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United Kingdom · Theory test

CPCS card price: what each part costs

Your first CPCS card has no separate price: the cost of the application is included in the technical test fees your Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) Accredited Centre charges. After that, NOCN Group sets a small number of fees, most of them £30, and centres set their own prices for training and the practical test. The CPCS card price list here is NOCN’s own, from its Scheme Booklet for Operators and its pages.

  • £100Cap on a centre’s theory test fee
  • £30NOCN’s card fee since 1 August 2026
  • IncludedYour first card, in the test fees
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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

What is the CPCS card price for each NOCN fee?

ItemFee
NOCN Operative HS&E test£22
Red card 12-month VQ extension£30
Upgrade from red to blue card£30
Renewal CPD, with the renewed card£30
Replacement card£30
MPQC card transfer£30
Grandfather Rights top-up with a VQ£10
Paper form sent by post£2.50

The Renewal CPD price covers up to five modules, so all your categories cost £30 in total. NOCN raised its card fee and the Renewal CPD from £28 to £30 for applications received from 1 August 2026.

For HS&E test bookings, NOCN says internet test centres and third-party booking agents may add an administration fee.

HS&E is the Health, Safety and Environment test, VQ the vocational qualification, CPD continuing professional development and MPQC the Materials Products Qualification Council.

What test centres charge

NOCN caps some centre charges and leaves the rest to each centre:

  • CPCS theory test: up to £100
  • CPCS practical test: no maximum, so NOCN suggests getting prices from several centres
  • On-Site Assessment for renewal: no set charge
  • CPCS Competence Interview, for Grandfather Rights cards: up to £160, including the new card
  • Vocational qualification (VQ): no set fee; agree it with the provider
  • Training: set by the provider
CPCS training courses and providers →

The CITB HS&E test

CPCS also accepts the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Health, Safety and Environment test, and the A61 and A62 categories need CITB’s higher-level tests. CITB sets the price of its own tests, so check the current price with CITB.

CITB: HS&E test and cards ↗Which HS&E test you need →

Is CPCS training free? Grants for employers

NOCN doesn’t list free CPCS training or funding for individuals. The grants it describes are CITB grants that employers registered with CITB can claim for employees who complete training, pass the CPCS technical tests or achieve the VQ.

NOCN’s grants page lists a £60 grant for a theory test achievement and £190, £240 or £410 for a practical test achievement, depending on the plant’s tier, for categories outside the eight covered by CITB’s plant training standards. CITB sets and changes these rates, so an employer should confirm them with CITB before relying on them.

NOCN: Grants ↗
Sources: NOCN and 5 more. Checked October 2026.

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

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