CSCS Card Renewal and Application

How to apply, step by step

1. 1

   Pass the right CITB HS&E test

   Your card decides your test. Most cards need the Operatives test; the Supervisory card needs the Specialist Supervisory test; Manager and professional cards need the MAP test. Keep the score report: it carries the test ID number you need for the application.

2. 2

   Get the qualification or evidence

   Nearly every card needs a qualification or proof of registration alongside the test: an NVQ/SVQ certificate, apprenticeship registration, degree certificate or professional-body membership evidence.

3. 3

   Apply via My CSCS or CSCS Online

   Individuals apply through the official My CSCS app. Employers and third parties making bulk applications use CSCS Online. Those are the only two official routes.

4. 4

   Pay the fee and get your digital card

   The card application fee is £36. Once approved, your digital card is available immediately in the app, the My CSCS 'Digital Skills Passport', with the physical card following in the post.

Step 3 is where the application actually happens. My CSCS is the official CSCS app for individuals, it holds your digital card from the moment an application is approved, and it is also where you renew or replace a card later. Our guide to My CSCS covers what the app does, what it cannot do, and why the physical card follows in the post rather than instantly. CSCS says that once an application is approved, cards should arrive within five working days.

Evidence you will need to upload

• A clear photo or scan of your qualification certificate
• Proof of registration where your card requires it (apprenticeship, NVQ/SVQ or training programme)
• Your CITB HS&E test ID number, taken from your score report
• For the Labourer card renewal: the completed renewal declaration form
• For the PQP card: evidence of current professional-body membership
• For some occupations, a copy of the qualification certificate before renewal, so the correct titles go on the card. CSCS contacts you if that applies.

Renewing your card, including an expired one

You can renew from six months before the printed expiry date and for up to a year afterwards, eighteen months in total, through My CSCS or CSCS Online. Do not leave it: an expired card means no site access, and some cards (Provisional, Experienced Worker and Experienced Technical/Supervisor/Manager) cannot be renewed at all, so you must complete your qualification before they run out. See the red card rules if that applies to you.

Check the requirements again before you renew, because scheme rules may have changed since you last applied. The CSCS card changes for 2025 and 2026 cover the recent ones. If you have changed role or gained a new qualification, CSCS says you may need to apply for a new card rather than renew the old one.

Professionally Qualified Person cards are not renewed. On expiry you apply for a new PQP card. Academically Qualified Person cards can be renewed through My CSCS with your qualification and a MAP or CIC Health and Safety Test pass from the last two years. Both are covered on the white CSCS card page. If you are not sure whether a card is still valid, you can check a CSCS card before you start an application.

Replacing a lost, stolen or damaged CSCS card

All three take the same route. Log in to the My CSCS app, open the card in the My Cards section and select Replace Card. Employers, training providers and third parties replace cards for their people through CSCS Online.

• Cost: £36, the same as a new card.
• Expiry date: unchanged. CSCS states that replacement cards carry the expiry date printed on the original.
• In the meantime: your digital card stays in the My CSCS app, and site staff can still check it through Smart Check using its QR code.

Replacing is not renewing. If the lost card was close to expiry, a replacement buys you a card but no extra time, which is why CSCS card cost compares the two before you pay.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay the full fee again when I renew?

Yes. Renewal is charged at the same £36 as a first application, and the Apprentice card remains the only free one. Whether you also pay the £23.50 CITB HS&E test fee again depends on whether your last pass is still within two years at the point you apply.

When can I renew my CSCS card?

CSCS cards can be renewed from six months before the expiry date printed on the card, and up to one year after it, which gives you eighteen months in total. Apply through My CSCS, or through CSCS Online if an employer or training provider applies for you.

My CSCS card has expired. Can I still renew it?

Yes, if it expired less than a year ago. Renew through My CSCS as normal, with the test pass your card asks for. If it expired more than a year ago you are outside the window and will generally need a new application, and for the Labourer card CSCS asks for an appeal with evidence of working in a labouring role.

How long is a CSCS card valid for?

Most CSCS cards are valid for five years, including the Blue Skilled Worker, Gold, Black Manager, Supervisory, AQP and PQP cards. The first Labourer card is valid for two years. Temporary cards are shorter: the Provisional card lasts six months and the Experienced Worker card one year, and neither can be renewed.

Do I have to retake the HS&E test to renew?

For most cards, in practice yes. When you renew a five-year card, CSCS asks for a pass at the right level from within the last two years (or an approved alternative), so the pass from your first application will be too old. The exception is renewing the initial two-year Labourer card, when CSCS accepts the original pass for three years.

How do I replace a lost CSCS card?

Log in to My CSCS, open the card in the My Cards section and select Replace Card. It costs £36. Employers, training providers and third parties replace cards for their people through CSCS Online. Stolen and damaged cards take the same route.

Does a replacement card give me a new expiry date?

No. CSCS states that replacement cards carry the expiry date printed on the original card. If your card was close to expiry when you lost it, the replacement will be too, so check whether renewing is the better use of the £36.

Are there cards that cannot be renewed at all?

Yes. CSCS lists the Apprentice, Industry Placement, Provisional and Experienced Worker cards, the five-year Trainee card, and the Experienced Technical, Supervisor or Manager card as not renewable. The Professionally Qualified Person card is not renewed either: on expiry you apply for a new one. The Academically Qualified Person card can be renewed through My CSCS.