheme that issues the card you can apply for once you have passed. People say 'CSCS test' because the card is what they actually want.

Which CITB test do I need to book?

One of three: Operatives for general site workers, Specialists for trade-specific roles, or Managers and Professionals for management positions. CITB directs candidates to the official CSCS Card Finder to check, because sitting the wrong version means paying the fee twice.

How much does the CITB HS&E test cost in 2026?

£23.50. Beware of third-party sites charging a booking fee on top — you can book directly with Pearson VUE online, or by phone on 0344 994 4488, with a separate Welsh-language line on 0344 994 4490.

Does passing the CITB test get me a CSCS card?

Not on its own. The test is one requirement; you also need the relevant qualification for the card you want — for example a Level 1 Award and the test for the Green Labourer card, or an NVQ/SVQ Level 2 for a Blue Skilled Worker card. You then apply to CSCS separately.

Are these the real CITB questions?

No, and no revision site has them. CITB's official GT-series publications and apps are the only material drawn from the real bank. Ours are written independently to the same format and knowledge areas, which is what makes them useful for practice.

CITB Mock Test — 50 Questions

“CITB test” and “CSCS test” are the same exam. CITB owns and sets the Health, Safety and Environment test; CSCS issues the card you can apply for once you pass. This free CITB mock uses the real format — 50 questions, 45 minutes, 45/50 (90%) to pass.

CITB HS&E Mock Test (timed, exam conditions)

50 questions · 45 minutes · pass mark 90%
Timed, exam conditions — answers are revealed at the end, just like the real CITB HS&E test.
Some questions need more than one answer — these are clearly marked.

CITB, CSCS and Pearson VUE — three bodies, three jobs

Most of the confusion around this exam comes from three organisations being used as if they were one. They are not, and knowing which does what saves you ringing the wrong number.

CITB

Sets and owns the test

The Construction Industry Training Board writes the Health, Safety and Environment test, decides what it covers, and publishes the official revision material. CITB says it reviews the test continually. Nothing about the exam itself is CSCS's decision.

Pearson VUE

Delivers the test

You book and sit the test through Pearson VUE, at a Pearson Professional Centre or an approved Internet Test Centre (ITC). They run the room, check your ID and print your score report. They do not write the questions.

CSCS

Issues the card

Once you have passed and hold the right qualification, CSCS issues the card you show at the gate. CSCS is a card scheme, not an exam board — and CITB's own site points out it is not the only recognised scheme.

The three CITB test versions

You need one exam, and it goes by two names. What actually varies is the version you sit. All three run to the same shape — 50 questions, 45 minutes, 45 out of 50 to pass — but the content differs, and booking the wrong one costs you the £23.50 again.

Operatives

General site workers — CITB's own description. The version most candidates sit, and the one behind the Green Labourer card.

Operatives mock test

Specialists

Trade-specific roles. Twelve topics, from demolition and highway works to plumbing and lifts, each adding a specialist section to the core knowledge.

All 12 specialist topics

Managers & Professionals

Management positions and professional-card applicants. Known as the MAP test.

MAP mock test

From CITB test to CSCS card

1
Confirm which card and test you need
Use the official CSCS Card Finder. Your card determines your test version, not the other way round.
2
Get the qualification the card requires
The test is never enough on its own. Cards need evidence too — a Level 1 Award for the Green Labourer card, an NVQ/SVQ Level 2 for Blue, and so on.
3
Practise until the pass mark stops being close
45 out of 50 leaves room for five wrong answers. Take full timed mocks, then drill your weak topics.
4
Book and sit the test
£23.50, through Pearson VUE online, by phone, or at an Internet Test Centre. Bring the right ID — no ID means no test and no refund.
5
Apply to CSCS with your score report
You get the result at the centre. Keep the score report; the card application needs it.

Full detail on what the CITB HS&E test is, how to book it and the 13 CSCS card types.

Scoring under 45?

Work through the 21 topic question banks — each is untimed with a worked explanation after every question — then come back and sit the full mock again. Questions are reshuffled on every attempt, so a retake is never the same paper.

CITB test — frequently asked questions

Is the CITB test the same as the CSCS test?: Yes. There is one exam and it goes by both names. CITB owns and sets the Health, Safety and Environment test; CSCS is the card scheme that issues the card you can apply for once you have passed. People say 'CSCS test' because the card is what they actually want.
Which CITB test do I need to book?: One of three: Operatives for general site workers, Specialists for trade-specific roles, or Managers and Professionals for management positions. CITB directs candidates to the official CSCS Card Finder to check, because sitting the wrong version means paying the fee twice.
How much does the CITB HS&E test cost in 2026?: £23.50. Beware of third-party sites charging a booking fee on top — you can book directly with Pearson VUE online, or by phone on 0344 994 4488, with a separate Welsh-language line on 0344 994 4490.
Does passing the CITB test get me a CSCS card?: Not on its own. The test is one requirement; you also need the relevant qualification for the card you want — for example a Level 1 Award and the test for the Green Labourer card, or an NVQ/SVQ Level 2 for a Blue Skilled Worker card. You then apply to CSCS separately.
Are these the real CITB questions?: No, and no revision site has them. CITB's official GT-series publications and apps are the only material drawn from the real bank. Ours are written independently to the same format and knowledge areas, which is what makes them useful for practice.