How to Get a CSCS Card

The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is an accreditation that demonstrates that you have been trained on how to be safe on construction sites. For many, this is the first step on the road to a long career in the construction industry.

While this is the key first step for most on their journey, it can be difficult to find information about how to apply and how much to get a CSCS card actually costs.

So, if you’re fresh out of college and are looking to take the first step in your career, or maybe someone that is looking for a career change further down the line, this article will help you understand the whole process of how to apply for a CSCS card.

What is a CSCS Card?

As we mentioned earlier, CSCS stands for Construction Skills Certification Scheme, and it is a certification that demonstrates that you are adept at maintaining safe standards while working on construction sites.

Most construction sites and workplaces are likely to require this certification at the very minimum.

Essentially, companies won’t allow anyone to work on a construction site without this card, as it would leave them considerably liable for prosecution should any incidents arise in regard to health and safety, and to allow someone to work on-site without this card would definitely be regarded as negligent by the site owner.

There are actually several different types of CSCS cards that reflect the job role of the holder. We’ll delve deeper into the different types of cards in the next section.

Types of CSCS Card

If you’re applying for a Green Labourer card, you may also need to complete a Level 1 Health & Safety course, which typically cost around £99 to £150. Higher-level CSCS cards such as Blue or Black require NVQs, costing between £1,000 and £2,500 or more depending on the qualification and provider.

Green CSCS Card

Green CSCS cardholders are mostly issued to Labourers, or as they were formerly known as Construction Site Operatives.

In order to qualify for this card, you need to be able to demonstrate that you are competent in some of the basic responsibilities of a construction worker. These include, but are not limited to:

• Use and maintain power and hand tools relevant to the occupation
• Oral reporting of information
• Use of PPE
• Can follow company and site guidelines safely

Green CSCS cards can be renewed by logging into your CSCS account and uploading an up-to-date CITB test results. You can do this 6 months before it renews and up till 6 months after it expires.

Blue CSCS Card

A blue CSCS card is for skilled workers that can prove their proficiency in the role. To qualify, workers must be able to produce:

• A level 2 NVQ or SVQ
• A UK ENIC comparison report (showing that it's equivalent to NVQ level 2)

Or

• Have completed an employer-sponsored apprenticeship, including the achievement of a City and Guilds of London Institute Craft Certificate.
• Must pass the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test, with a typical pass mark of around 45 out of 50.

Gold CSCS Card

A Gold CSCS card isn’t too dissimilar from the blue card, as they are both for skilled workers. However, if you have taken the next step on the ladder to become a supervisor, you are then eligible for a gold CSCS card.

Of course, you must hold specific certificates and qualifications to qualify for your new role, such as a Level 3 or 4 NVQ or SVQ, along with a completed apprenticeship.

White/Grey CSCS Card

White/Grey CSCS cards are for construction-related roles and not for construction roles precisely. This type of card is quite rare and is mainly for niche job roles that don’t fit under the conventions of any other colour CSCS card.

There are two variants available, as outlined below, if you are unsure which you should apply for visit the official CSCS website for further information.

• Professionally Qualified Person (PQP) – for members of recognised professional bodies (e.g. RICS, CIOB)
• Academically Qualified Person (AQP) – for holders of approved academic qualifications (e.g. construction-related degrees).

White CSCS Card

A white card is for professionally qualified individuals who don’t fit under the realm of any other card. This tends to be for job roles such as architects, surveyors and engineers.

To qualify for a white card, you must have passed the Health, Safety and Environment test for MAP and must be competency assessed and a member of one of the following bodies:

• Architects Registration Board
• Chartered Institute of Building
• Institute of Civil Engineering
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
• Association for Projects Safety
• Energy Institute
• Institute of Demolition Engineers
• British Computer Society
• Institution of Highways Engineers

Please note: If you hold a yellow variant of this card, these have since been withdrawn from circulation (as of February 2020) and are no longer valid. All previously issued yellow cards expired by August 2020.

