CSCS Practice Test

CSCS Test Pass Mark & Scoring

Only 5 wrong answers allowed. A grid of all 50 questions in one test, 45 squares green for the correct answers you need and 5 red for the ones you can afford to lose. 50 questions per test, 45 minutes at roughly 54 seconds each, 45 out of 50 needed to pass (90 percent), 23.50 pounds every attempt. The same pass mark applies to all three versions.

The pass mark for the CITB Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E) test is 45 correct answers out of 50 — 90%. That applies to all three versions: Operatives, Specialist and Managers & Professionals (MAP).

How scoring works

  • 50 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes.
  • Some questions require more than one answer — you must select all correct options to score the mark.
  • You get your result at the test centre straight after finishing. Keep the score report safe — you need it for your CSCS card application.
  • A pass allows only 5 wrong answers — that is why practising to a consistent 90%+ before booking matters.

Why 90% is stricter than it sounds

The pass mark is a fixed threshold, not a curve: 45 correct out of 50, every sitting, for every version of the test. Five wrong answers are survivable and a sixth is not.

That has a specific consequence for how you practise. A score of 42 or 43 on a mock feels close, and it is close, but it is a fail, and the gap between 43 and 45 is usually two careless answers rather than two knowledge gaps. Multi-answer questions are where those go missing: you only score the mark when every correct option is selected, so a half-right answer scores the same as a wrong one.

The practical benchmark is clearing 45 consistently across several full timed attempts, not once. One pass at exactly 45 is as much luck as knowledge, and the real test will not hand you the same 50 questions.

How the result reaches you

You get your result at the test centre straight away rather than waiting for it by post or email. Keep the score report you are given: the CSCS card application needs it, and if you did not pass it is the most useful revision document you will have, because it shows where the marks went rather than just the total.

What if you fail?

You can rebook and retake the test as many times as you need — each attempt costs the full £23.50 fee. Before rebooking, use our topic question banks to fix your weak areas, then confirm with a timed 50-question mock.

The pass mark is only one of the numbers that matters. See how many questions are in the CSCS test for the full structure and timing, or how hard the CSCS test is for an honest read on the difficulty. For the exam in full, start with what the CITB HS&E test is.

Facts verified against citb.co.uk, July 2026.