16.8 Million CSCS Card Checks in First Six Months of Year

CSCS has published the usage statistics from CSCS Smart Check in the first six months of 2026.

The data shows that the CSCS Smart Check app – the technology to check a CSCS card in real time – has now been used to carry out more than 11 million card scans, with 825,000 individual unique cards verified. In all, there were 16.8 million Smart Check scans during the first half of the year.

Site teams are now relying on the tool to confirm a worker’s card status at the point of access to construction sites, rather than checking physical cards manually.

CSCS Card Checks

Skilled and Advanced Skilled cardholders account for the biggest share of that activity, making up 42% of all scans recorded in the period. Unskilled labour accounted for 35% of cards scanned. Just 3% of cards belonged to those in training, such as apprentices.

Over 700,000 scans were unsuccessful, suggesting they were invalid cards due to being expired, fake or revoked.

There are now 140 active employers using the Smart Scan system to check cards – a 20% increase since the end of 2025.

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