Red CSCS Card

There are various levels of the red card available, depending on your role within the construction industry. These variants include:

• Apprentice
• Trainee
• Provisional (Temporary)
• Industry Placement
• Experienced Worker
• Experienced Technical, Supervisor, or Manager

Each of these has its own criteria, which can be reviewed in greater detail via the official CSCS website.

Black CSCS Card

A black CSCS card is for senior managers on the site, and to qualify for this card you must have passed the Health, Safety and Environment Test for MAP, along with holding a level 5 NVQ/SVQ or higher.

Who Provides a CSCS Card?

Cards are attainable directly from the body that issues them, CSCS. As we mentioned earlier, it isn’t a legal requirement to hold a CSCS card to work on a construction site, but they are held in such high esteem that very few contractors will allow people to work on the sites without them.

Therefore, trying to work without a valid CSCS card will block many opportunities for employment and training. As for how to apply for a CSCS card, it is recommended to visit the official website at cscs.uk.com.

Who Needs a CSCS Card?

As you can see from the amount of different CSCS cards available, everyone from visitors to senior managers require a CSCS card on the majority of construction sites.

The different colour of CSCS card reflect the different roles that people play on construction sites, and each have different qualifying criteria from the trainee that must be enrolled on a course, to the manager that must have a level 5 NVQ or SVQ.

CSCS Card Requirements

Each type of CSCS card has its own specific eligibility criteria, which we explore in further detail within the ‘Types of CSCS Card’ section of this guide.

However, a common requirement across all CSCS cards is passing the CITB Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E) Test. Note: This is sometimes mistakenly referred to as the "CSCS test".

There are two notable exemptions to this requirement:

• 1) Republic of Ireland SOLAS cardholders are exempt from the Operatives level CITB test when applying for a CSCS card in the UK. However, they must still take and pass the Managers and Professionals (MAP) test if applying for supervisory or managerial roles.
• 2) Individuals on apprenticeships are not required to have passed the CITB test before receiving their CSCS card, as they will complete it as part of their apprenticeship programme.

How do You Apply for a CSCS Card?

CSCS have made it extremely easy to apply for a CSCS card. Simply visit their website and click the 'Apply Now' button.

From here, the website will take you through a step-by-step application, including confirmation on how much to get a cscs card will cost, as well as the opportunity to upload all of the scanned copies of your test results and certifications.

Now, for the CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test, you’ll need to book this online here, and you can only apply for the CSCS card once you have the pass certificate from this test.

How Long Does an CSCS Card Application Take to Process?

There are a few timescales to take into account for this. Firstly, the timescale it takes to get a CITB test varies. Sometimes you may be able to get a test within a day or so, sometimes it may be closer to a week or two, but you can’t apply for a CSCS card until you have passed this test.

Once you have passed the test, and you have everything in hand, it takes between 3-5 working days to receive your CSCS card. Again, this can be delayed if any issues with your accompanying documents arise.

How Much Does it Cost to Get a CSCS Card?

There are two CSCS card costs associated with the application. Firstly, the cost of the CITB test is £22.50 per attempt, and then the CSCS card cost of £36.

Beware of websites that are charging more than the official £36 CSCS card cost as although they will offer to complete the application on your behalf, you won't receive any extra services for using them. As such, you should always apply directly through cscs.uk.com.

However, there are some grants and schemes that can help pay for some or all of the CSCS card fee:

The CITB Levy and Grant System

Companies that pay the construction industry training levy can claim funding to cover the CSCS card cost by putting employees through the CSCS card application for free. If they are registered with CITB, they will be able to gain the same funding for the CITB test.

Local Funding

Local Enterprise Partnerships are available in some areas to help with things like work certifications to help people that live within the community.

Now, not every council has an LEP, but reach out to your local Citizens Advice and find out if you fall within a catchment, or check online.

Unemployed

If you are unemployed, speak with your job coach, as there is also funding available for you to take CITB training and apply for your CSCS card through your local job centre.

A CSCS card opens a lot of doors for people looking to get into the construction industry, and as we’ve discussed in this guide, the majority of sites will make it mandatory.

There are a number of resources available to help you attain this card, and it’s the first step on the road to attaining a career within construction.