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United Kingdom · Theory test

CPCS card checker

NOCN Group’s online Card Checker tells you whether a Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) card is valid and what it covers. You search with two details, and one of them must be the card’s registration number or the holder’s National Insurance (NI) number. NOCN calls the CPCS card checker a free online tool.

  • FreeUsing NOCN’s Card Checker
  • Phone tapChecking a smart card on site
  • 15 working daysBefore a new card should show on the checker
Open NOCN’s Card Checker

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

How do you use the CPCS card checker?

Enter any of these pairs on the Card Checker. A search with only a name and date of birth won’t work:

  • Surname and card number
  • Surname and NI number
  • Date of birth and card number
  • Date of birth and NI number

Make sure it’s NOCN’s real card checker

On 27 October 2026 NOCN warned about websites that copy the CPCS name and logo to take payments for card applications and renewals. What NOCN says:

  • The only official CPCS website is cpcs.nocn.org.uk.
  • Some fake sites pay to appear at the top of search results.
  • The Card Checker is a free online tool, reached from NOCN’s CPCS Card Checker page.
  • Don’t use sites that offer to ‘process’ your card for an extra fee.
  • If you think you’ve paid a fake site, contact your bank or card provider straight away and report it to Action Fraud.
NOCN: Be aware of the fakes (27 October 2026) ↗NOCN: CPCS Card Checker page ↗

What the CPCS card checker shows

It confirms whether the card is valid. NOCN also records some results on the holder’s record, so they show on the checker without a paper certificate:

  • a pass in the NOCN Operative Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E) test
  • a completed Renewal CPD (continuing professional development) course, 24 to 48 hours after it’s done
  • a new or renewed card, once NOCN has processed the application

NOCN’s standard turnaround for an application is 15 working days. If a card still isn’t on the checker after that, contact the CPCS team by web chat, at cpcs@nocn.org.uk or on 0300 999 1177.

When a new card arrives →

Checking a smart card with your phone

Every CPCS card applied for since 2 December 2019 is a smart card that works by near field communication (NFC). Most modern phones and tablets can read it:

  1. Turn on NFC in your phone’s settings.
  2. Tap the phone on the CPCS card.
  3. Read the holder’s name, photo, categories and endorsements, and any Site Right courses with their expiry dates.

NOCN says a cloned or altered card can’t pass this digital check, and it can switch a smart card off remotely if it has been compromised. Qualifications added later show when the card is tapped, without a new card.

If a CPCS card looks fake

NOCN’s Scheme Booklet for Operators gives this advice to anyone who suspects a fraudulent card:

  • Keep the card from the person, if you can.
  • Tell the local police, with images of the card, the holder’s name and address and how the card was got.
  • Send CPCS the evidence and the police crime number, by post or to Product@nocn.org.uk.
  • Refuse the person access to site, subject to your company’s rules.
Replacing a lost or stolen card →CPCS contact details →
Sources: NOCN and 6 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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