How Long Does a CSCS Card Last?
A red CSCS card is a temporary card for people training towards a construction qualification. There are three: the Apprentice card (free, lasts 4 years 6 months), the Industry Placement card (3 years) and the Trainee card (5 years, or 2 years with one renewal). Once you qualify, you upgrade to a skilled card.
What Is a Red CSCS Card?
A red CSCS card shows you are on a recognised training route into construction. CSCS, the Construction Skills Certification Scheme, issues cards in different colours depending on your role and qualifications. Red means you are still working towards a qualification. It is a temporary card by design, because the aim is for you to finish your training and move onto a skilled card.
Who Qualifies for a Red CSCS Card?
Which red card you need depends on how you are training.
The Apprentice Card
The Apprentice card is for anyone on a recognised construction apprenticeship. It is free, lasts four years and six months, and covers the full length of most apprenticeships. Your employer, training provider or managing agency can complete the evidence form for you, which helps avoid delays.
The Trainee Card
The Trainee card has two routes. The five year card is for people registered on a qualification that leads to a skilled card, such as an NVQ, SVQ, HNC, HND or degree.
The two year card was introduced in February 2025 for people who have finished an approved Level 2 or higher construction course at college, such as a bricklaying or site carpentry diploma, within the last five years. These courses teach the trade but don't prove competence on site, so the card gives you time to get onto an NVQ.
The Industry Placement Card
The Industry Placement card is for learners on a construction course that includes a work placement of at least three weeks, such as a T Level. It lasts three years.
How Long Does a Red CSCS Card Last?
A red CSCS card lasts between two and five years, depending on the type:
- Apprentice: four years and six months.
- Industry Placement: three years.
- Five year Trainee: five years.
- Two year Trainee: two years.
Most red cards cannot be renewed. The one exception is the two year Trainee card. When it expires, you can get a new three year Trainee card by showing you are registered on an NVQ, SVQ or an agreed alternative. That three year card cannot be renewed again. For how long other card colours last, see our guide on how long a CSCS card lasts.
How Do You Get a Red CSCS Card?
You need three things:
- A health and safety test. You need a pass in the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test within the last two years, or an approved alternative.
- Proof of your training. For example, your apprenticeship registration, NVQ registration or course certificate.
- An application. Apply through the My CSCS app or CSCS Online.
Apprentice cards are free, and every other red card costs £36, the same as most CSCS cards. Once your application is approved, your card should arrive within five working days. Our guide to how much a CSCS card costs covers test fees in more detail.
Can You Work on Site With a Red CSCS Card?
Yes. A red card is a valid CSCS card, and it gets you onto site in the same way as any other colour. It tells the site team you are a trainee, so you will be working under supervision while you build your experience. As with every card, the site you are working on makes the final decision on entry.
What Do You Upgrade to After a Red CSCS Card?
When you complete your qualification, you apply for a skilled CSCS card. For most trades that means the Blue Skilled Worker card, which needs an NVQ or SVQ Level 2 or a completed apprenticeship. If you complete a Level 3 qualification, you can apply for the Gold Advanced Craft card. Our guide to which CSCS card you need sets out every card and what it takes to get it.
The key is timing. Because most red cards can't be renewed, you should aim to finish your qualification before your card runs out.
Starting Your Construction Career With DT Hughes
The DT Hughes Training Academy in Aintree, Liverpool helps new entrants understand which card they need, prepare for the CITB test and get qualified as efficiently as possible. The Academy was set up in 2020 to train our own workforce and is backed by a family business that has worked across the Liverpool City Region, Wirral and North Wales since 1984.
If you are not sure which red card fits your situation, get in touch with the Academy team. If you already hold a CSCS card and are looking for work, take a look at our current vacancies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most construction sites expect every worker to hold a CSCS card, and apprentices are no exception. The Apprentice card is the right one, and it is issued free of charge. You apply with proof that you are registered on a recognised apprenticeship and a health and safety test pass or approved alternative. It lasts four years and six months, covering most apprenticeships.
Most red CSCS cards cannot be renewed. The Apprentice, Industry Placement and five year Trainee cards all expire for good, and you are expected to have qualified by then. The only exception is the two year Trainee card, which can be replaced once with a three year Trainee card if you have registered on an NVQ, SVQ or agreed alternative.
The green Labourer card is only for people in labouring roles. It shows employers you are not on a training route to a trade. If you are an apprentice or working towards a construction qualification, the red card is the right one. Holding the wrong card can mean being refused entry to site, so it is worth checking before you apply.
If your red card expires before you finish your qualification, you will need to apply for whichever card you are eligible for at that point. Because most red cards cannot be renewed, there is no simple extension. Keep track of your expiry date and speak to your employer or training provider early if your qualification is running behind schedule.
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