How much does an SMSTS or SSSTS course cost?

Key facts

• SSSTS Refresher (1 day) is the cheapest SSP course. SMSTS (5 days) is the most expensive.
• Per-head price drops as group size rises. Instructor time is the biggest cost in any classroom course.
• On-site delivery removes travel and accommodation cost for the employer when training several supervisors or managers at once.
• CITB Levy-registered employers can usually reclaim a grant against most SSP training. Worth doing for multi-attendance bookings.
• The grant rate published by CITB depends on the course and the year. Always check the current rate before budgeting.

What drives the price of an SMSTS or SSSTS course?

Five factors set the cost of any SSP course:

• Course type. SMSTS (5 days) is the longest and most expensive. SSSTS (2 days) sits in the middle. SMSTS Refresher (2 days) and SSSTS Refresher (1 day) are the cheapest options.
• Delivery location. Centre-based delivery is straightforward. On-site delivery at a client yard or project removes operator travel, accommodation and lost-time costs for the employer.
• Group size. Per-head price drops materially as the group grows. The classroom can hold up to the CITB-mandated maximum per course.
• Materials and exam fees. Course manuals, CITB exam fees and the certificate are all included in the quoted price.
• CITB Levy status. If your company pays the Levy, the grant offsets a large part of the gross cost.

Refresher vs full course: a substantial cost gap

The single biggest cost lever on the SSP suite is whether the holder is refreshing an existing certificate or taking the full course for the first time:

• SSSTS Refresher (1 day) – the cheapest SSP course. Recap of the syllabus with emphasis on regulation changes since the original course, plus a written assessment.
• SSSTS Full course (2 days) – required if the existing certificate has lapsed past expiry, or if the supervisor has not held SSSTS before.
• SMSTS Refresher (2 days) – recap of the SMSTS syllabus with emphasis on regulation changes, plus the end-of-course exam.
• SMSTS Full course (5 days) – required if the existing certificate has lapsed past expiry, or if the site manager has not held SMSTS before.

If a refresher is missed and the certificate lapses, the cost jumps from the refresher rate to the full-course rate. Book refreshers early in the final year of validity to avoid that jump.

On-site delivery and group bookings

For employers training three or more supervisors or managers on the same SSP course, on-site delivery at your own yard or project is typically materially cheaper per head than sending staff away. The instructor visits you, the classroom is your meeting room or training room, and the cost of operator travel, overnight accommodation and lost site days is removed. Combine on-site delivery with a group booking and the per-head cost falls to its lowest. Send us the course, the headcount and the postcode and we will quote both options.

CITB Levy: grant recovery on SSP training

If your company is registered with CITB and pays the CITB Levy, the CITB Grant Scheme covers most SSP training. Grant rates are published annually by CITB and vary by course and duration. The grant is paid to the employer, not to MPTT. We issue the achievement documentation the CITB needs to release the grant. For Levy-registered contractors running supervisors and managers through SMSTS and SSSTS in volume, the grant typically covers a substantial portion of the gross course fee. Always check your current grant rates on the CITB website before budgeting.

Why we don’t publish a fixed price list

SSP pricing on the open web is rarely a like-for-like comparison. A ‘low’ headline SMSTS price advertised by one provider might exclude the CITB exam fee, the manual, the certificate or the on-site Tester visit; the supervisor or employer ends up paying those separately. We quote one all-in figure for the course you actually need after we have confirmed the course type, the route (full or refresher), the headcount and the delivery location.

What you get for the price at MPTT

Every SSP course we run is delivered by CITB-approved instructors at our accredited centre in Cannock or on your site. The price includes pre-course screening, the training itself, the CITB exam fee, all course materials, the CITB-issued certificate on passing, and follow-up advice from our team. For Levy-registered clients, we issue the documentation needed to recover the grant. Backed by over 200 five-star Google reviews and a heritage of construction training stretching back to 1935.

Related questions

• Who needs SMSTS vs the Black Manager CSCS card / NVQ route?
• How long is the SMSTS / SSSTS certificate valid for, and how do I renew it?
• What’s the difference between SMSTS and SSSTS?
• Can SSP courses be delivered on-site?
• What is CITB Site Safety Plus?

Quick answers to related questions

How long do SMSTS and SSSTS take?

SMSTS is 5 days. SSSTS is 2 days. SMSTS Refresher is 2 days; SSSTS Refresher is 1 day. Both can be delivered consecutive or split over weeks for clients who cannot release staff for a full block.

Is SMSTS grant-recoverable on the CITB Levy?

Yes, for Levy-registered employers. The grant is paid to the employer on production of the CITB achievement documentation. Grant rates vary by course and year; always check the current rate on the CITB website.

What happens if my SMSTS certificate has lapsed?

If the 5-year validity has expired, you cannot take the 2-day refresher. You must retake the full 5-day SMSTS. The cost jump is substantial, so book the refresher in the final year of validity to avoid lapsing.

Last updated: 2026-05-21. Reviewed by the MPTT CITB Site Safety Plus training team, CITB-approved instructors.