CSCS Cards Explained: Colours, Validity, Partner Schemes and Checks
Most UK construction sites won't let someone through the gate without a CSCS card, or a card from one of the partner schemes that carries the CSCS logo. The law doesn't require one. The sites do. If you take on subcontractors or labour, the questions that matter are which card fits which job, how long each one lasts, and how you check it is real.
This post covers the card colours, the health and safety test behind them, how long each card is valid, the cards that have closed, the partner schemes, how to check a card, and how to track expiry dates for subcontractors in WorkZerk.
What a CSCS card is
CSCS stands for the Construction Skills Certification Scheme. A card shows the holder has the training and qualifications for the job they do on site. CSCS issues 13 card types, each tied to an occupation and a level of qualification.
Is it a legal requirement?
No. CSCS says plainly that "holding a CSCS card is not a legislative requirement". It is up to the principal contractor or client whether workers need one, and CSCS adds that most principal contractors and major house builders require a valid card on their sites.
The push comes from industry. The Construction Leadership Council asked clients, contractors and government to specify card schemes carrying the CSCS logo and accept no equivalents. Build UK's members have agreed to follow that, and its Training Standard defines a construction occupation as one for which a card carrying the CSCS logo can be obtained.
So in practice, if your subcontractors work on a Build UK member's site or a major house builder's site, they need the right card.
The card colours
The colour tells you the level at a glance. Colours below are from Go Construct, which CITB runs. Requirements and validity are from each card's page on the CSCS site.
| Colour | Card | Who it is for | Valid for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green | Labourer | Unskilled labouring only. Needs a Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment (or an approved alternative) | 2 years for the first card, then 5 years on renewal |
| Red | Provisional | Someone on a probationary period, or new to the industry, who has never held a CSCS card | 6 months, not renewable |
| Red | Trainee | Someone registered on an NVQ/SVQ, HNC, HND or degree | 5 years, not renewable (a 2-year renewable version exists for some non-competence qualifications) |
| Red | Apprentice | Someone on a recognised apprenticeship. Issued free | 4 years 6 months, not renewable |
| Red | Experienced Worker | On-the-job experience (normally a year in the last three) and registered on an NVQ/SVQ level 2 | 1 year, not renewable |
| Red | Experienced Technical, Supervisor or Manager | Experienced supervisors, managers and technical staff registered on a level 3 or higher qualification | 3 years, not renewable |
| Blue | Skilled Worker | A construction NVQ/SVQ level 2 or a completed apprenticeship | 5 years |
| Gold | Gold Skilled Worker | A construction NVQ/SVQ level 3 or an advanced apprenticeship | 5 years |
| Gold | Supervisory | A supervisory or technical NVQ/SVQ level 3 or 4 | 5 years |
| Black | Manager | A construction management or technical NVQ/SVQ level 4 to 7 | 5 years |
| White | Academically Qualified Person | Certain construction degrees, HNCs, HNDs and CIOB certificates | 5 years |
| White | Professionally Qualified Person | Members of CSCS-approved professional bodies | 5 years |
The red cards are the ones to watch. They are temporary by design: the holder is expected to finish their qualification before the card runs out and move up to a blue or gold card. A one-year Experienced Worker card can't be renewed, so when it expires the person needs a different card, not the same one again.
The green card is for labourers only. CSCS says a skilled worker holding a Labourer card will be refused site access. Holding the wrong card for the job can get someone turned away, even if the card itself is in date.
The Health, Safety and Environment test
Almost every card needs a pass in the CITB Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E) test. There are three versions: Operatives, Specialists, and Managers and Professionals. The level depends on the card. The test costs £22.50 and is booked through CITB, not CSCS.
For most cards, the pass must be from within the last two years when the person applies. Some cards also accept the CIC Health and Safety Test, for example the white cards.
What a card costs
A CSCS card costs £36. CSCS has announced it rises to £42 from 1 February 2027. Applications paid on or before 31 January 2027 keep the £36 fee. The fee covers both the physical card and the digital card in the My CSCS app.
Cards that have closed
Two routes onto a card no longer exist. If a subcontractor shows you one of these, it is no longer valid.
- Construction Related Occupation (CRO) cards. CSCS stopped issuing them at the end of March 2017, and all CRO cards issued since October 2015 expired on 30 September 2017.
- Industry Accreditation (IA) cards. These were issued on an employer's say-so rather than a qualification. CSCS stopped renewing them from 30 June 2024, and all IA cards issued from 1 January 2020 expired on 31 December 2024.
Both closed for the same reason: every card should now rest on a recognised qualification.
The Labourer card has its own renewal rules. A holder still working as a labourer renews for five years with a renewal declaration confirming their labouring role. Anyone who held a Labourer card before February 2025 can renew for five years with evidence of labouring work and an HS&E test pass from the last two years (CSCS).
Partner card schemes
CSCS doesn't card every trade. Electricians, plumbers, plant operators and scaffolders, among others, get their card from a partner scheme in the CSCS Alliance. The cards look different, but they all display the CSCS logo, and CSCS says a card carrying it is equivalent to a CSCS card and should be accepted on site.
