Federal OSHA does not require you to hold an OSHA 10 or 30 card, but your state, your city, or the general contractor on the job very often does, so in practice most construction workers end up needing one. The 10-hour card is basic safety training for entry-level workers; the 30-hour card is the deeper version for supervisors and safety leads. Whether it is legally required, and whether it expires, depends entirely on where you work and who you work for. This is federal OSHA in 2026, with the actual mandates set at the state and local level.
What the cards are
The OSHA Outreach Training Program, run through the Department of Labor by authorized trainers, issues two construction cards:
- The OSHA 10-hour card: an introduction to common construction hazards, aimed at entry-level workers. It covers the Focus Four, PPE, and workers' rights at a basic level.
- The OSHA 30-hour card: a more thorough course aimed at supervisors, foremen, and safety personnel, with more depth on managing hazards and responsibilities.
Neither is a license or a certification to do a trade. They are safety awareness training. Completing the course gets you a plastic wallet card from the DOL.
Federal OSHA does not mandate them
This is the part people get backwards. Federal OSHA requires employers to train workers on the hazards of their work, but it does not specifically require the 10-hour or 30-hour Outreach card to satisfy that. So at the pure federal level, you can be properly trained without ever holding a card.
That does not get you far, though, because of the two layers on top.
Where the requirement really comes from
- State and city law. A number of states and cities have passed their own laws requiring the OSHA 10 or 30 card for construction work, often on public projects above a dollar threshold, and sometimes for all sites. Several also require you to renew the card on a set cycle, even though the card itself has no federal expiration. Which states and cities, which projects, what thresholds, and what renewal cycle all vary, so that is a Working in Your State question, not a national one.
- The general contractor or project owner. Even where no law requires it, GCs and public agencies routinely mandate the card by contract to get on their site. A contract requirement is binding on you just like a law, so if the GC says everyone needs an OSHA 10, you need an OSHA 10 to work that job.
Between those two layers, most working tradespeople end up needing at least the 10-hour card whether or not their state technically requires it.
Does the card expire?
Federally, no, the card has no expiration date. But that is not the whole story: several states and cities that mandate the card also require you to renew it, commonly every few years. So a card that never "expires" federally can still be treated as out of date by the jurisdiction or GC you are trying to work for. Check the renewal rule where you actually work in Working in Your State.
Common questions
Does OSHA require a 10-hour card?
No. Federal OSHA does not require the 10-hour or 30-hour Outreach card, it requires employers to train workers on their job's hazards. But many states, cities, and general contractors do require the card by law or contract, so in practice most construction workers need one. Whether it is mandated where you work is a state-and-local question. See Working in Your State.
What is the difference between OSHA 10 and OSHA 30?
The OSHA 10-hour card is basic hazard-awareness training for entry-level workers; the OSHA 30-hour card is a deeper course for supervisors, foremen, and safety personnel. Both are safety training, not a trade license or certification. The 30-hour goes further into managing hazards and safety responsibilities, which is why it is aimed at people running the crew rather than joining it.
Does an OSHA 10 card expire?
Federally, no, the card has no expiration date. But several states and cities that require the card also require you to renew it, often every few years. So a card that never expires federally can still be treated as out of date by the state, city, or general contractor you are trying to work for. Check the renewal rule where you work in Working in Your State.
Is an OSHA card a license to do construction work?
No. An OSHA 10 or 30 card is safety-awareness training, not a trade license or a contractor's license. It does not qualify you to do electrical, plumbing, or any licensed trade, and it is separate from your state's contractor licensing. You can hold the card and still need a trade license, and vice versa.
The honest bit
- Federal OSHA does not mandate the Outreach card in 2026; it mandates hazard training. Verify at osha.gov.
- Which states, cities, and projects require the card, the dollar thresholds, the renewal cycles, and the penalties for not having it are all set at the state and local level and change. This national guide does not list them. Get the rule for your location from Working in Your State.
- Treat a general contractor's or project owner's card requirement as binding, the same as a law, even where no statute requires it.
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Templates you might need
Sources
- OSHA Outreach Training Program · What the 10-hour and 30-hour construction cards are, and that OSHA does not itself require them
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