CSCS Card Types Explained
CSCS issues 13 card typesreflecting different occupations and qualification levels. The card you need decides which CITB HS&E test you must pass. Check before you book.
| Card | Colour | Who it's for | Validity | HS&E test needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labourer | Green | Unskilled labouring duties only | 2 yrs first / 5 yrs renewal | Operatives |
| Blue Skilled Worker | Blue | NVQ/SVQ Level 2 in a construction occupation | 5 yrs | Operatives |
| Gold Skilled Worker (Advanced Craft) | Gold | NVQ/SVQ Level 3 | 5 yrs | Operatives |
| Supervisory | Gold | Supervisory/technical NVQ holders | 5 yrs | Specialist (Supervisory) |
| Manager | Black | Construction management qualification | 5 yrs | Managers & Professionals |
| Experienced Technical, Supervisor or Manager | Red | Experienced, working towards qualification | 3 yrs, non-renewable | Varies by role |
| Academically Qualified Person (AQP) | White | Construction-related degree/HND/HNC | 5 yrs | Managers & Professionals |
| Professionally Qualified Person (PQP) | White | Members of approved professional bodies | 5 yrs, not renewable | Managers & Professionals |
| Apprentice | Red | Recognised apprenticeship (card issued free) | 4 yrs | Operatives |
| Trainee | Red | Registered for a competence-assessed qualification | 5 yrs (2 yrs some routes) | Operatives |
| Provisional | Red | Probationary workers (one-off, non-renewable) | 6 months | Operatives |
| Experienced Worker | Red | Experienced, working towards NVQ | 1 yr, non-renewable | Operatives |
| Industry Placement | n/a | Students on ≥3-week construction placements | 2 yrs | Operatives |
The table tells you which card matches which role. It cannot tell you whether the card someone presents at the gate is genuine and still in date. To check a CSCS card, employers and site staff scan it with CSCS Smart Check, which CSCS describes as the only platform that verifies all 2.3 million cards displaying the CSCS logo. Check a CSCS Card sets out how the scan works and what the result tells you.
2025-2026 change: Green Labourer card validity
Since 1 February 2025, a first-time Green Labourer card is valid for 2 years(previously 5). Renewals are for 5 years with evidence you work as a labourer. Your HS&E test pass is treated as valid for 3 years when renewing that initial 2-year card.
Not sure which card you need?
Use the official CSCS Card Finder to confirm the exact card and test for your role. Most card routes start with the same exam, so come back and work through a free CSCS practice test or go straight to the CSCS mock test for Operatives.
One thing that page will not tell you plainly: not every card comes from CSCS. Electricians, scaffolders and plant operators are carded by separate schemes, and one of them does not accept the CITB test at all. If your trade is on that list, start with the CSCS Alliance card schemes before you book anything.
Card rules move. Several of the cards above changed in the last eighteen months, so read the CSCS card changes for 2025 and 2026 before you apply, particularly if you want the Green Labourer card, which now lasts two years on first application rather than five.
Card list verified against cscs.uk.com, July 2026. Test mapping is indicative, so always confirm with the official Card Finder.