The CSCS Alliance members list includes:
| Scheme | Trade |
|---|---|
| ECS | Electrotechnical (run by the JIB in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the SJIB in Scotland) |
| JIB-PMES | Plumbing (England and Wales) |
| CPCS and NPORS | Plant operators |
| CISRS | Scaffolding |
| SKILLcard | Heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration |
| EUSR | Utilities |
There are more than 30 in all. When you ask a subcontractor for a "CSCS card", say you accept any card carrying the CSCS logo, so an electrician doesn't think they need a second card.
How to check a card
A photo of a card shows what the card says. It doesn't show whether the card is still valid today. CSCS puts it directly: "Visual card inspections will not detect cards that are fake, have been revoked or fraudulently obtained."
Use CSCS Smart Check. It is the only platform that verifies all cards displaying the CSCS logo, including partner scheme cards. It comes as:
- a mobile app on Google Play and the App Store, which reads the card's chip or a QR code from the holder's digital card
- a website at cscssmartcheck.co.uk, for checking from a PC
- an API, for site access and induction systems
Cardholders can show the digital card in the My CSCS app as well as, or instead of, the plastic one. Check either the same way.
CSCS says cards should be verified regularly, not only at the first induction. A card can be revoked before its expiry date.
What to keep on file
For each person working on site, keep:
- a copy of their card, both sides, or a screenshot of their digital card
- the card type, the scheme and the card number
- the expiry date
- who checked it on Smart Check, and when
A CSCS card is not a site induction. The principal contractor still has to give each worker a site-specific induction. The UK contractor onboarding checklist covers that, along with CIS, insurance and the rest of the paperwork.
This is general information, not legal advice. Card rules change, so check the CSCS Card Finder or the relevant partner scheme for anyone whose role is borderline.
What WorkZerk does and doesn't do
- Each subcontractor or worker gets one private link and uploads their card from their phone, with no account or password.
- The card saves to their contact record with its expiry date, so it counts across every portal and they aren't asked twice.
- WorkZerk emails the person before their card expires and asks for the new one.
- The Document compliance report shows whose card is current, expiring, expired or missing.
What it does not do: WorkZerk does not connect to CSCS, Smart Check or any partner scheme, and it can't tell you whether a card is genuine, revoked or the right card for the job. Your team checks each card on Smart Check and records that it did. An uploaded photo of a card is not the check.
Setting it up in WorkZerk
1. Turn on two-factor authentication
Asking people to upload documents needs two-factor authentication on your account. Set it up first under Account, then Two-factor authentication (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab).
2. Create the fields
Open Fields (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab) and add:
- CSCS card, an Upload field with Require an expiry date ticked.
- CSCS card type, a Choice field. Use the cards your sites accept, for example Labourer (green), Red (temporary), Skilled Worker (blue), Gold, Manager (black), White, Partner scheme.
- CSCS card number, a Text field.
- CSCS checked on, a Date field your team fills in after each Smart Check.
3. Create a portal from the UK contractor pack
Open Portals (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab), click New portal, and add the Contractor onboarding (United Kingdom) pack. It asks for a UTR, company and VAT numbers, public liability and professional indemnity insurance, and bank details. It does not ask for a CSCS card, so add that in the next step. See starter request packs.
4. Ask for the card
On the portal's Requests panel, click + Insert and add:
- A Section called "Site work". Open Limit who sees this and tick the people who will be on site, so a quantity surveyor working from the office isn't asked.
- Inside it, an Upload request, "CSCS card or partner scheme card", with CSCS card as its Document type and Require expiry on. In the description: "Both sides of your card, or a screenshot of your digital card in the My CSCS app. Any card with the CSCS logo is accepted. Enter the expiry date shown on the card."
- A Fields request for CSCS card type, and another for CSCS card number.
A contractor compliance walkthrough covers sections and limiting who sees them.
5. Send the links
Add each subcontractor and their operatives to the portal and send their links. For a gang arriving on short notice, share a self-registration link instead.
6. Check each card on Smart Check, then approve
Uploads wait under Needs review on Requests (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab). For each one:
- Check the card on Smart Check.
- Compare the expiry date with the one the person entered. If it differs, click Change date and enter the date from Smart Check.
- Check the card type fits the job they're doing. A skilled trade on a green card is a reason to stop.
- Approve the upload, and enter the date in CSCS checked on.
See reviewing uploads.
7. Switch on the expiry reminders
Open Automations (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab) and switch on Document expiring reminder and Document expired reminder. Both start switched off. The expiring reminder goes 30 days before the expiry date by default, and stops once the new card arrives. See Automations.
For red cards, 30 days is tight. A Provisional card lasts 6 months and an Experienced Worker card a year, and neither can be renewed, so the person needs a new card type, not a renewal. Consider moving the reminder to 60 days.
When the new card comes in, the person uploads it on the same request. It replaces the old one and the reminders start again. Run Smart Check, approve it, and update CSCS checked on.
8. Check who is covered
Open Requests (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab) and click Document compliance. Each person shows as current, expiring, needs review, expired or missing. Use Download CSV when a principal contractor asks for a list of your operatives and their cards. See Document compliance.
Getting started
Start a free WorkZerk trial at workzerk.com, then work through the steps above. If you get stuck, the getting started guide walks through a first portal end to end, or email us at [email protected].