How Many Questions Are on the CSCS Test?

The CITB Health, Safety & Environment (HS&E) test — the test you sit to get most CSCS cards — has 50 multiple-choice questions and a 45-minute time limit. That applies whether you're sitting the Operatives version or the Managers & Professionals version. (Source: CITB — Operatives test and About the HS&E test.)

The pass mark

You need at least 45 of the 50 questions correct to pass — that's 90%. There's no partial credit for "close enough" topics and no separate pass mark per section; it's one combined score out of 50. (Source: CITB — Operatives test.)

It's not split evenly across topics

The Managers & Professionals version of the test is officially built from five sections: Legal and management, Occupational health, General safety, High risk activities, and Environment. The Operatives test draws from the same broad range of construction health and safety topics — PPE, manual handling, working at height, fire safety, hazardous substances, signs and signals, accident reporting, and general site safety — but CITB doesn't publish a fixed number of questions per topic, so you can't predict exactly how many questions you'll get on any one subject. (Source: CITB — About the HS&E test.)

Three test versions, same format

CITB runs three versions of the HS&E test depending on your role: Operatives (general site workers), Specialists (trade-specific roles), and Managers & Professionals (management positions). All three use the same 50-question, 45-minute, 90%-pass-mark format — the difference is the question content, not the structure. (Source: CITB — Health, safety and environment test.)

What the official test costs

As of CITB's current published pricing, the standard HS&E test costs £23.50 at a Pearson Professional Centre. Mobile testing events (where CITB brings testing to a site or local venue) cost more — £32.75 per test. (Source: CITB official pricing documentation, April 2026.) Prices can change, so always check CITB's own booking page for the current fee before you book.

Practising with the right number of questions

Since the real test is 50 questions in one sitting, the most useful way to practise is under the same conditions — one attempt, 50 questions, no going back to change earlier answers. That's exactly how our free mock test is built.