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CISRS, the scheme behind scaffolders’ cards, plans to leave the CSCS card scheme on 1 June 2027. Existing CISRS cards stay valid until they expire, but some sites may start asking for a card with the CSCS logo, and there is a simple way to have one ready.
What has been announced
The Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme has given notice that it will leave the CSCS partner scheme from 1 June 2027. Before that, on 1 January 2027, it becomes the Competence in Scaffolding Record Scheme, keeping the CISRS initials. From June 2027, new and renewed CISRS cards will no longer carry the CSCS logo.
Why it is happening
Since March 2024, cards issued under the CSCS logo must be for construction work. CISRS says that clashes with the many scaffolders who also work on utilities, marine, aviation and petrochemical sites, and that leaving lets it keep one card for every sector. CISRS has also said it would stay if the Construction Leadership Council changes the wording of its card scheme recommendation, so this may still change.
What stays the same
- Your current CISRS card is valid until its expiry date.
- CISRS courses, qualifications and assessment routes are unchanged.
- Your CISRS card is still the proof that you are competent to erect scaffolding.
What could change
The open question is the site gate. Many principal contractors ask for a CSCS-logo card. After June 2027 a new or renewed CISRS card will not carry the CSCS logo, so each contractor will decide whether to accept it. Some will, some may not, and the answer may differ from site to site.
The timeline at a glance
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| March 2024 | Cards carrying the CSCS logo must be for construction work |
| September 2026 | CISRS gives notice that it plans to leave CSCS |
| 1 January 2027 | Renamed the Competence in Scaffolding Record Scheme, still CISRS |
| 1 June 2027 | Planned date CISRS leaves the CSCS scheme |
How to keep a CSCS-logo card in your wallet
NPORS is a CSCS partner scheme. Two half day NPORS courses that fit scaffolding work both lead to an NPORS card that carries the CSCS logo when you also hold a CITB Health, Safety and Environment test pass from the last two years.
| Course | What it covers |
|---|---|
| NPORS N723 Harness and Fall Arrest | Half a day. Wearing, inspecting and using a harness and fall arrest equipment. |
| NPORS N404 Safe Working at Height | Half a day. Ladders, towers, edges and planning work at height. |
| CITB HS&E test | Needed for the CSCS logo. We run our own test centre, so it can be booked alongside the course. |
Both are half day courses, so they can run on the same day, at our centres or on your yard. To be clear, an NPORS card does not replace your CISRS card or qualify you to erect scaffolding. It sits alongside it, so if a site insists on the CSCS logo, you have one.
If you supervise scaffolding teams
Supervisors and managers often need more than a trade card. CITB SSSTS for supervisors and SMSTS for managers are widely asked for on larger sites.
What to do now
- Check your card’s expiry date and plan any renewal early in 2027.
- Ask your main contractors what they will accept from June 2027, in writing if you can.
- Get your HS&E test current. It is needed for almost every CSCS-logo card.
- Add an NPORS card so you have a CSCS-logo card either way.
Frequently asked questions
Is my CISRS card still valid?
Yes. Existing cards remain valid until their expiry date.
When does CISRS leave CSCS?
The planned date is 1 June 2027. The scheme is renamed the Competence in Scaffolding Record Scheme on 1 January 2027.
How can a scaffolder get a CSCS-logo card?
NPORS is a CSCS partner scheme. NPORS cards such as N723 Harness and Fall Arrest and N404 Safe Working at Height carry the CSCS logo when you hold a CITB HS&E test pass from the last two years.
Does an NPORS card replace my CISRS card?
No. It sits alongside it. Your CISRS card remains the proof of your scaffolding competence.
Read the source
CISRS’s announcement of its plan to leave the CSCS scheme, as reported by Construction News (25 September 2026) and Scaffmag, including CISRS’s statement that the exit could be reversed if the Construction Leadership Council changes its card scheme recommendation. Facts checked on 5 October 2026.
Tell us what the job is
Say what the work involves and who is doing it, and we will say honestly which course or card it needs, including when the answer is that you do not need one.
Real people, quick answers. 0330 124 2165.
