How long do construction training certificates last? A 2026 table
Most construction training certificates and cards last two, three or five years. SMSTS, SSSTS, IPAF PAL, PASMA and blue NPORS and CPCS Competent Operator cards last five years, first aid at work three years, and a first CSCS Labourer card and a red NPORS Trained Operator card two years. Asbestos awareness has no fixed expiry, but HSE expects refresher training as needed. The table below gives each one with its source, checked in October 2026.
Last reviewed: 22 October 2026
- SMSTS and SSSTS certificates last five years.
- IPAF PAL cards last up to five years and must be renewed before they expire.
- First Aid at Work certificates last three years, and HSE strongly recommends an annual refresher.
- A first CSCS Labourer card issued from 1 February 2025 lasts two years, not five.
- NPORS red Trained Operator cards last two years and blue Competent Operator cards five.
The 2026 table
| Certificate or card | How long it lasts | Renewal rule | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSCS Labourer card, first card issued from 1 February 2025 | 2 years (was 5) | Check the current renewal route with CSCS | CSCS |
| SMSTS (Site Safety Plus) | 5 years | Refresher course, taken before the certificate expires | CITB scheme rules, CITB SMSTS refresher |
| SSSTS (Site Safety Plus) | 5 years | Refresher course | CITB scheme rules |
| IPAF PAL card | Up to 5 years | Renew before it expires, with 60 logbook entries over the five years | IPAF |
| PASMA towers | 5 years | Virtual card in the TowerSure app | PASMA |
| NPORS red Trained Operator card (CSCS) | 2 years from the test | For operators without an NVQ | NPORS |
| NPORS blue Competent Operator card (CSCS) | 5 years | NVQ or SVQ held, with a CPD record and logbook | NPORS |
| NPORS Traditional card (not CSCS) | 3 or 5 years, as agreed | NPORS | |
| CPCS blue Competent Operator card | 5 years for the first blue card | Health, safety and environment test, CPCS renewal CPD, and logbook hours or a practical test or onsite assessment | CPCS |
| First Aid at Work | 3 years | Requalify before it expires; annual refresher strongly recommended | HSE |
| Emergency First Aid at Work (Qualsafe) | 3 years | Check the awarding body's rules | Qualsafe |
| Asbestos awareness | No fixed expiry | No legal requirement to repeat the whole course every 12 months, but some refresher training as necessary | HSE |
| CITB HS&E test, for a CSCS card | Passed in the last 2 years | Needed when applying for the card. The test taken for a first Labourer card stays valid for 3 years, so it can be used to renew that card (CSCS) | CSCS guide |
What the table does not cover
The CSCS row covers only the first Labourer card, because that is the rule that changed. Other CSCS cards last for different periods depending on the card, so check the card itself or with CSCS. We have not included a validity for the CPCS red Trained Operator card, because the CPCS help pages we checked do not state one.
CSCS and CPCS cards issued through Industry Accreditation expired on 31 December 2024, so anyone still holding one needs a card through a current route.
Where a scheme's own page gives a different date to the card in someone's hand, the card's expiry date is the one to go by. Schemes change their rules, so check the source before relying on a row for a decision.
Renewing before the date
Several of these can only be renewed while they are in date. CITB says the SMSTS refresher must be taken before the certificate expires, and IPAF says the same of PAL card renewal. Miss the SMSTS date and the delegate goes back on the full course, which costs the employer more time and money.
So the useful dates are the ones three months ahead. Our live training provider demo at training-demo.varsuite.co.uk works out each certificate's expiry from its scheme's rule, reminds the delegate and their employer 90, 60 and 30 days before, and lets the employer see every member of staff's certificates on an expiry heatmap in their own portal. A refresher booked after the certificate has expired is refused, with the full course offered instead. The rest of the system is on our training provider software page.
Sources
Checked on 22 October 2026. Each source is linked in its row of the table, plus:
The first aid grace period question has its own answer: is there a grace period when a first aid certificate expires?
How long does an SMSTS certificate last?
Five years. CITB says the SMSTS refresher must be taken before the certificate expires. After it expires, the delegate takes the full course again.
How long does an IPAF PAL card last?
Up to five years. IPAF says it must be renewed before it expires, and renewal needs 60 logbook entries over the five years.
How long does a first CSCS Labourer card last?
Two years, for a first Labourer card issued from 1 February 2025. Before that change it was five years. The first of the two year cards start to expire from February 2027.
Does asbestos awareness training expire?
HSE sets no fixed expiry and says there is no legal requirement to repeat an entire awareness course every 12 months, but some form of refresher should be given as necessary. HSE also notes that training certificates sometimes carry an expiry date, such as after a year.
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