Book Your CSCS Red TSM Card Online
The CSCS Red TSM Card is for experienced supervisors, managers and technical staff who are working towards their NVQ. Tell us your role and we’ll handle the application.
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What is the CSCS Red TSM Card?
The CSCS Red TSM Card is the short name for the Experienced Technical, Supervisor or Manager card. It’s for people who already do a technical, supervisory or management job on site but don’t yet hold the qualification that goes with it. To get one you need on-the-job experience, normally at least one year out of the last three, and you must be registered for a qualification at NVQ Level 3 or above, such as the NVQ Level 3 in Occupational Work Supervision. The card lasts three years and can’t be renewed.
Who Can Apply for the CSCS Red TSM Card?
If you run the work, plan it or check it, and you’ve signed up for the qualification that proves it, this is your card. Typical applicants are:
- Site supervisors and foremen registered for an NVQ Level 3 or 4 in supervision
- Site managers, contracts managers and project managers working towards a management NVQ
- Technical staff such as site engineers, estimators and surveyors registered for a Level 3 or higher NVQ
- Experienced tradespeople who have stepped up to run a gang and now need the right card
Registered for an NVQ Level 3 or above? You're most of the way there.
Eligibility Requirements
CSCS wants to see experience, a live qualification registration and a test pass at the right level. Have these ready before you apply:
- On-the-job experience in a technical, supervisory or management role, normally at least one year in the last three
- Registration for an approved technical, supervisory or management NVQ or SVQ at Level 3 or higher (SCQF Level 6 in Scotland)
- A CITB HS&E test pass at the level for your role, taken within the last 2 years
- Photo ID and a passport-style photo that match the details on your application
- Site experienceOn-the-job experience in a technical, supervisory or management role
- NVQ registrationRegistered for an NVQ at Level 3 or higher
- CITB HS&E testA pass in the Health, Safety and Environment test
- Proof of identityPhoto ID and a passport-style photo
Cards You Can Move Up to After the CSCS Red TSM Card
Three years is the limit on this card, so plan the next one early. Where you go depends on the qualification you complete. Gold and black are the usual destinations, and the two white cards suit people who qualify through a degree or a professional body. See them all on our CSCS cards page:
How to Apply for the CSCS Red TSM Card
Get your NVQ registration confirmed first, then deal with the test. Supervisors normally sit the Supervisors test, while managers and technical staff sit the Managers and Professionals test. Not sure which applies to you? Book a CITB test with us and we’ll point you to the right one.
- Register for a technical, supervisory or management NVQ at Level 3 or above.
- Book and pass the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test at the level for your role.
- Get your documents together: photo ID, NVQ registration proof and test pass.
- Apply online through CSCS, or send us your details and we'll submit the application for you.
- Look out for the approval email. The digital card usually shows up before the plastic one.
Ready to apply for your Red TSM Card?
Most applicants complete the online form in under 10 minutes.
Choose the route that suits your application
Registered for your NVQ and passed the test? You only need the card. Still to do either? The package covers the lot.
Red TSM Card
£55 + VAT
This covers the card application itself. If you still need the CITB test or an NVQ registration, those are priced separately.
- Red TSM CSCS card application
- Digital card access after approval
- Physical card delivery
Note:- The CSCS Card booking is £66 which includes the £36 CSCS fee, booking fee and VAT.
Red TSM Support Package
Package pricing on enquiry
For supervisors and managers who have the experience but nothing on paper yet. We arrange the test and the NVQ, then apply for the card.
- CITB test booking at the right level
- NVQ registration, Level 3 and above
- CSCS Red TSM Card application
The package price depends on your role and the NVQ level you need. Tell us what you already hold and we’ll give you a figure.
Renewal and Validity
No. The CSCS Red TSM Card lasts three years and can’t be renewed or extended. CSCS expects you to complete your NVQ in that time and then apply for a skilled card: gold for a supervisory qualification, black for a management one. NVQs at this level take months of evidence gathering, so don’t leave yours until the final year.
- ValidityValid for 3 years
- RenewalCannot be renewed
- Next stepComplete your NVQ and apply for the card that matches it
How Long Does It Take to Receive the CSCS Red TSM Card?
Once CSCS approves your application, the CSCS Red TSM Card normally arrives in 7 to 10 working days. The digital version usually appears in the My CSCS app before that, which helps if you’re due on a new site this week.
When a card is slow, the cause is usually one of three things: the NVQ registration can’t be confirmed, the test was taken at the wrong level, or the name on your ID doesn’t match the application. We check all three before we submit.
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Apply online
Send us your details, NVQ registration, test pass and ID, or apply yourself through the My CSCS app.
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Recently Issued CSCS Cards
Recently Issued CSCS Cards
A quick look at recently approved applications and their turnaround time.
Free Online Profile
We value tradespeople and whoever has a CSCS Card, we offer FREE Online Profile. Just register, update your details & publish your online profile. It’s easy.
Free Online Profile
We value tradespeople and whoever has a CSCS Card, we offer FREE Online Profile. Just register, update your details & publish your online profile. It’s easy.
Career Options for Your Card
A CSCS Red TSM Card keeps you in your role while you qualify. These are the three directions cardholders most often take.
Site Supervisor
Run a gang or a section of the job, brief the team each morning and keep the work safe and on programme.
- NVQ Level 3 or 4
Average Pay
£35k–£45k/yr
Site Manager
Take charge of the whole site, from subcontractors and programme through to health and safety and handover.
- Management NVQ
Average Pay
£45k–£60k/yr
Technical Specialist
Work as a site engineer, estimator, buyer or surveyor and qualify through a technical NVQ at Level 3 or above.
- Technical NVQ, Level 3+
Average Pay
£35k–£50k/yr
Probationary Site Operative
Start in a probationary construction role while your employer assesses your suitability and you gain practical experience on site.
- Suitable for new entrants
Average Pay
£21k–£24k/yr
Construction Site Assistant
Gain short-term or supervised site experience while learning how construction teams, site procedures and daily operations work.
- Work experience route
Average Pay
£23k–£26k/yr
Skilled Trade Pathway
Use your initial construction experience to identify a trade or occupation, then work towards the recognised qualification needed for the appropriate skilled CSCS card.
- Progression to the right card
Average Pay
£28k–£35k/yr
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ajala david
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Prabh Hunjan
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Stephen Grimes
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James Bray
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Shahin Alam
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CSCS Red TSM Card?
It’s the Experienced Technical, Supervisor or Manager card: a red CSCS card for experienced site staff who are registered for an NVQ Level 3 or higher.
Who can apply for the CSCS Red TSM Card?
Supervisors, managers and technical workers with on-the-job experience, normally a year in the last three, who are registered for an approved TSM NVQ or SVQ.
Can I renew my CSCS Red TSM Card?
No. It’s valid for three years and can’t be renewed. You’re expected to finish your NVQ and apply for a skilled card.
Do I need to pass the CITB test?
Yes, at the level for your job. Supervisors usually take the Supervisors test, and managers and technical staff take the Managers and Professionals test.
How long does the card take to arrive?
Usually 7–10 working days after CSCS approves your application. The digital card tends to show up sooner.
Which card comes after the Red TSM card?
Once the NVQ is complete, supervisors usually move to the gold card for supervisors and managers to the black card for managers.
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