How long are IPAF and PASMA cards valid?

Key facts

• 5-year validity on both the IPAF PAL Card and the PASMA card.
• Validity runs from the date of card issue, typically a few weeks after the practical pass.
• No extension. No grace period. An expired card is treated as no card on every UK construction site.
• The IPAF PAL Card and the PASMA card are separate cards on separate 5-year cycles. Renewing one does not renew the other.
• Both schemes operate central databases (IPAF ePAL, PASMA verification) so contractors can check live validity at site induction.
• HSE Work at Height Regulations 2005 require employers to provide equipment only to operatives competent to use it. An expired card breaks that chain.

The 5-year rule on both cards

The IPAF PAL Card and the PASMA card both carry a fixed five-year validity. Work at height carries the highest fatality rate in UK construction, and both industry bodies set the five-year cycle so operative competence is reviewed before machines, equipment and regulation drift. Five years is long enough that operators get full value from a course; short enough that practice and standards have not moved on. The cycle is also what most major contractors specify in their pre-qualification documents.

When validity starts and ends

Validity runs from the date of card issue, not from the date of the practical test. The physical card is issued centrally by IPAF or PASMA a few weeks after the course; the expiry date printed on the card is exactly five years from that issue date. Some operators assume the clock starts on the day they passed; it does not. If you need to confirm the exact expiry, the date on the card is the authoritative source, or check the IPAF ePAL digital card in the IPAF app for PAL Cards, or the PASMA verification page for PASMA cards.

No extension, no grace period

The five-year period is fixed. Neither IPAF nor PASMA grants an extension, and there is no grace period after the printed expiry date. On the day after the card expires, site supervisors treat the operative the same way they treat an operative with no card. The equipment is not signed out. Some contractors will accept a recently expired card with a confirmed booking on the renewal course in the diary, but that is at the site team’s discretion, not a scheme rule. Best practice is to treat the expiry date as a hard stop and book the renewal before it.

IPAF PAL Card and PASMA card are separate cycles

The PAL Card and the PASMA card are issued by different industry bodies and run on independent five-year cycles. An operator with both cards has two expiry dates to track, and the cycles rarely align. Renewing your PAL Card does not renew your PASMA card; renewing your PASMA card does not renew your PAL Card. Employers with multiple operatives across both schemes typically maintain a single tracker showing each operative’s PAL Card expiry, PASMA card expiry and any endorsements. See our card renewal FAQ for the renewal route on each.

Checking your expiry date

Three ways to confirm a current expiry date:

• The physical card. The expiry date is printed on the front of both the PAL Card and the PASMA card.
• The IPAF ePAL app (PAL Card). The digital card shows the live record from the IPAF central database. Operators who have mislaid the physical card can use ePAL on site.
• The PASMA verification page (PASMA card). PASMA operates a central verification check so site teams can confirm an operative’s card status against the database.

If the card is lost and the digital version is not accessible, IPAF or PASMA can reissue from the central record. The training record is not lost; only the physical card is being replaced.

What happens if you find your card has expired

An expired IPAF PAL Card or PASMA card is treated by site supervisors as no card. The operative cannot operate the equipment. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require employers to provide work equipment only to operatives competent to use it, and an expired card breaks the audit chain. Both schemes allow you to renew an expired card by retraining at any time, but the operative does not have a current card in the meantime. The longer the gap, the harder it is to defend “continuity of competence” with a site agent. If your card has lapsed, call us on 01543 899706 and we will book the shortest route back to a valid card. Detail of the renewal process is in our card renewal FAQ.

Why supervisors check at induction

Site induction teams check IPAF and PASMA card validity at the gate because the work-at-height fatality rate is the highest of any UK construction risk and the audit consequences of letting an uncompetent operative onto a MEWP or a tower are serious. Both schemes operate live central databases so the supervisor can scan the QR code on the card, see the categories on it and confirm the operative is still in their five-year window. An expired card flagged at the database stops the operative going to work that morning, which is the worst possible time to discover the date has passed.

Related questions

• How do I renew my IPAF or PASMA card?
• What is the IPAF PAL Card?
• What is the PASMA card?
• How much do IPAF and PASMA courses cost?
• Can IPAF and PASMA training be delivered on-site?

Quick answers to related questions

Does the 5 years start from the test date or the card date?

From the card issue date, not the practical test date. The expiry date on the card is the authoritative figure. The card itself usually arrives a few weeks after the practical pass.

Is there a grace period after expiry?

No. Both IPAF and PASMA treat the printed expiry date as a hard stop. Site supervisors do the same. Book the renewal before the date, not after.

Are the IPAF and PASMA cards on the same expiry cycle?

No. The PAL Card and the PASMA card are issued by separate bodies and run independent five-year cycles. Operators with both cards have two expiry dates to track.

Last updated: 2026-05-21. Reviewed by the MPTT work-at-height training team, IPAF- and PASMA-approved instructors.